For those of us who grew up on the grid-based tactical combat of the 90s, the faction lineup is the biggest draw. You'll be able to command the Temple, Dungeon, Grove, Necropolis, and the mysterious Hive and Schism. Each faction brings its own strategic identity to the bird's-eye view battlefield, and having six available at the start of Early Access suggests a level of meta-depth we rarely see this early in development.
The launch includes the first act of the campaign, which takes us back to the origins of the Enroth universe. But if you're like me and prefer testing your builds against other players, the inclusion of ranked play and matchmaking in the Classic, Single Hero, and Arena modes is a huge win. We aren't just getting the mechanics; we're getting the infrastructure to play them competitively immediately.
Unfrozen is also leaning heavily into the community's creative side. The Early Access build will ship with a pre-release version of the map editor and several premade scenarios. This is a smart move—giving the community the tools to build their own challenges has always been the lifeblood of the series. The developers are actively soliciting feedback on Discord and Steam, so if you've been waiting for a return to form for the TBS genre, this is your chance to help steer the ship.
Soren