Expeditions: Conquistador

At the time of writing this review, I picked up the game again more than ten years after its release date in 2013, in an attempt to unlock some more difficult achievements. Graphics and most mechanics feel outdated on this point. The oldskool simplicity of the more established mechanics, however, felt very refreshing. Being able to go back to the essence of tactical combat without getting too overflowed with different leveling options and skill trees, was a clarifying experience.
Expeditions: Conquistador focusses heavily on tactical combat, exploring and map travelling with a repetitive, optimized survival group minigame. Most of the time spend is traversing and exploring on one of the two maps, Hispaniola and Mexico, completing quests, occasionally getting into combat. The party needs to rest, camp to survive and gain movement points, which can be used to travel. During camping and resting, a setup screen becomes active, where the player can assign each expedition member to different tasks. This involves guarding, hunting, tinkering, etc… A thin line between prosperity and deterioration has to be walked. In time, when expedition members start to gain levels and skill points, this minigame becomes somewhat easier and more flexible to set up. At first, the camping is very fun and appealing, but becomes very repetitive during the course of the game, since you will do a ton of resting in a single playthrough.
The simplicity of the combat game is what Expeditions: Conquistador excels in. There is quite a lot of similarly feeling combat in the game, with the battlefield map and scenery accordingly being the only different aspect. There are some different objectives in combat, however, such as escape battles or battles where you have to hold on and survive for a given number of turns. From the very efficient abilities to rewarding sound effects, the simplicity and integrity of combat play, all gives a satisfying refreshing feel. Not a lot of planning ahead what your next turn will look like is needed, this makes for a relaxed, progressing flow of combat.
A mere five classes are available in the game: doctor, scout, hunter, scholar & soldier. Given, each character can only level up five times, with most abilities acquired upon leveling, are the same among each of the classes, not much difference in gameplay will be noticed. Most tweaking comes from the variety in features that can be chosen, which are quite a few, but have minimal impact on gameplay, though.
Background music is very well composed, with very catchy tunes, quickly immersing the player. There are too few different music loops, which is a shame, and rapidly get repetitive and slightly annoying over time. Some rather special audio tracks are used during more unique battles, too bad the developers did not spread all tracks somewhat more equally over the course of the game.
There is a lot of unspoken dialogue in the game’s storyline, so do expect of lot of reading and interpreting. Only dialogue that is spoken, is played during the three cut-scenes which run during the intro, outro and between the two different scenario, map locations.
Sixty achievements are to be unlocked in order to reach the “perfect game” status. Given the fact most players will need multiple playthroughs make this a more challenging, time consuming task. For instance, the “Masochist” achievement requires you to “Complete the game in Iron Man mode on any difficulty”, and the “Aguirre” achievement needs to be unlocked by “Completing the game on Insane difficulty”. These two achievements alone already, are not quite complementary for obvious reasons. There are also opposing ones for choosing sides with one of two factions in-game.Exept for Iron Man mode, savescumming is a viable option, make sure to save regularly and before each important oncoming event.
Achievement hunters and completionists can opt to perfect Expeditions: Conquistador, since all achievements are manageable to unlock, given to spend some 30 hours per playthrough. Do take into account, however, at least 2 full playthroughs are required, whilst most achievements can be cheesed by reading guides or using common sense.
To conclude: Despite the fact the game has been released over 10 years ago, do not expect fancy new mechanics, tons of tweaking options, but a game that has held up really well in its core basic turn-based tactical combat. The game is not too long to play through, so it lends itself to get back to once in a while. A fun, unique tactical game in a mysterious real-life setting.
Recommended for: fans of, more basic, turn-based tactical combat games with a small focus on roleplaying elements, where choices do impact storyline
Cheers,
SultanK

6/10
A decent turn-based strategy game with a light story and a setting that will make you understand the core of human aggression and greed. For the glory of Spain and a pat on the back from King Carlos.
Pro - Setting, Better than a history class, a fair representation of Spanish And Native society. Text-Based interactions. Decent combat. Doesn't have gotcha moments like Divinity.
Cons - A bit grindy, Interactions are shallow, Camp management, Crashes if you try to reload in combat. Tiny text means you have to play on a blurry resolution. Bad representation of gender roles, and religion in the 16th century.
Similar Games with a better story - Blackguards.

n 2014, I embarked on a journey to conquer the New World in Expeditions: Conquistador, only to get shipwrecked on the first island. Fast forward to this year, having played the Viking-themed sequel, Expeditions: Vikings, I decided to revisit this oldie. Let me tell you, Conquistador holds up surprisingly well.

Sure, you might need to dim the graphics a bit for a smoother experience, and the overworld map benefits greatly from a decluttering. But beneath the slightly dated visuals lies a gem of a strategy RPG.

For those unfamiliar with the Expeditions series, you take the helm as leader of a band. Unlike sprawling armies, you manage a concise group of warriors, clerics, and doctors. You navigate an overland map brimming with RPG elements, with exploration leading to turn-based combat encounters on a grid.

Conquistador flirts with historical realism. While the core gameplay feels grounded, there are creative liberties taken: a higher number of female warriors than historical records might suggest, dialogue with a more modern tone, and even some contemporary viewpoints sprinkled in.

Despite these deviations, the game offers a gripping storyline. The small-scale skirmishes, typically 6v6 or when you are unlucky v12, feel perfectly suited to the setting. There's a constant tension as you navigate the harsh realities of exploration and conquest.

However, the setting itself is a point of contention. The game takes place during a dark period in the Americas, a time of societal collapse, genocide, and slavery. The developers deserve credit for allowing players to approach this sensitive historical period with a degree of honourable conduct. But be warned, if this subject matter deeply troubles you, this, and the other Expeditions titles (Vikings and Rome), might not be for you.

Ultimately, Expeditions: Conquistador is an enjoyable experience that has aged surprisingly well. It offers a captivating story, strategic depth, and a unique exploration-combat blend. Just be prepared to adjust the visuals and accept the sometimes fictionalised, yet thought-provoking, take on this historical period.

Backtracking through this series after first playing Rome. Conquistador is entertaining as you try to wrangle a band that never -quite- gets along, all while engaging in a solid turn based strategy as you make a name for yourself in the new world.

The game didn't age very well, but I still think it is the most atmospheric one of the whole series. It is definitely the most true one regarding the first part of its name - it is a real expedition.

Absolutely amazing game. Such a hidden gem with a unique setting.

The combat is simple but good and still engaging with very tense moments. The best part surely is how the game make you feel like a conquistador, unique characters, indigenous politics and rewarding exploration. Companions will very rarely say something, but with the camping action it is done in a way that you feel like you're talking with a fellow companion in arms.

X-Com with racist nuns. It can be a little technically jank at times, and the departures from historical realism where the Spanish Empire appears to be more gender egalitarian than any modern society are a bit...confusing to say the least, but if you can suspend your disbelief a little bit and let yourself care about the characters, it's a game that's genuinely emotionally affecting and tactically fraught.