Grand strategy games are often these slow, methodical things that require you to take your time, a genre that feels better suited solo. But how about a game that takes those same processes and throws in some multiplayer? In doing so you get Tapestry, a turn-based strategy game where you pit your faction against three others, all rendered in a painterly visage with deliciously choppy character animations.
Much like many war-based strategy games, you control an army that wants to rule it all. In this one, there are four factions to choose from: there’s a rebel group proficient in traps and long-range fights, an empire made up of speedy, strong warriors from across the ocean, an army of the undead, or tactical catapult and cavalry wielding set of knights.
When starting a round, you have sets of banners that you must place at specific points in the turn of events. These allow you to perform certain actions, but once you’ve done so, those moves are locked in right from the start. It’s a neat solution for the issue of each person taking too long to decide what to do next. Combat is then decided by dice rolls, with each faction coming with their own unique set complete with advantages and disadvantages.
There are ways to modify how these rolls turn out through the likes of items, so it’s not all down to chance, and your start of match strategising will also play an important part too. You can also chat to those you’re playing against, allowing you to form alliances or make an attempt at tricking your enemies. These chats are one to one and private, but everyone else can see when you’re talking, leading you to question who you can trust.
Perhaps my favourite touch is the game’s cinematic mode. This is more of a “check in on how your troops are doing,” kind of thing, where you essentially zoom into the battlefield to see what your units are up to. The purpose is to get you more attached to them before some of them inevitably kick the bucket. For me personally, I just like how quiet it feels amongst the implied ravages of wars. Tapestry has this very tactile aesthetic to it, almost as if the individual soldiers have been hand painted.
At the end of a match, the game’s title comes into play, as your every move is woven on to a cute little tapestry documenting how a particular match goes down. It’s cute! And as you read all of this, Tapestry is currently doing a bit of fundraising on Kickstarter, so you can help it get made if it takes your fancy. If not, you can always wishlist it on Steam in the meantime.
