Solasta: Crown of the Magister

Lore & Background

Solasta: Crown of the Magister was developed by Tactical Adventures, an independent studio based in Paris founded by Mathieu Girard, formerly of Amplitude Studios. The game was announced via Kickstarter funding in September 2019, entered early access in October 2020, and was fully released for Microsoft Windows on May 27, 2021. A macOS version followed on November 4, 2021. Console ports arrived on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on July 5, 2022, and a PlayStation 5 version was released on March 6, 2024.

The game features turn-based combat and a generally linear plot. Players can use pre-made characters or create their own, following fifth edition D&D rules with five races and seven classes. Each character has their own personality and can answer questions from non-player characters or engage in banter with other party members. A tool for creating player-made adventures was included, with a level cap of 16.

Multiple downloadable content packs expanded the game. The Primal Calling DLC, released at launch, added two new classes, three subclasses each, one ancestry, and a new background. The Lost Valley DLC, released April 14, 2022, provided a separate campaign and a free update adding multiplayer co-op and a new subclass per class. The Inner Strength DLC, released November 15, 2022, added three classes and the dragonborn ancestry, along with a free update adding 17 feats and three backgrounds. The Palace of Ice DLC added a higher-level campaign, new spells, gnomes and tieflings as playable races, and other changes. A bundle of the base game with all DLC, the Lightbringers Edition, was released on May 25, 2023.

Reader's Guide

Solasta: Crown of the Magister received generally favorable reviews on Metacritic. Critics noted its strong tactical combat and accessibility to newcomers, while often criticizing the writing and clichéd story. Rick Lane of PC Gamer rated it 70/100, praising the combat and newcomer accessibility but criticizing the writing. Phillip Willis of RPGamer called it an excellent introduction to both D&D and role-playing games, rating it 3.5/5 stars, though he found the story too clichéd. Abraham Kobylanski of RPGFan wrote that the combat and systems make an excellent foundation, but the game feels empty without a compelling story. After multiple DLC releases, Jody Macgregor of PC Gamer praised the continued evolution of Solasta, noting the wide variety of character customization options, including the ability to create oddball parties reminiscent of tabletop adventures.

The game's significance lies in its faithful adaptation of the 5th edition D&D ruleset for a tactical video game, combined with a robust character creation system and a tool for player-made adventures. Its DLC expansions added substantial content, including new classes, ancestries, campaigns, and multiplayer co-op. A sequel, Solasta II, was announced at The Game Awards 2024 and released as an early access game on March 12, 2026 for PC. A new Tactical Adventures subsidiary team named Talyon, based in Lyon, France, was announced on June 10, 2021 to develop a tactical RPG in the same setting.