Solasta: Crown of the Magister
" Tactical turn-based RPG with faithful D&D 5E rules and deep combat, but DLC limits classes "
Solasta: Crown of the Magister Review
Solasta: Crown of the Magister is a faithful adaptation of the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition ruleset, delivering deep tactical turn-based combat with emphasis on positioning, verticality, and dice-driven mechanics. Players create a fully customizable party of four adventurers, each with distinct personalities and backgrounds influencing dialogue. The game offers a rich lore-filled world with engaging exploration, puzzles, and environmental interactions that enhance the tabletop RPG feel.
While the story follows classic fantasy tropes and lacks originality, it is supported by charming worldbuilding and party banter. Graphically, the game is serviceable but not AAA quality, with some stiff animations and awkward voice acting. A notable downside is that several common races and classes are locked behind DLC, which frustrated many players. Multiplayer co-op suffers from technical issues, limiting its reliability. Overall, Solasta excels in tactical gameplay but falters in narrative depth and polish.
Highlights
Players praise Solasta for its authentic D&D 5E mechanics, including transparent dice rolls and satisfying tactical combat that rewards smart positioning and spell usage.
The customizable party creation system with unique personalities adds depth to character interactions. Exploration and puzzle-solving are well-executed, with interesting environmental mechanics like spider-walking and flying enemies.
Many appreciate the game's adherence to tabletop RPG traditions, the solid worldbuilding, and the availability of extensive user-created campaigns that extend gameplay longevity.
Criticisms
Common criticisms include the poor quality of character models, stiff animations, and awkward voice acting, which detract from immersion. The base story is seen as conventional and underwhelming, lacking impactful role-playing choices.
Technical issues plague the multiplayer co-op mode, causing frequent crashes and desyncs. Several common classes and races are locked behind DLC, which many players consider a poor marketing choice.
Some combat encounters are unbalanced or tedious, and the UI can be confusing. The game’s graphics and audio are considered outdated by some, and the dialogue often feels campy or cringeworthy.
Pros
- • Faithful adaptation of D&D 5E ruleset with transparent dice mechanics.
- • Deep, tactical turn-based combat emphasizing positioning and verticality.
- • Fully customizable party with distinct personalities and backgrounds.
- • Engaging exploration with environmental puzzles and unique mechanics.
- • Robust user-generated campaigns extend gameplay beyond base content.
- • Satisfying spellcasting and combat variety with creative battlefield use.
- • Streamlined gameplay that captures the feel of tabletop RPG sessions.
Cons
- • Several common classes and races locked behind paid DLC content.
- • Multiplayer co-op is unstable with frequent crashes and desync issues.
- • Character models and animations are low quality and sometimes janky.
- • Voice acting and dialogue delivery can be awkward or cringeworthy.
- • Storyline is conventional and lacks meaningful player-driven consequences.
- • UI can be confusing with limited information on spells and enemies.
- • Some combat encounters feel unbalanced or overly tedious.
Rating Criteria
Roll for initiative, take attacks of opportunity, manage player location and the verticality of the battle field in this Turn-Based Tactical RPG based on the SRD 5.1 Ruleset. In Solasta, you make the choices, dice decide your destiny.