This year's strategy RPG hotness might just be Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga

If you had any doubt as to whether a game was a strategy-focused roleplaying game, a JRPG in the style of Fire Emblem or Ogre Battle, I can bet you'd be clear that it is when I tell you it's called Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga. Preposterously grandiose name aside, this indie could be game of the year material if you're a fan of the genre.

Since its launch earlier this month it has attracted some attention, pushing onto the bestseller list in some territories and racking up over 1,500 Steam reviews—96% positive.

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The draw of Symphony of War is its richly detailed systems. You build up squads based on 50-some character classes for your troops, customizing and choosing who's in them based on your leader characters and how you've moved through your faction's tech tree.

It's a game system with serious strategic depth layered on top of more standard strategy RPG systems like character relationships, marriages, and equipment. The campaign takes 30-some hours, per the developers, but by all accounts expect 40+ if you're me and refuse to make decisions quickly.

You can also recruit dragons, which in case you didn't know is one of those automatic "this game goes to 11" moments. You can find Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga on Steam for $20.

Jon Bolding is a games writer and critic with an extensive background in strategy games. When he's not on his PC, he can be found playing every tabletop game under the sun.