Solasta: Crown of the Magister stands stoically at the cross section of several game worlds. From a distance, the isometric RPG dungeon diving evokes old Infinity Engine games like Baldur's Gate. Combat scenarios play out like an XCOM skirmish with a few more bells and whistles. Character moments and conversations remind me of Dungeons and Dragons, complete with stat checks and dice rolls. And yet, perhaps surprisingly, Solasta feels more like a tactical RPG than a DnD alternative, but is a delightful package nonetheless.
Every grand fantasy adventure starts in a tavern, and Solasta is no different. Your party of loose acquaintances meet under the same auspicious orders, sharing tales of the near death experiences they went through to get to their cups of ale. These characters can either be selected from the prepared roster, or created from scratch.
Cosmetic customisation options are limited compared to the more robust facial and body sliders you see in contemporary RPG games. You're largely restricted to the same set of faces and hairstyles for everyone, with some race-exclusive features like braided beards for dwarves. Without adding some age to the characters though, their faces seem textureless and alien. It's not a deal breaker that my half-elf ranger looks a bit like a procedurally generated NPC, but it is disappointing, especially next to the premade high elf wizard, who looks great.
RELATED LINKS:
D&D game Solasta: Crown of the Magister is 50% off right now
Solasta's first big DLC adds D&D's Barbarian and Druid classes
Solasta gets an update with D&D's 5E sorcerer class