Disciples: Domination (2026): The Review

Overview

Disciples: Domination delivers tough, thoughtfully designed tactical encounters and introduces a handful of meaningful refinements, yet it remains technically uneven and mechanically very close to its predecessor. For longtime fans, that familiarity will likely be welcome, but its reluctance to push the formula further keeps it from feeling like a bold evolution.

Score: 7,5 out of 10

The Positives ✅

Disciples: Domination knows exactly what lineage it belongs to, and instead of trying to reinvent itself, it doubles down on the brooding, end-of-the-world energy that has defined the series since the late ’90s. Nevendaar still feels like it’s permanently on the brink of collapse, and there’s something comforting about how confidently Domination leans into that identity. It doesn’t modernize the formula so much as refine it, preserving the grim fantasy tone that long-time fans expect.

Tactically, the game shines. Combat unfolds on tight hex-based maps where positioning matters more than brute force. Units can’t pass through one another, environmental effects stack up in clever ways, and movement decisions often carry more weight than raw damage numbers. At first glance it may seem limited, but as status effects, abilities, and terrain modifiers overlap, battles evolve into thoughtful, chess-like puzzles that reward planning over panic.

Character builds for Avyanna offer meaningful direction as well. Choosing between Warmaster, Witch Queen, Holy Regent, or Primordial Ruler genuinely shapes your approach. The broader roster fills in the gaps, allowing you to tailor squads around Elven mobility, Imperial resilience, or other faction strengths. Leadership becomes less about stacking stats and more about assembling the right combination of tools for each encounter.

Visually, Domination is rich in detail. From ruined farmlands to shattered mountain hellscapes, the art direction reinforces the bleak grandeur of Nevendaar. Weathered structures and lingering magical scars give each map texture and personality. The UI is clean, readable, and supportive of long sessions, which matters in a game that thrives on extended campaigns and strategic tinkering.

On a technical level, it’s refreshingly stable. Performance is smooth, freezes are rare, and the modular map design makes it well-suited for shorter play sessions. Whether played traditionally or on handheld devices, it’s a comfortably optimized experience that doesn’t get in its own way.

The Negatives ⚠️

For all its polish, Domination rarely feels bold. Its factions: Dwarves, Elves, Imperials, Demons, Undead; play largely as expected, and the broader aesthetic hasn’t evolved much in two decades. The familiarity borders on stagnation, and players hoping for innovation may feel like they’ve seen most of this before.

The narrative, while serviceable, struggles to stand on its own. It leans heavily on prior knowledge from Liberation, and without that context, some emotional beats lose impact. Voice acting often veers into hammy territory, and the soundtrack fails to leave much of a lasting impression. Individual story arcs can blur together by the late game, weakening the dramatic throughline.

Progression pacing can also feel sluggish. Avyanna gains skill points slowly, and many upgrades amount to minor percentage boosts rather than transformative abilities. With only two core combat skills per build, growth sometimes feels incremental instead of empowering. The sense of stagnation deepens when castle progression bottlenecks your military ambitions behind narrative milestones.

Resource management, while strategically sound in theory, can feel clumsy in execution. Equipment upgrades, Shard merging, and building improvements all draw from the same limited pools, turning advancement into a waiting game. The item interface in particular could have benefited from a more streamlined overhaul.

Finally, level gating occasionally disrupts story momentum. Side quests and companion arcs often need to be paused until your party catches up in strength, which undercuts emotional pacing. The open maps promise freedom, but in practice you’re often searching for the next fight that fits your level bracket.

The Experience 🎮

Playing Disciples: Domination feels like slipping back into a well-worn suit of armor. There’s a familiarity to the loop, explore, recruit, fight, upgrade, that quickly becomes meditative. Each map invites careful scanning for hidden paths, resource nodes, and strategic advantages, and the rhythm of preparation before battle remains deeply satisfying.

Combat became the centerpiece of my time with it. Early fights seemed straightforward, but as enemy compositions diversified and map effects stacked up, I found myself pausing more often, plotting positioning like a puzzle instead of charging ahead. Success felt earned, especially on standard difficulty, where careless mistakes were punished quickly.

The hub world of Yllian reinforced that sense of deliberate pacing. Upgrading buildings, weighing whether to improve equipment or merge Shards, and deciding which faction favor to nurture created a constant undercurrent of prioritization. It’s not flashy, but it keeps you invested in the long-term arc of your campaign.

There were moments where the story blurred or progression slowed, yet the tactical satisfaction kept pulling me forward. Even late into the campaign, I’d spot an overlooked horde or unresolved grievance and feel compelled to tidy it up before moving on.

In the end, Disciples: Domination doesn’t try to dazzle with reinvention. It asks whether you still enjoy the old dance of dark fantasy tactics. If you do, there’s a sturdy, methodical experience waiting, one that may not surprise you, but will steadily hold your attention for dozens of hours.