What is Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga?
From the makers of Skyborn and Echoes of Aetheria, inspired by classics such as Fire Emblem and Ogre Battle, Symphony of War marks the beginning of a new SRPG series with its first installment: The Nephilim Saga.
Top “Ask Me Anything” questions answered!:
Q: Is there permadeath?
A: Only on “Insane” difficulty, which is unlocked by completing the game! If your units fall in battle, they will be out for the rest of the chapter, and revived during the next Home Base sequence safe and sound. They can also be revived at Temples which are in many chapters.
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Q: Will it be ported to console?
A: Ideally, it will end up on Switch, possibly XBL. Many things need to happen to get there, but that’s the plan! Need to nail down PC/max/linux/steam deck first.
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Q: What is that pentagram-shaped UI object on the top right?
A: That’s the Nephilim Power mana meter - there are “God powers” you can learn and use which are separate from your actual squads and units. You can Teleport squads, drop meteors, refresh turns, make a squad invincible for a turn, and more! Just another layer of tactics you can use in this game.
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Q: Will there be controller support?
A: Yes, absolutely!
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Q: “The steam page mentions a dynamic relationship system. How does it work? What about romance options? Will choosing a woman as your avatar mean you can only get men as options and vice versa?”
A: Great question! I'm a bit of a sucker for this sort of thing so we put a lot of thought into it. You have friendships, bonds, or family as special types of relationships, which affect morale in battle (hugely important) and change those characters' endings a bit. Yes, your choice of Protagonist does affect romantic options, and to address the second part of your question, no. I tried to treat this one very carefully, as there's a fine line between shoehorning chemistry in there that just doesn't work - all of the relationships that can happen can happen because there is some underlying reason for it, like a shared struggle or at least personal chemistry.
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Q: “Will there be class upgrading based on unit alignment like in Ogre Battle?”
A: No alignment system, class upgrades come from Class XP (CP) gained through combat or CP items, which leads a unit to class mastery. Once that class is mastered, and they have the stats for it (usually a STR, SKL, or MAG stat requirement) and your army has the resources for it (iron, gems, horses, etc) you can upgrade into higher tiers. Super fun to do!
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Q: “How many class types are there in the game?”
A: 43ish classes, several archetypes
-Heavy Infantry / Cavalry
-Light Infantry / Cavalry
-Archery (includes cavalry archery)
-Gunners (includes cavalry gunner, cannons)
-Dragons, Dragon Riders
-Magicians
-Support/healer
And a whole bunch of unique classes not in the generic class tree
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Q: “I’m seeing squads of various classes. Are the unit placement mechanics similar? I.e. does placement affect what kind of attack they use/frequency? Will there be character recruitment opportunities on maps? And most importantly, will there be a “roaming tax” like OB?”
A: Ogre Battle is one of my all time faves.
This game differs largely from Fire Emblem in that it is indeed Squad-based. Unit placement and formation are very similar to Ogre Battle but you can have up to 9 units in 15 squares on the grid (9 base tiles and 6 semi-tiles)
Placement is huge huge huge, doesn't affect which attacks they do (that's based on the class) but it entirely affects both how much damage they do, and take, as well as how the enemy can target you. You protect squishies with tanks using formations.
You can recruit fresh conscripts or veteran mercenaries from the home Base, or tent bazaars you find on the map!
No roaming tax like OB1, money is entirely used for purchasing new recruits, items, and artifacts to equip on your squads.
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Music:
I started this journey making music, which turned into a passion for making games. Please enjoy some of the music I composed for the soundtrack!
The Symphony of War series’ most addicting new feature: Rather than singular heroes and troops, you the player will build and command Squads of up to 9 units, and gather up a vast army! Squads are usually lead by one of the many of the story’s main cast of characters, or by a leader you assign, and can be thousands of different combinations with over 60 troop classes.
The possibilities are endless. Shock the enemy with heavy cavalry, invest in technology into firearms and cannons, train in war mages, raise dragons, specialize in heavy infantry or archery, stay mobile to light infantry and cavalry archers… too many different tactics to list!
You are the battlefield general
Organize your Squads onto the battlefield grid in 15 possible positions, and clash with enemy armies that are set up just the same. Formation and your choice of troop types has a huge impact on the outcome of battles!
A massive world with a rich history and setting
Tahnra has been the backdrop of all of our games and continues to grow. The dynamics between the various factions, political leaders, heroes, gods and myths benefit from over 10 years of evolution.
Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga starts in Year 997 of Archaelus, about 100 years after the events of Echoes of Aetheria. Skyborn’s timeline lands around Year 250, so much will have changed in this time.
Empire of Veridia: The largest country, most of the storyline takes place here. It is a long-standing Empire that, despite its perpetual internal conflict, remains the world’s military and economic superpower. Its area control is massive, and extends as far South as the deserts of Sayunaa and the Nikeda Channel islands, all the way to the endless frozen wastes of the North. Such a vast land is difficult to govern from one center of power, and thus Veridia has traditionally been strongly sub-divided into smaller polities governed by powerful nobles that answer to the Emperor in Armitage, the Imperial capital.
Direct Imperial Control: The Emperor directly governs the lands around Armitage, a gleaming walled city at the fork of two major rivers. The Emperor also directly controls the Imperial Army and Navy, which are often drawn from all over the Empire.
Donari Temple: Though the Temple has few land holdings, it being the preeminent religion of Tahnra has a powerful presence and influence all throughout the human world. It was founded at Year 0 of Archaelus, after the victory over the demon Zanatus’s forces, when Donar became flesh in one man. To this day, Donar and the other four Nephilim are seen as deities by adherents to the Donari Temple.
Duchy of Rimorgue: Duke Terenor rules over the very rich and bountiful Veridian Midlands. He also boasts rule over the fortress city of Stormrook, and the whole Rimorgue River Valley, which is famed for its vineyards and beautiful meadows.
Duchy of Isanter: Duke Lothair is Terenor’s chief rival, and has many holdings up and down the West coast of Veridia province. The Duke is also known to be a strong supporter of the Donari Temple.
Duchy of Embor: Duke Jaromir has a very extensive territory in the far North and East, though it is largely empty. From the long rolling plains near Embor itself, to the deadly cold wastes of the Plains of Grothnor, Jaromir maintains peace on the outer edges of humanity’s reach.
Kingdom of Sayunaa: An ancient and isolated land that is fiercely devoted both to the Donari Temple, and to its independence from the rest of humanity. It is famed for its vast mineral wealth, harsh terrain full of jagged mountains and scorching deserts, and its peoples’ deep suspicion of outsiders.
Republic of Sandraka: The smallest human country, but is home to the city of Sandraka, which has often been the world’s largest city, with bustling trade and technological activity which attracts the world’s intellectual elite. Due to its great technological advancements, the Republic has been able to negotiate its continued independence from Veridian domination.
Rich cast of characters, friendships, bonds
The story is focused largely on a central cast of deeply-developed characters. Help them grow as they navigate the story’s events, and form friendships and bonds with one another. The main protagonist especially can develop bonds with just about everyone!
Experience the vast and lore-filled world of Tahnra and its engaging story
Tahnra, a world that has been the backdrop of Dancing Dragon Games for over 10 years, is about to be swept by war, political intrigue, shocking betrayals, and epic battlefield clashes. Take command of your army to bring peace to the many nations of Tahnra, and its great villains to justice.
Your choice of Hero
Either form and any name you take, your story and abilities are the same. Character creation also involves several important questions about your personal philosophy that directly impacts the main hero’s development.
Level up your Army with Faction Rank and Technology
During the Home Base sequence between chapters, you can advance your army’s technology. Build better equipment, refine your battle tactics, deepen your understanding of magic and dragon taming, and even learn how to produce deadly firearms and cannons.
The more battles you win, the higher your Faction rank, which unlocks more technology and other new abilities.