Legends of Dark Conquest: A Captivating Review of Annulus

The gameplay is a relatively traditional hardcore SLG.The art style is a rare combination of Western and European styles, even in the domestic and Asian regions.The storyline and character designs draw heavily from the dark fantasy style of "Sword Wind Legend."In a mobile gaming market dominated by light-hearted content, it takes courage to create something like this!

After playing the closed beta for a few days, I have a few points I'd like to discuss with everyone:

This game caters to a niche audience and aims to serve a dedicated fan base, primarily targeting the international market. It may not earn huge profits in China, but considering its market positioning and quality, it can easily surpass other unknown low-quality mobile games (since there aren't many good ones). While it may not make big money, it should generate decent revenue and player retention (as long as the marketing is done well). If the operations are managed effectively, there shouldn't be any major issues.

I happen to be a loyal fan of this genre, and although I don't usually spend much time playing closed beta games due to the progress wipe, this game has captivated me. As a turn-based strategy war game, why is the sense of impact so well-executed? Why are the character models so fitting? What? Did you incorporate elements from "Divinity: Original Sin"? The elemental reactions combined with the weather system, where characters get wet on rainy days and can be frozen by ice spells or evaporated by fire spells – it's not like the damage mechanics of "Genshin Impact"; it's a genuine interplay of elements. Moreover, the changing time of day – morning, noon, dusk, and night – affects the abilities of different professions. These random elements woven into an already excellent hardcore SLG make the gameplay incredibly rich, with excellent mechanics and balanced values. It is undoubtedly an outstanding mobile game. Even if it were released on Steam as a standalone game, it would receive "overwhelmingly positive" reviews based on gameplay alone.

The gacha rates are average, not high or low. However, this is because you can't spend money in the closed beta, so I'm not sure about the temporary payment options. Because of this, there are also many free gacha pulls. As for the regular release, I can't say for certain.

The progression system is quite deep, with building bonuses, weapon enhancements, job changes, and other content, all done with restraint and excellence. However, character leveling is genuinely difficult, so the developers have been giving out a lot of leveling vouchers later on, but it's still challenging to level up. I hope the numerical design of this aspect is carefully considered. Also, it's frustrating that completed dungeon levels cannot be replayed automatically, so I strongly request the addition of this feature. Avoiding repetitive tasks after completing a strategic mission is a normal design choice.

However, there are some aspects, like the need to consume legendary items to level up legendary characters, which are essentially pay-to-win features. Although the stat boosts are not overly significant, the grind from consuming legendary items from the beginning to reach Apostle 1, 2, 3... is indeed high. Whales may find it enjoyable, but it only slightly surpasses the average player. Nevertheless, SLG still has a natural advantage since numerical values account for a significant portion of turn-based strategy gameplay. I've heard that PvP will be introduced in the future, and... well, I'm not sure about it, but I can understand. After all, I'm still worried that this game may die out. It's really challenging to survive. If the gap between paying and non-paying players is too wide, why would I spend money?

I'm using a Lenovo Y700 tablet, which can handle Genshin Impact without any issues. It has a Snapdragon 870, and I play on the highest graphics settings. However, it consumes a lot of battery, experiences severe lag and frame drops in certain interface operations, and generates a lot of heat. The optimization for combat is decent, and I haven't encountered any problems. I hope these issues will be resolved in the official release. Nevertheless, the game's quality is remarkably high, and the graphics don't resemble those of typical mobile games. It's truly impressive.

I have to say that the immersion and atmosphere are off the charts. The entire package, including the art, voice acting, and music, undoubtedly sets a new benchmark in the mobile strategy game genre. As the main storyline progresses, there will be additional series of side stories interwoven within it. Many choices and script contents are exhilarating, just like watching "Game of Thrones."

Finally, I hope the game continues to be optimized and addresses the aforementioned issues. In terms of quality, this game is undoubtedly a towering presence in the mobile SLG community, an unshakable giant. I sincerely thank the producers and the team for having such a dream and dedicating three years to develop a project like this. I can't imagine how much internal struggle you all must have faced. In our society, very few people choose to swim against the current because, behind every team member, there is a family and the reality they face. So I deeply admire all of you. Keep up the good work!