Some games are compelling through their art styles and others grab attention with unique mechanics. Strategy 4X Songs of Silence manages to do both, with hand-painted Art Nouveau visuals that recalls titles like Wildermyth or Nine Sols combined with 4X strategy that brings to mind Endless Legend or Age of Wonders 4. My particular pick for what Songs of Silence reminds me of most is Master of Magic, at least when you get into its autobattler combat with vast armies facing off against each other. After a few months of early access it’s almost ready to make its full appearance on the scene, and you won’t have to wait too long to play the final release.
While the developer of Songs of Silence is looking to the future, it’s also taken this moment to take a peek back at the road to launch for the strategy game. One thing that’s great to see is the developer admit that its first version of the game wasn’t entirely right, recognizing that some of the negative reviews it received at first had valid points to make. In particular a botched translation which mixed up Japanese and Chinese characters caused problems, but thankfully the developer was swift to fix it. What followed was a string of huge improvements over the course of its early access period.
Faster battles were next to be added, with UI overhauls for the game’s encyclopedia, an easier early game, and the ability to exit during combat also making an appearance. As you spend a lot of time maneuvering around the Songs of Silence map, improvements to the clarity of movement also arrived, as well as a tutorial rework and the option to zoom right in on the game’s battles, letting you get up close and personal with the action.
Rebalancing the game in its entirety came next, then working on community feedback, co-op multiplayer, and more. Developer Chimera Entertainment paints a picture of a title that’s come a remarkably long way in a relatively short amount of time, and it’s clear that fan comments have helped drive the development of the game. Now, that first leg of the journey is nearly over, with Songs of Silence leaving early access soon.
The full Songs of Silence release date is set for Wednesday November 13. If you’d like to take a closer look at the game, and see how much progress has already been made on it, head over to Steam to learn more.
Should you be left wanting more, our guides to the best RTS games and the best 4X games you can play will help you narrow your search for your next great gaming experience.
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