Solium Infernum (PC) review: A devilishly good strategy experience

Hell could use a new head honcho, but getting there is about as straightforward as a nest of snakes. 

That's the drive behind Solium Infernum, a turn-based strategy game that tasks players with finding ways to become the new supreme overlord of Hell, guiding their chosen Archfiend through trickery, magic rituals, and innumerable demonic legions. Some interesting gameplay mechanics and absolutely gorgeous artwork reinforce the game's unique flair, while multiplayer support means that you can scheme against your friends.

The relatively (for the genre) fast playtimes mean it's also possible to get through a game or three without making a long-term commitment, though repeated playthroughs make some balance issues apparent, especially when you're playing against AI opponents. Here's my review.

Disclaimer: This review was made possible by a review code provided by League of Geeks. The company did not see the contents of this review before publishing.

What is Solium Infernum?

Solium Infernum is a turn-based strategy game developed and published by League of Geeks. Players choose one of eight Archfiends with unique properties — you can play against AI or against friends in a multiplayer match — and then take turns buying legions of damned warriors, enacting plots, scheming, growing more powerful, and collecting territory in hell, while every action you take is in service of gathering more Prestige.

With complicated restrictions on what kinds of moves can be taken when, bureaucracy is often the name of the game, and you'll have to rapidly adjust your schemes in response to the changing rules that can unfold over the course of a game. At the end of the match (which can be set to be longer or shorter, but never goes for more than a couple of hours) the player with the most overall Prestige is crowned the new ruler of Hell.

Solium Infernum

While some balance issues and AI errors can cause problems, there's a solid strategy core in Solium Infernum. That core is reinforced with amazing artwork and a deceptively rapid pace that'll see you get through multiple games in a short amount of time.

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Solium Infernum: Gameplay and customization

Solium Infernum starts out simple enough, with players issuing orders for things like maneuvering armies, raising tribute (currency), upgrading a special power, using a special power, consolidating currency (more on that later), or various diplomatic entreaties. Once everyone has their orders queued up and ends their turns, you'll watch everything play out across the barren landscape of Hell. 

One of the key differentiating factors here is that you are extremely limited in the number of orders you can issue, as you're limited to just two actions per turn. This can be upgraded to three, but only towards the middle of the game with dedicated effort. I do appreciate how this makes you really strategize and carefully decide what the most important thing at the moment is, but the downside is that it can feel impossible to react and make any progress with just how many different things are constantly happening. 

With the game mechanics focusing on said randomized effects, the balance of power can shift radically from one round to the next. A successful scheme might see you steal some currency from another player or conquer a landmark on the map. Every now and again, all players will be asked to vote on something, like a punishment for the player who is ahead with most Prestige at a particular moment.

As you're juggling multiple currencies for purchasing new demons and artifacts, you'll find there are some strange limitations, as you can only use a total of eight tokens to pay for something, and no token can have a particular value higher than nine. Need more than eight tokens to pay for that shiny new legion? You'll have to issue a consolidation order to clean up your inventory.

All of this combines in a way that feels fun, but is often bizarrely imbalanced, especially when playing against AI. You might spend eight turns saving up enough to get a new demonic general that can help turn the tide for your armies, only to then have your consolidated tokens stolen the next round. It's super-satisfying when things pay off, but some of these mechanics (currency in particular) feel like they need another balancing pass. 

Solium Infernum: Visuals and audio

The art direction in Solium Infernum is absolutely stunning, with gorgeously rendered depictions of unique demons. I found myself spending a huge amount of time just admiring the art for every legion, with no two alike. There's frozen medieval warriors, walking ballista towers, undead World War 2 units, and more, all given the same care and attention with art that wouldn't be out of place on expensive trading cards. 

Outside of the art, Solium Infernum looks solid enough. There's not a ton of detail in Hell, but some clever tricks (like having it loop back in on itself if you scroll too far) sell the evil, otherworldly ambience that the game needs to keep your attention. The soundtrack is similarly fine, with a fitting Machiavellian orchestra to back the nefarious deeds you and others commit at a regular pace. 

Solium Infernum: Accessibility and approachability

The turn-based nature of Solium Infernum means you're never under any serious time constraints and you don't need to worry about reaction times. Everything — and I mean everything — gets a pop-up prompt if you need to address it or worry about it, so it's impossible to miss out on seeing something.

Like many other Windows PC games, Solium Infernum also supports key rebinding, so if you need to make adjustments for your physical comfort, that's an option. Text can also be scaled for anyone that has problems reading small texts. Beyond those settings, there aren't many true accessibility features. 

Solium Infernum: Should you buy it?

Solium Infernum is a fun strategy game with unique flair, and at $40, it's definitely worth checking out if you're looking for something new in the genre. There are some frustrations that pop up from time to time, especially in longer games, and I do hope the developers are able to rebalance some of the more lopsided abilities, especially for single-player games against the AI. 

Overall though, the unique setting, artwork, and scheming is enough of a pull to keep me coming back to this game over time, and I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of support the team can add in the future.