Spellforce 3 Soul Harvest

Arriving as a stunning standalone expansion, Spellforce 3: Soul Harvest expands not only the narrative campaign of the original but refines the iconic RTS/RPG mechanics. With all the grandeur of world-building similar to the likes of the Warcraft, Divinity, or Diablo series—Spellforce 3: Soul Harvest carries players through the world of Eo on a brand new twenty-hour base campaign. Not to mention side quests, multiple modes involving RTS-like PVP battles and RPG-like coop—it’s a full package of new content. Additionally, with bug fixes and quality of live improvements over Spellforce 3, this expansion offers something for veterans of the series and new players alike.

Same Car, New Coat of Paint

The basic mechanics that made Spellforce popular are all in play in this expansion. However, some changes to combat such as improved enemy AI, a hero system, flying combatants, and a more intuitive UI are all welcome additions. The newly added Dark Elf and Dwarven factions offer a new storyline for the evolving story as a disgraced general looking to solve a potentially catastrophic mystery—while also adding new ways of playing, fighting, and the newly added—building systems. The broad strokes of combat all feel roughly the same but you can’t help but notice how polished this version comes across and how much that can change the overall impression of the game. With bug fixes, endearing side quests, character arcs and a story that takes on tried and true tropes of the fantasy genre while imbuing its own twists and colors—it’s a welcome retreat that in many ways surpasses the original game.

A Return to Form

It’s becoming increasingly rare to see base-building in modern RTS games, especially of the fantasy genre—but this expansion brings the system back and accentuates it with its own style and flair. Similar to titles like Age of Empires, or the newly released Crusader Kings III, this game offers traditional RTS mechanics and base creation then merges those with more traditional RPG mechanics—a genre that shares similar bones but often diverges mechanically. This beautiful mix of worlds comes together perfectly in the campaign and allows for an engaging RPG experience with looting, quest rewards, and team leveling but also continued hours of entertainment with RTS modes dispersed throughout.

With a wonderful soundtrack, diverse mechanics, a branching set of beautiful areas that range from dungeon crawling in sickly caves, to exploring ancient temples and broken-down cities—not to mention a plethora of RPG and RTS mechanics, Spellforce: Soul Harvest offers a lot of bang for its buck. With a new fully-voiced campaign, side quests, and characters rife with detail—it’s often, stop and stare, impressive how much care was given to the expansion.

Pros

• A well-polished RTS and RPG
• Great fixes to original and brand-new standalone story
• Huge amount of content (and meaningful)
• New combat mechanics and factions

Cons

• Still an overbearing UI
• Uses old engine without much improvement graphically