Schmivilization

I liked Massive Chalice a lot more than I expected to.

Its broad, "Grand Strategy" scope; its deep, statistics-drenched, micro-management combat; and its randomly-generated characters and events; these are all significant turn-offs for me. But!

I was pleasantly surprised to find each of those concerns tempered by a light, fun attitude. Its bickering voice cast brings an entertaining personality to the otherwise-sterile empire-building premise, and holds your hand through tutorializing combat and asset management. Even the randomly-generated content is pleasantly silly, assuming you choose the "Humorous" content option (instead of "Thematic"); then you, too, can recruit brave warriors like Catkicker Cooke-Gallagher.

And, at least in my initial campaign, I rarely had to sweat the intricate details of dynasty optimization or character loadouts. When a regent died, the game suggested replacement candidates to me; when I researched new equipment, my vanguard equipped it automatically. By my campaign's end, selecting the best new hero or the best new researcher or et al was a triviality, every time.

This isn't a genre I ordinarily get into, but for exceptionally well-polished entries like Civilization and its "just one more turn" addiction loop. So I was surprised to find that Massive Chalice tapped into that same addiction; every time I finished a battle, or placed a new regent, I was eager for the next thing, the next event ... whatever that might happen to be.

I won't be starting a new campaign anytime soon, and I'll never forget how repetitive Massive Chalice's combat encounters and empire planning got by the end. But I had an unexpectedly fun time learning those limits, and I won't forget that fun, either.

Progress: finished a Normal campaign.