Infinity: HexaDome Tactics has just announced a final pre-release playtest that will run from August 11th to August 18th. I got to dive into the playtest content a little bit ahead of this announcement. This is a 1v1, turn-based tactics game. In a weird way, it reminded me of a really fast-paced CRPG or tabletop game, but perhaps that’s just how my brain is wired. You build up a team of champions and battle it out (either via PvE or PvP) in the HexaDome.
It’s Like The Thunderdome but eSports
The playtest added a campaign mode, which is simultaneously a great way to learn all of the ins and outs while also worldbuilding. Infinity: HexaDome Tactics is set in the Infinity Universe by Corvus Belli, where humanity colonized the stars, but an alien threat from beyond threatens to change everything. As a way to distract citizens from the impending horrors, a televised sport, sort of like a more brutal capture-the-flag, was created. This comes complete with champions, sponsors, etc.
The rules are pretty simple. There are 5 rounds, and each round has a zone that opens up. Whoever has the most people in the zone scores the point. Each team is composed of 4 champions, but the part where it gets all tactical and interesting is that you’re not forced to divvy it up into one of each role (control, melee, ranged, and support). You could certainly go “oops, all melee,” but there are enough strategies at play that I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re doing it for the memes.
Infinity: HexaDome Tactics Preview Highlights
So while the playtest is going on this week, I got to check out the preview build. The preview build has just a little more meat to it, but I wanted to be careful to call that out so that someone isn’t hopping into the playtest this week and going, “Wait a minute, there was supposed to be this feature!” The preview build adds a new game mode with 7 scoring zones instead of 5. 12 Champions are now available to choose from and I’ll give a quick run down of the ones added.
- Wild Bill: He’s a ranged gunslinger who gives teammates buffs in the form of Jokers. Jokers boost the chance of a critical attack.
- Miyamoto Musashi: He’s a samurai who can teleport around to line up combos. There’s a whole bit in the campaign where he needs to be flashier rather than pragmatic.
- Hannibal: He’s a ranged support that made me think of Gordon Freeman, but with that 90s comic book antihero vibe. He gets boosted based on proximity to his teammates.
- Laxmee: She’s a buffer / debuffer that can hit everyone simultaneously in her area of effect.
- Valkyrie: She’s a melee champion who can use a gnarly charge to break through and deal extra damage.
- Señor Massacre: Sort of this universe’s Deadpool. He’s able to push and displace opponents to keep them out of the scoring zone.
This Match is Sponsored By…
There’s also a variety of different sponsors. If you move to their square, you get to draw a Tactics card. The preview build adds one that allows you to manipulate play order, one that adds trigger tactic cards, and one that’s just a mixtape of every card type. Trigger tactic cards are also a new feature. They’re like the counter spells or trap cards of this game because they have conditions, like dealing 3 damage to an enemy entering the scoring zone.
This is probably a good time to also mention that one of the default skills each champion has is an overwatch skill. You can basically anticipate and counter one of the opposing team’s champions, which makes the ranged characters pretty bonkers. The preview build also allows you to purchase (in-game currency only, thankfully; there are no microtransactions) different skins, sponsors, and abilities for each champion. There’s a whole deck-building section now too.
Infinity: HexaDome Tactics also plans to add a challenge mode, more campaign acts, and an entire visual novel to help flesh things out. Once again, keep in mind that these things might not be present in the final pre-release playtest but they’ll be added into the game.
Key Features
- Turn-based arena battles with tactical depth – HexaDome rewards every action point and foresight: use clever positioning, cover, traps, overwatch, attacks, and tactical cards. Plan smart sequences to seize objectives and outplay opponents.
- The first ever PC game in Infinity universe – A digital reimagining of the popular franchise which brings elaborated lore and setting with its 20+ years history. HexaDome Tactics keeps the feel of a brutal show with small teams, lethal clashes, and constant scoring pressure in fast and replayable matches.
- Balanced characters and unique synergies – Assemble your squad from a roster of champions from the original boardgame, each highly balanced with their own stats, attacks, and skills. Combine melee brawlers, ranged controllers, supports and specialists to create synergistic line‑ups.
- Arena’s environment as additional advantage – Complete secondary objectives for show’s sponsors and hype the arena’s crowd to gain tactical cards, opening up new ways to outsmart your opponent.
- Story-driven campaign and PVP modes – Lead your squad through a story‑driven campaign that introduces the Infinity universe, your champions, and the contest’s ruthless ecosystem. Or jump into PvP for ranked and friendly duels, refine your strategies, and rise through the leaderboard.
If you’re interested in joining the playtest, check it out here!
