Dominions 5: Warriors of the Faith

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Dominions 5: Warriors of the Faith is a 4X turn-based strategy game by Illwinter Game Design. It released on November 27, 2017 for Windows, Linux, and macOS. The game is known for deep gameplay, simple graphics, and a functional user interface. You lead a Pretender—an immortal god worshiped by a nation—with the goal of spreading your faith, defeating rival Pretenders, and becoming the supreme deity.

The game features more than 80 playable nations, thousands of unit types, hundreds of spells, and 400 magic items. Nations are inspired by myths (some factions are underwater, undead, giants, angels, or demons), with a mix of classic fantasy and Lovecraftian influences. Battles are fought on a large map and are auto-resolved using scripts you prepare; you can watch replays of the battles later. Magic becomes more important as you research powerful spells that can buff, debuff, summon units, or deal direct damage. The economy is relatively light, with emphasis on army recruitment, commanders, and magic research. Late-game ritual spells can dramatically change the world.

Dominions 5 is mainly played online with other players, either in quick games or by email, where diplomacy and deals matter due to long turn times. The game is praised for its depth and complexity, but critics point to a steep learning curve, a somewhat unattractive interface, heavy micromanagement, and AI that isn’t very strong. It has a very positive reception on Steam among players.