Strategy RPG Songs of Conquest and its lovely pixels will appear in 2022

Songs of Conquest was first shown off at the PC Gaming Show back in 2019, and it returned this year to announce a release window and show off some new gameplay footage, channelling classics like Heroes of Might & Magic. Check out the new trailer above.

When it appears in early 2022, you'll be able to step into the well-worn shoes of a Wielder, a powerful magician travelling up and down the handsome pixel fantasy land, getting into fights and building up your kingdom.

Though games like HoMM and Age of Wonders provide the foundations, developer Lavapotion has thrown in a few twists, like how Wielders get their magical power from their troops, rather than from a mana pool. Through their army, they get a special resource, Essence, which comes in various flavours depending on how you've constructed your force.

Your little kingdom will have to compete with four factions, each with a unique roster of units, aesthetic and biome. Here's the list of your soon-to-be foes:

Arleon: Knights of old battling each other for dominance
Rana: Ancient tribes fighting for survival in the swamp
Loth: Necromancers raising the dead to create a glorious future
Barya: Mercenaries and inventors dedicated to coin and gunpowder

Along with the story campaign, which can also be played in local and online multiplayer, you can expect an in-game editor that will let you conjure up your own campaigns. With the editing tools, you'll be able to script in-game events, write dialogue and even control the soundtrack.

Songs of Conquest will launch on Steam, GOG and the Epic Games Store next year.

Fraser is the UK online editor and has actually met The Internet in person. With over a decade of experience, he's been around the block a few times, serving as a freelancer, news editor and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been a 30-year-long obsession, from tiny RTSs to sprawling political sims, and he never turns down the chance to rave about Total War or Crusader Kings. He's also been known to set up shop in the latest MMO and likes to wind down with an endlessly deep, systemic RPG. These days, when he's not editing, he can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or talking about his dog.