It’s the symmetry and the fastidious detail that makes 4X games like Stellaris and Civilization 6 leap off the screen. But after so many hours of poring over tiny little units and vast expanses of either grassland or space, you might find your eyes wanting for something a little more colorful. Songs of Silence could be the most visually vibrant strategy game of the last decade. With a sharp focus on battles and warfare, it combines deck building and RTS mechanics with a fantasy aesthetic that wouldn’t look out of place in the worlds of Diablo and Skyrim. A cult hit on Steam during early access, the Songs of Silence 1.0 launch is finally here, and developer Chimera Entertainment is breaking all the rules by dropping the game’s price – permanently.
Fighting for control of a gorgeous, fantasy world, battles in Songs of Silence are part standard 4X game, part RTS, and part auto-battler. You choose from one of three factions. You build your nation, your resources, and your army, and then you go to war. Rather than turn-based, your skirmishes across Songs of Silence’s hand-crafted maps happen in real time.
If you want to make snap strategic decisions and tip the momentum in your favor, you have a deck of ability cards. In some cases, these will grant you a sudden influx of reinforcements. Other times, they allow you to implement smart flanking maneuvers. The most powerful are used to summon old gods, who cast miracles and smite your foes with divine intervention.
There’s a gigantic, story-driven campaign, or you can play the more open-ended co-op and multiplayer modes. Alongside its distinctive visual design, Songs of Silence also boasts a soundtrack from Final Fantasy Tactics legend Hitoshi Sakimoto, and it’s got a ‘mostly positive’ rating on Steam – 78% of all user reviews so far are favorable.
The Songs of Silence 1.0 release date arrives today, Wednesday November 13. To mark the occasion, Chimera Entertainment says the price of the game is going down, forever.
“As an independent studio striving to make our mark, we’ve been reflecting on how to bring Songs of Silence to an even wider audience,” the studio says. “One key insight from early access is the profound impact of pricing on accessibility.
“Our research suggests that reducing the price, as a game transitions from early access to full release, is a step rarely, if ever, taken in the industry. Despite the uncertainty that comes with venturing into uncharted territory, this decision aligns with our core values and our commitment to our community. Therefore, we will be adjusting the base price of Songs of Silence from $39.99 to $29.99 for the 1.0 release, with corresponding changes to regional prices.”
“We believe this new price point strikes the right balance between honoring the game’s value and making it attainable for more players worldwide,” Chimera continues. “Our goal is to welcome as many people as possible into the richly crafted world we’ve created.”
If you want to try Songs of Silence for yourself, a demo is also available. Just head here.
Otherwise, get the best strategy games, or maybe the best fantasy games on PC today.
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