The game progression is pretty simple even though there are 4 characters since their paths are very similar. Basically they all start with the same beginning; a tutorial mission that allows them to learn the controls while also completing the task and setting off the events of gameplay. After completing this, the characters will receive tasks from certain other characters that allow for story progression, and the completion of each one allows for the next task to open, moving the story along. However, between tasks, the characters can take side quests, train, or simply explore the area while interacting with the characters within their country, for multiple purposes. Talking to people, depending on which character you’re playing and what the context is, can raise moral, help gain information, get side quests and raise your credibility (in the case of the merchant and the Vanator heroes).

The game also allows for characters to develop relationships, but only with select characters. Depending on who you romance, you can gain or lose certain things. Like romancing a scientist might raise your country’s technology, but loses you credibility with the church, and so on.

Depending on who the hero is, the game play differs, and here is where it gets complicated.

• If you play as Mavrock the King; your gameplay mostly consists of manipulation, puzzle and strategy. You will pit your political opponents against each other, strategize your resources and troops and plan out massive moves, be it to conquer, to assist or to destroy. You will occasionally fight, but these scenes are far and few between.

  • Levels up depending on how many people he has manipulated successfully, and the higher you level up, the more people you can bend to your will.

• If you play as Arjun Parkash the Merchant, your gameplay will be more of a mystery and strategy game. When you land in a country, you have to figure out what is going on, who to trade with and who not to trade with, who to trust and who to avoid. In each country you will have the chance to assist refugees, who may or may not be friendly, and who you save changes the later scenes.

  • Levels up based on who well his trade and credibility is, and the higher it is, the faster you can travel and the more cargo you can carry.

• If you play Costine the Vanator, it is a very heavy fighter game with manipulation as well. You have so many enemies, that you are constantly having to fight them off in order to survive while also attempting to win people over and find a way to ensure your people’s survival. Which is tricky when the people you need to convince are the people who want you dead

  • Levels up based on allies you secure and enemies you defeat, and the higher it gets the more damage you can do and what sort of combat you can do.

• If you play as Vester the Commander, you are a mixture of strategy, combat and manipulation (the closest to being like Dragon Age or Mass Effect). Depending on the mission and what it entails, you can strategize formations for your brigade and then execute them in the mission, while also fighting combatants. You also have to ensure that the borders are safe and that death is kept at a minimum.

  • Levels up based on successful missions. When leveling up she gains more strategies to employ in battle and can upgrade the Brigade’s arsenal.

The main gameplay has 3 overall arcs within it that the character plays through; the 1rst crisis, the 2nd and the 3rd. Depending on which character they are, the events differ, but they are intertwined. Each of these arcs deals with the major conflicts unique to each character, and helps move the story along. The 3rd arc finale is where all 4 characters interact the strongest, as that’s the culmination of the game where all the decisions come to a head and result in which ending you receive.

Based on your decisions, you have 3 possible endings per character; the Good, the Peace, and the Bad, each of them differing per person.

Good endings are the ones where all the country’s demands have been met, while maintain some but not all of its good relations and keeping war to a minimum. You might have killed one of the other heroes, but the others are still alive and there’s relative peace.

Peace endings are where you’ve managed to befriend the other 3 heroes and kept war to a minimum, while getting some but not all of the country’s expectations done.

Bad endings are where your country goes to war, and destroys 2 or more of the other heroes, resulting in your country dominating the others for better or for worse.