Combat is turn-based and in first-person, similar to Might and Magic, but with some tweaks. Characters position themselves in a small 2x4 grid and can only attack adjacent units, resulting in a “tactical blobber”. It's also quite challenging, and makes heavy use of status effects – wounds reduce stats, bleeding does damage every turn, stuns delay characters' actions, etc. This depth is combined with a large bestiary to create a nice variety of encounters, keeping battles interesting.

Exploration, however, is Xulima's main strength. You walk around controlling Gaulen in an isometric perspective, exploring huge and cleverly designed maps. Each area has its share of mazes, treasures and hidden passages, all covered with a thick fog-of-war that makes exploration feel rewarding.

The diversity of environments is staggering, and every area has its own gameplay trick: a labyrinth of poisonous mushrooms; a frozen tundra that quickly exhausts your food; a dungeon full of Tesla coils; a deadly monster that must be avoided; a burning forest; a teleporter maze; a lava lake; a massive desert; etc.

These are complemented by bold design choices. The world is huge and mostly open, with tough enemies serving as “progress gates”. Random encounters are finite and occur only in some areas, with other areas reserved for special puzzles (where saving is disabled). The constant need for food keeps exploration tense, and money remains important during the entire game.

However, too much ambition can be a bad thing. Xulima is far too long – over 70 hours – and declines in the second half. Character progression stagnates, areas feel empty, recoloured enemies appear in volume and the narrative never goes beyond “purify all temples”.

Regardless, Lords of Xulima remains impressive – it's a passionate tribute to classic old-school RPGs, but it achieves this while being its own, unique game.