Impire

Impire is a 2013 dungeon-management strategy game that serves as a dark, humorous spin-off set in the Majesty universe of Ardania. Developed by Cyanide Studios and published by Paradox Interactive, it casts the player as a once-mighty demon forced to rebuild an underground empire from the literal ground up. Often compared to Dungeon Keeper, it blends subterranean base-building with squad-based real-time tactics and a unique “overworld” raiding mechanic.

The Diminutive Demon Lord

The story follows Báal-Abaddon, a formidable demon summoned from the Bottomless Pit by the bumbling and incompetent sorcerer Oscar van Fairweather. Due to Oscar’s poor spellcasting, Báal is accidentally trapped in the body of a small, wiseguy-accented Imp. The campaign focuses on your quest to restore Báal to his former flame-wreathed glory while helping Oscar—and eventually yourself—conquer the sunlit world of Ardania.

Dungeon Construction and “Heroes”

Success in Impire requires transforming a series of caves into a functional center of evil. Players must manage resources like Gold, Mushrooms, and Materials to build specialized rooms:

• Functional Rooms: Construct Kitchens to feed minions, Nurseries to grow new ones, and Training Rooms to improve their combat prowess.
• Dealing with Do-Gooders: As you expand, “Heroes of Ardania” will invade your dungeon via ladders or the front door. Defeated heroes can be harvested for materials, thrown into a Prison, or processed in a Torture Room to extract their souls for further upgrades.
• Building Limitations: Unlike some genre peers, Impire utilizes a more rigid construction system where rooms have pre-set shapes and sizes, and must be connected via specific doorways.

Squad Tactics and Surface Raids

Impire departs from traditional dungeon sims by introducing a Squad System and an overworld map.

• The Squad System: Units like berserker imps, warlocks, and priests are organized into squads of four. Mixing different unit types within a squad grants specialized tactical bonuses, such as increased damage or regeneration.
• Overworld Raiding: Instead of waiting for resources to come to you, you can dispatch squads to the surface. These units “teleport” to raid sites on the world map to sack villages and bring back plundered riches, though the player has limited direct control during these surface skirmishes.
• Baal’s Evolution: As the main character, Báal can be evolved into one of three distinct archetypal paths: Warrior, Commander, or Sorcerer, allowing you to customize your direct impact on the battlefield.

Key Features

• Ardania Universe — Experience the world of Majesty from the perspective of the “villains”.
• Squad-Based Combat — Manage your army through micro-teams of four, optimizing their composition for various enemy threats.
• Evolving Dungeon Lord — Upgrade Báal with new weapons, armor, and powerful abilities as he regains his former strength.
• Card Deck Customization — Unlock and equip unique magical item cards to provide permanent bonuses to your units or economy.
• Multiplayer and Co-op — Play the campaign with a friend or compete against up to four players in different multiplayer modes.
• Dual Factions (Multiplayer) — Choose between the standard Demons or the soul-harvesting Soulless (undead) faction, each with unique units and mechanics.

Summary

Impire is an ambitious take on the dungeon-sim genre that emphasizes combat and exploration over purely internal management. While criticized at launch for technical bugs and restrictive building mechanics, it offers a visually distinct and humorous experience for fans of the Ardania setting. It stands as a unique middle ground between a management sim and a traditional real-time strategy game.

Release Information:

• Platform: Microsoft Windows (PC)
• Release Date: February 14, 2013