Songs of Conquest knows exactly what it’s mourning
I bounced off Songs of Conquest the first time I tried it. The second attempt — about three months later, after a long flight, on a recommendation from a friend — was when the design clicked. This is a review of the second attempt.
I bounced off Songs of Conquest the first time I tried it. The second attempt — about three months later, after a long flight, on a recommendation from a friend — was when the design clicked. This is a review of the second attempt.
Gameplay
Combat in Songs of Conquest rewards reading more than reflexes. Lavapotion clearly built around the idea that you should always have time to think — but the consequences for thinking wrong are real. The result is the rare action game that respects deliberate play.
There’s no fluff in Songs of Conquest’s systems. Every menu is one click deeper than you expect; every tooltip says what it means; every system interacts with at least one other system. It’s the kind of design that’s invisible while you play and obvious when you stop.
Atmospheric detail in Songs of Conquest.
Who We Are & Setting
The writing in Songs of Conquest is the best argument for taking dialogue trees seriously again. Every choice feels weighted. Every NPC has a recognizable voice. It’s not subtle work — but it’s the kind of unsubtle work that takes years to get right.
The story is told mostly through environment and incidental dialogue, which is the right choice for the kind of game this is. There are no twenty-minute cutscenes. There are no NPCs who follow you around explaining lore. What there is, instead, is a world that responds to attention.
Visuals & Performance
Performance is solid on the platforms we tested. Frame rate stays in target ranges, load times are short, and we didn’t encounter game-stopping bugs across roughly 32 hours of play. Visual fidelity is competitive — not industry-leading, but competitive — and the optimisation work shows.
Combat encounter in Songs of Conquest.
Verdict
We score Songs of Conquest a 7/10. That’s high for the genre, but the strengths are unambiguous and the weaknesses are addressable through patches. Worth the time of anyone with even a passing interest.
Lavapotion has earned the benefit of the doubt with Songs of Conquest. It’s not their best work — that’s probably still Disco Elysium — but it’s a stronger argument for taking small studios seriously than any pitch deck.
Editorial scoring
Reader Q&A
How long does it take to finish Songs of Conquest knows exactly what it’s mourning?
Main story runs around 32 hours depending on how thoroughly you explore. Completionists can spend 2-3× that.
Is Songs of Conquest knows exactly what it’s mourning good for newcomers to Turn-based Strategy?
It depends. The systems are deep but the tutorial does a fair job. Veterans of Turn-based Strategy will feel at home faster.
Which platform should I play Songs of Conquest knows exactly what it’s mourning on?
Steam Deck handles this title well — verified compatibility on most recent patches.
Was Songs of Conquest knows exactly what it’s mourning worth the launch-day price?
Released in 2024, and as of writing it holds up. Wait for a sale if you’re price-sensitive — major discounts arrive within 6 months.
Are there DLCs or expansions worth picking up?
Wait for the Game of the Year edition — it bundles everything at a fair discount.
What did Lavapotion get right (and what could be better)?
Lavapotion nailed the moment-to-moment loop and the world-building. Pacing in the mid-game and inventory UX have room for improvement.