The ashes of the old world’s empires may still have some fire hidden within them in Sorcerer King, the anticipated fantasy 4X from long-tenured independent studio Stardock. Sorcerer King’s latest beta update, available today allows players to recruit Remnant Champions to their cause, overhauls the quest system with new rewards and more, and updates both the gameplay and graphics of many bandit and monstrous units.
Sorcerer King is a different kind of 4X. There are no evenly matched rivals to race against here; the game itself is out to get you. The evil Sorcerer King is slowly sucking the magic from the world and its inhabitants to fuel his ascension to godhood. You must carve out enough of a kingdom from the wreckage to assemble one last army of heroes and soldiers to storm his dark stronghold in a final deadly challenge to his absolute authority. His evil empire will crush you like a bug if you look like too much of a threat, though, so making your move too early will only doom the world’s last hope for survival.
Remnant Champions are the finest fighters remaining to the shattered empires crushed by the Sorcerer King’s terrible conquest. Their loyalty can be yours, but at a price: you’ll have to help their people by completing unique quests before the Remnant Factions and their Champions will throw in with you for one final gasp of defiance against the evil Sorcerer King’s dark reign. Korthox the Ice Lord, Esperaza the Avenger, and more will prove capable allies if you can earn their trust through battle and sacrifice.
“Remnant Champions are everything that I want Sorcerer King to be,” said lead designer and Stardock CEO Brad Wardell. “The combination of storytelling, combat, role-playing, and sheer evil-crushing power embodies what sets Sorcerer King apart from the traditional 4X genre.”
The latest beta for Sorcerer King also improves the quest system with a new reward structure, more often granting weapons and armor as well as intangibles like courage, loyalty, and ruthlessness that the game’s “dungeon master” AI uses to generate events. A wise sovereign sees a far different course of history than a foolish one, while brave and cowardly rulers alike can expect their armies to follow their examples.
Many minor improvements are also present in this beta update, from the reworked main menu to the end-game stats screen. The story-based campaign is the only remaining feature to be added before Sorcerer King’s release later this year, balance/polish/bug-fixing notwithstanding.
Official Website: http://www.sorcererking.com
Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/241990
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