Technologies

Hands-On With Spellcasters Chronicles: 3 Things I Hope They Change Before the Closed Beta

The game is an interesting spin on the classic push-lanes-with-minions formula, but the action doesn’t yet feel satisfying.

Quantic Dream, the studio known for rich storytelling games like Detroit: Become Human, announced something totally different last month. Spellcasters Chronicles is a competitive three-on-three action-strategy game that promises to have an element of ongoing storytelling. And the develop just announced that it’s entering a closed beta from Dec. 4 to 7.

Spellcasters Chronicles follows the general mold of a multiplayer online battle arena game like League of Legends: Your team battles along three lanes, with player-controlled characters helping waves of computer-controlled minions as they push toward objectives (“lifestones”) deep in enemy territory. Player characters have different classes and abilities, giving them defined strengths and weaknesses.

I got to play an early build of the game earlier this month to get a sense of the gameplay loop and the general vibe of Spellcasters Chronicles. The usual caveats apply: This is an early build of the game, so things were not optimized, features may change and so on. I should also be clear that one or two matches played is not a lot of material to judge by, so I’ll be focusing on the broad strokes.

Based on a quick match-and-a-half, here are the three things I’m hoping the game changes.

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Put more action in the action-strategy

The match I played, which came down to the last dying seconds, felt like it was primarily decided by the two teams’ strategic decisions more than individual plays. Our opponents summoned an early titan, a massive creature that helped them gain control of most of the map, but my team worked together to stop it before it could damage our lifestone (each team’s most precious structure). We used that momentum to flip one of the lanes and ultimately destroy one of our opponents’ lifestones.

At the end of the game, the other team made another push with a titan while one of our teammates was on a long wait to respawn. But we had stocked up on resources and were able to dump everything into eliminating the titan before it took out one of our lifestones, though we cut it pretty close.

Those big swings felt like they came down to our strategy, rather than relying on landing important shots or abilities, which is what I’d hoped to see in an action-strategy game like this. And deckbuilding elements of selecting ability cards to bring into the match, which were limited in our playtest, further swing the game toward rewarding strategy over moment-to-moment combat skill. That’s certainly not unheard of for MOBA games, but I’d like the balance to shift more toward the action side, or at least somewhere more in the middle to reward great plays.

The existing action elements need some help

To be clear, the game does have action elements, but they probably need a little tweaking if Quantic Dream wants them to stand out. Flying around the map with dash abilities and raining spells down upon enemy summons were fun, and by far the most dynamic parts of the game, but other pieces of action came up a bit short.

The biggest thing for me was that it felt impossible to hit other spellcasters with primary attacks and abilities due to the travel time of projectiles and the small hitbox of the spellcasters. Maybe the struggles were particular to the spellcaster I was playing (the swamp witch), but about halfway through the game, I kind of just gave up on shooting at enemy spellcasters because I felt like a Death Star stormtrooper firing at Luke Skywalker. The swamp witch is listed as a duelist class, so I had hoped to feel more useful in 1v1s against other spellcasters.

Unlike traditional MOBA games, players have to manually summon minions, rather than having them automatically spawn from their base. This gives you some element of control — you can pick which lane to spawn them in, and as you gain map control, you can spawn them further up the lane. But spending time summoning minions felt like a bit of a chore, even if it happens pretty quickly. There were times when I wanted to rotate to another lane, but I felt like I had to hold off in order to summon more minions in the area I was currently in. In fairness, the deck I selected was very heavy on minions rather than spells or other effects, so other builds might have a different experience, but that doesn’t change the fact that the hands-on summoning process really slowed the game down for me.

The art style is engaging and enjoyable, but visually, a bit hard to read

The game has a bright, vivid art style that makes spells and parts of the scenery pop. But sometimes, there was a little too much popping. I’m a veteran of Overwatch and Marvel Rivals, so I’m no stranger to a barrage of particle effects, but there were moments where I got totally lost in Spellcasters. Three casters barraging a titan with spells in front of a glowing lifestone can be pretty visually disorienting.

In the visual style of Spellcasters Chronicles, size is power. Ultimate abilities have enormous areas of effect, and the most powerful summons, titans, are kaiju-sized threats that stomp across the battlefield, demanding your attention. In general, I think that works, but when those large elements all cluster together, it’s challenging to decipher what’s happening.

What’s next for Spellcasters Chronicles?

Spellcasters offers an interesting twist on a popular game type, and it’s already doing some things right. Games run 25 minutes long, which helps dodge the classic MOBA pitfall of feeling trapped in unwinnable games or slowly grinding out a victory for 45 minutes to an hour. (Though 20 minutes might be an even sweeter spot.)

Seeing a titan lumbering toward your lifestone is appropriately thrilling, and summoning one feels nicely cataclysmic. It’s one of the game’s biggest strengths in the current state.

But I hope Quantic Dream spends some time tightening up the action elements and some of the visual clutter. The early state of the game probably wouldn’t be enough to break into my rotation of other competitive games, but if spellcaster-to-spellcaster combat felt more consistent, and if the game depended a little more on landing shots and spellcaster abilities, it would be a more serious contender.

Technologies

Trump Maintains US‑Iran Negotiations Continue Amid Tehran’s Denials of Duplicity

President Trump insists that US‑Iran talks are ongoing despite Tehran’s denial of any negotiation plans, while warning that only a deal or total surrender will allow passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Conflicting statements from both sides have heightened uncertainty as the conflict enters its sixth month.

On Monday, President Donald Trump asserted that negotiations between the United States and Iran are still taking place, even after Tehran stated it has no intention of engaging in direct talks with Washington.

In a fiery Truth Social post, Trump labeled Iran’s leaders “unbelievably duplicitous,” claiming they are lying about ongoing peace talks “whether Iran wants to admit it or not.” He repeated his assertion that the United States completely controls the Strait of Hormuz, despite maritime traffic through the crucial route lingering at only a small fraction of pre‑conflict levels.

He wrote, “Nothing reaches Iran unless we allow it, and nothing will pass unless a deal—or total surrender—is achieved.”

Earlier that day, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters there is no imminent plan for U.S.–Iran negotiations, contradicting Trump’s earlier comment that talks would resume Monday afternoon. Baghaei added that Iran’s only current discussions are with Oman concerning the Strait of Hormuz.

The conflicting statements have heightened uncertainty over the peace‑talk process and the broader conflict, now in its sixth month.

Trump’s assertion about new negotiations came a day after he said on Truth Social that he had agreed to cancel a massive strike against Iran “subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL.” He said in the same post that Iran and other Middle Eastern countries had asked him to hold off on that attack because “the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”

Trump has claimed dozens of times throughout the more‑than‑five‑month‑long war that a deal is at hand. No permanent deal has been signed, and a temporary ceasefire reached in June has fallen apart.

Trump has also repeatedly threatened to launch devastating strikes against Iran before backing off. After the latest example, oil prices on Monday fell and stocks surged.

BMI, a research unit of Fitch Solutions, said in a note Monday that a broader diplomatic understanding on reopening the Strait of Hormuz is still achievable this quarter, while raising the probability of its escalation scenario to 35% from 25%, citing mounting military, diplomatic and economic signs of rising U.S.-Iran tensions.

“Diplomatic progress is likely to be punctuated by periodic military flare-ups, while miscalculation by either side could trigger a renewed escalation,” BMI analysts wrote in a note. The firm said the key issue to watch is the future governance of the strait, as the Iran-Oman talks — potentially backed by Gulf states, China and the U.S. — point to efforts to build a post-conflict shipping framework.

Shipping risks persist even as diplomacy appears to be advancing. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said it received a report of an incident 20 nautical miles (23 miles) northeast of Khasab, Oman — at the mouth of the strait — with a tanker’s master reporting an explosion in close proximity to the vessel at about 20:37 UTC Sunday (4:37 pm ET). The vessel and crew were safe and authorities are investigating, UKMTO said, advising ships to transit with caution.

The proposal Trump announced over the weekend calls for the U.S. and Iran to return to negotiations and continue ironing out some of the thorny issues that had derailed diplomatic efforts, according to The Associated Press, citing a regional official involved in the mediation efforts.

The official said the proposal also includes a reopening of the Hormuz Strait and halting attacks across the region, including by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq on the Arab Gulf countries and Jordan.

The U.S., for its part, will end its naval blockade on Iran and allow Tehran to export its oil, the official said, adding that no deal has been reached, although the mediation efforts remained underway.

Trump’s weekend reversal has lowered the temperature after days of escalating attacks across the Gulf. Kuwait said Saturday that Iranian forces launched a wave of drones within its airspace, with its military destroying multiple aircraft after Iran targeted critical infrastructure in the country’s north.

A parallel track with Muscat is also advancing. Iranian diplomats said Tehran was close to reaching a new arrangement with Oman to manage shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a deal critical to preventing the war from escalating further, according to the Financial Times.

Iranian officials said negotiations over future management of the Hormuz Strait with Oman, which sits on the opposite shore of the waterway, are in their final stages. The agreed shipping route would be different from those used before, according to Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Baghaei, adding that the new route was separate from the issue of the strait’s reopening or continued closure.

Technologies

Oil Prices Slide as Trump Halts Planned Iran Strike

Oil prices dropped after Trump cancelled a planned strike on Iran, with WTI down about 5% and Brent near 5% lower. He said the move followed requests from Tehran and regional allies for a pause while a deal shaping the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program is negotiated.

Oil prices fell on Monday after President Donald Trump announced he had cancelled a planned strike on Iran. WTI futures dropped roughly 5% to $80.34 a barrel, while Brent slipped about 4.7% to $83.77 a barrel.

Trump said early Sunday he called off the strike after Iran and several Middle Eastern nations asked him to hold off, noting that the outlines of a deal had been agreed upon. He added that the prospective accord would entail the immediate, full opening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, according to his Truth Social post.

The president had been considering another round of strikes as diplomatic hopes waned since the conflict began on February 28. He said the U.S. and Iran would meet for talks on Monday, but Iran denied any scheduled negotiations with Washington, citing PressTV. Iran’s foreign‑ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei clarified that Tehran was only discussing shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz with Oman. In a follow‑up Truth Social message, Trump insisted that, regardless of Iran’s acknowledgment, the United States is indeed discussing a solution to a long‑standing problem created by Iran.

Technologies

Oil Prices Drop as Trump Cancels Planned Attack on Iran

Oil prices fell sharply after President Trump announced the cancellation of a planned strike on Iran, citing a new deal that would open the Hormuz Strait and end Iran’s nuclear threat.

Oil prices fell sharply on Monday after President Donald Trump announced that he had called off a planned strike on Iran.

West Texas Intermediate futures, the U.S. benchmark, slipped roughly 5% to close at $80.34 per barrel, while Brent crude, the international benchmark, declined 4.7% to settle at $83.77 a barrel.

Trump made the announcement early Sunday, saying he had canceled the strike following requests from Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries.

In a Truth Social post, he wrote: “We have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”

The president indicated that the proposed agreement would include the immediate, complete, and total opening of the Hormuz Strait, as well as an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.

Trump had been weighing additional strikes amid diminishing prospects for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict that began on Feb. 28. He stated that the U.S. and Iran would hold negotiations on Monday.

Tehran denied that talks were planned with Washington, according to state news outlet PressTV.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran was only holding talks with Oman regarding the routes ships can use through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a subsequent Truth Social post, Trump added that whether “Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking of a solution to a problem that they have caused for decades.”