Matrix Games

When you think about great strategy games, it’s not just the world map that stays in your memory – it’s the battles. Those moments where every move matters, where a single mistake or lucky spell can turn victory into defeat. In Stormbinders, we wanted to capture that same tension, and then take it a step further.

At first glance, our combat looks familiar: classic, hex-based, turn-based warfare inspired by timeless strategy games. But under the surface lies something much more dynamic – a system where terrain, weather, storms, and magic schools constantly interact, turning each encounter into a living, evolving puzzle.

1. Introducing the Third Player – Storms

Our tactical combat draws inspiration from Heroes of Might and Magic III & V, combining clarity and depth with modern gameplay logic.

Each battlefield is handcrafted with real tactical variety – choke points, elevations, destructible obstacles, and biome-based effects. Every battle feels slightly different because the environment actually matters.

Now for the twist. We decided to add a third player to every 1v1 battle: the Storm.
What does this mean in practice? Whenever “Storm” strikes, in every fight, there’s a neutral, semi-random “actor” that reacts to the world’s current conditions.

Depending on the storm type, season, and terrain, this third participant can change the rules of engagement entirely.

2. The Stormbinding System

At the heart of all this is Stormbinding – our adaptive system that links seasons, magic, and combat conditions.
It controls how global and local storms behave across the map and directly inside battles.
There are five elemental storm types, each with four power levels and several sub-storms.
Each of them changes the rules: Fire Storms boost fire spells, Water Storms slow movement, Spirit Storms drain mana, and more.

What does it mean in practice? Let’s look at a case example.

4. Seasons, Magic, and Chaos
Let’s say you’re fighting on the plains. In summer – it’s a straightforward fight.
But as winter arrives: cold reduces movement, water and spirit spells gain more power, and fire spells lose efficiency.
Now add a Level 4 Fire Storm on top of that. Suddenly: fire spells are overcharged. 

3. Case Examples: Same Map, Different Outcomes

To show how storms and seasons change each encounter, let’s look at one example map — Plains, with the same armies and starting positions, but under different world conditions.

Case 1 – Plains, No Storm Present, Spring

• Conditions: Calm weather, no storm activity.

• Battle flow: Standard combat – clear visibility, no modifiers.

• Result: A straightforward tactical fight without environmental interference.

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Case 2 – Plains, Local Storm Present ( Unholy Ground ), Winter

• Conditions: Winter reduces movement range and slightly increases Spirit magic strength.

• Local effects:

  • Several Unholy Grounds appear, giving buffs to units standing on them.

  • Units can be reanimated during battle due to storm interference.

  • Spirit Magic is more powerful in these conditions.

Case 3 – Plains, Global Fire Storm Active, Winter

• Conditions: Global Fire Storm affects the entire region.

• Effects:

  • The Storm acts as a third participant, taking its own turn.

  • During its turn, it may cast Meteor Strike or other random spells on multiple units — friend or foe alike.

  • Fire Magic is strongly increased (because of the Fire Storm).

  • Spirit Magic remains slightly stronger (due to Winter season).

• Result: A chaotic, high-damage fight where fire dominates the field and adaptation / preparation is key.

Case 4 – Plains, Local Storm Active, Autumn 

• Conditions: Mild weather but an active Local Storm.

• Effects:

  • The storm is added to the player queue as an active entity.

  • From time to time, it casts random spells from certain Rotation related to “Thunders” on units during combat.

  • Autumn Increases Water Magic School 

Summary

Same map. Same armies.
Yet each version plays differently because of how Seasons, Global Storms, and Local Storms interact.
The outcome depends not only on tactics, but on how well you adapt to the world’s changing conditions.

4. Synergy, RNG, and Strategy

Here’s what this means in gameplay terms: predictable elements – you see what buffs and modifiers are active. 

Unpredictable ones – you don’t know what the storm will do next.
Maybe it drops triple Implosions on your elite units. Maybe it boosts your fire mage just in time.
It’s unpredictable but never unfair – every storm effect follows its own logic.

5. Tactical Core – The Battle System

All of this is built upon our traditional hex-based turn system with initiative, counterattacks, range penalties, zone control, and hero spells. And so on and on.  You know the deal, an old system that has been known for the past 30 years, mixed with tons of opt-in/opt-out features.

6. Balancing Depth and Accessibility

We know not every player enjoys calculating elemental bonuses or timing their spells to global weather patterns. That’s why all storm systems are opt-in / opt-out.
If you prefer classic, straightforward fights – disable storms. If you love complexity, keep them on and master the chaos.

The whole system is similar to Civilization 6 type of systems, where you can choose what’s on and what’s off.
Wish to have a “Winter only map” from on which there’s only “harsh Fire storms” ? Go ahead.
Maybe Twisted Storms, with absolutely storm after storm after storm that changes every week? Sure.
Or maybe just a chill experience closer to HoMM 3 ? No problem. 

7. Final Thoughts

Sometimes they’ll help you. Sometimes they’ll destroy you. But they’ll always make every fight memorable. And if you’d rather play it safe – turn them off. Because at the end of the day, the storm doesn’t control you. You control the storm.

Wishlist Stormbinders here.