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Review: SolaceReviewed By: Bill Stiteler Review Computer: 800MHz iMac, 256MB RAM, GeForce 2 Review Date: July 26, 2003
For all the processing power of computers and video cards nowadays, we always come back to the classics. What are Unreal Tournament and Quake if not simulators for Cops 'n' Robbers? Civilization was based on a board game, and actual computer versions of board games are produced year in, year out. Only the bells and whistles change.
The game: There is a world called Solace, composed of six nations at war (ooh, irony). The Jintar Alliance is trying to fend off attacks from the rebellious Red Mountain Onslaught. The back story tries to give some individual identity to each of the nations, but they all abide by the same rules and possess the same units. Each alliance comprises three nations. The land is divided into territories (that produce revenue for buying units) and capital cities. New units are placed in the capitals, so if the enemy captures the only one you have, you can't place any more units. The sea is divided into territories as well, but produce no revenue. There are three styles of play. In the traditional, the Jintar Alliance battles three-on-three against the nations of the Red Mountain, and the goal is to possess five of the six capitals. In free for all, it's you against the world in an attempt to control three of the six capitals. Finally, there is the Economic victory, which is another free-for-all where the victor is the one who earns twice as much as the amount his country started with.
All of these unit quirks serve to give Solace a lot of character. You can load up on inexpensive infantry and try to win by numbers, or try to win with fewer, but much more powerful, cavalry. A sweeping move with naval units can put you behind your enemy, giving access to undefended territories. Finally, we come to network play. In addition to using Freeverse's game-matching service, you can connect to games and play in real-time using TCP/IP or Rendezvous. Another option, which amuses me to no end, is that you can also play the game via e-mail, with each player sending his moves to the other. And since Solace is a hybrid disk, working with Windows as well as OS X, you can play head to head with your PC friends. And crush them. Crush them utterly.
Freeverse has built its reputation as a game maker/publisher not on games that push the bleeding edge of processor requirements or graphics, but on simple, addictive gameplay and, more importantly, attention to detail. Playing their games, you can tell these people love what they do. Except for Jared, of course, the demented twin they keep chained in the attic, but that's beside the point. Let others spend their weekends tweaking video cards to get another three frames per second—Freeverse knows what people want to play, and they give them the games they can enjoy.
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Cool Mac Gear• iPod 1G-2G • iPod 3G • iPod 4G • iPod Mini • PowerBook-iBook • Keyboard Skins • Garageband
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Continuing in this line is Solace from Freeverse Software. A game of world conquest, it's billed as being based on Axis and Allies, but feels more like that game mixed with the much simpler Risk, in a fantasy background.
The military units in Solace are a bit more complex than in Risk. While the basic infantry simply attacks and defends, cavalry units get a free attack at the beginning of the round. Catapults are strong on attack, but weak on defense, and ballistae are the opposite. Naval units have their own personalities as well. Sloops are weak, but can perform a "fade and attack" which allows them to strike and escape before the enemy can retaliate. Some ships can transport troops to perform amphibious assaults, while others guard sea territories to prevent reinforcements from arriving.
Graphically, Solace is one of the best-looking board games I've seen on a computer. The map itself, the units, even the dice that go rolling by are beautifully rendered. The music sounds like actual music, with, you know, instruments and everything. Amazing.