Gorgeous 4X and RPG hybrid Songs of Conquest gets much bigger with new DLC

Songs of Conquest's new Roots DLC is here, adding a strange new faction to this gorgeous strategy game. The Roots are a race of sentient plants and fungi which, if you've watched The Last of Us, seems like a recipe for trouble. But, as a playable faction, you're the one in command, and if you're a fan of unorthodox necromancy you'll be right at home.

As a race of sentient plants, the Roots aren't your usual strategy game side. Songs of Conquest's new DLC faction boasts a whole host of abilities that promise to shake the game up. Hailing from the jolly-sounding Wyldwood of the Bleak East they operate as a collective, sharing their essence with each other. Granted, that sounds a little suspect, but plants are all about healing and happiness, right?

Not exactly. Roots also introduces one of the coolest abilities, one which would be right at home in The Last of Us. You can take the corpses of your enemies and use them to construct your own twisted troops. Poison Ivy would be proud.

It's not the only game to let you do that, Stubbs the Zombie springs to mind for one. But there's something mustache-twirlingly satisfying about repurposing your fallen foes and sending them back to butcher their friends. Songs of Conquest's pixel-art aesthetic makes your resurrected minions look even more charming.

Unholy plant-aided necromancy aside, Songs of Conquest's Roots DLC also adds five new conquest maps, two challenge maps, a new biome, eight new troops, new artifacts and more.

Songs of Conquest's Roots DLC is out now on Steam, priced at $9.99 / £8.50. If you've yet to tackle this gem of a strategy 4X, the main game is currently 70% off, making it $8.99 / £8.09.

Got a taste for conquest? We have rounded up the best 4X games and the best war games.

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