This is a medieval role-playing grand strategy game where players assume the role of a ruler. The core gameplay loop involves managing and expanding a realm, which can range from a modest county to a powerful kingdom. The game features a detailed map stretching across Europe, Africa, and Asia, providing a vast area for players to interact with through diplomacy, warfare, and strategic marriages. The objective is to increase power and prestige while ensuring the survival and prosperity of your dynasty across generations.

Released in 2020, this title is available on PlayStation 5, Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S, and Mac. It combines elements of role-playing, simulation, and strategy, offering a complex and long-term strategic experience.

The Challenges of Medieval Rule

The narrative centers on the inherent difficulties of leadership and the importance of dynastic legacy. Players must navigate a world filled with potential threats, both from outside their borders and from within their own court. Success is heavily reliant on strategic thinking, political acumen, and the ability to anticipate and counter the ambitions of rivals. Protecting your ruler and securing the future of your lineage are constant concerns.

The gameplay mechanics are designed to simulate the intricacies of medieval life and governance. Players will engage in activities such as arranging strategic alliances through marriage, conducting diplomacy to forge pacts or sow discord, and engaging in warfare to conquer new territories or defend existing ones. The game emphasizes the personal aspect of rule, where the ruler's traits and decisions directly impact the realm and its inhabitants.

What Distinguishes This Grand Strategy Experience?

A key feature is the focus on individual characters and their dynastic lines, rather than solely on abstract state management. Each character possesses unique traits, skills, and relationships that shape their interactions and the unfolding events. This personal dimension is further enhanced by systems that allow for espionage, the formation and manipulation of political factions, and the use of covert actions, such as employing assassins, to ensure the continuity of the dynasty.

Core Gameplay Mechanics

Realm Development and Territorial Growth

Players are responsible for the development of their lands, overseeing resource management and ensuring the well-being of their populace. Expansion can be achieved through various methods, including military conquest, inheriting titles, or securing new territories through strategic marital alliances.

Dynastic Succession and Legacy

The long-term survival and success of the player's dynasty are central to the game. This involves carefully planning for succession, educating heirs, and preparing them to assume leadership. The game simulates the passage of time and generations, with each new ruler inheriting the realm with their own distinct advantages and disadvantages.

Intrigue, Diplomacy, and Espionage

Successfully navigating the complex political landscape of the medieval era is essential. Players can engage in espionage to uncover plots and gather intelligence, join or create political factions to influence events, and utilize a wide array of diplomatic options to achieve their objectives. Equally important is the ability to defend against such schemes and maintain stability within the realm.

Content Additions

Since its initial release, the game has received numerous additions, including multiple downloadable content packs and expansions that introduce new features, regions, and gameplay systems, further enriching the player's experience.

Platforms for Play

This title is accessible on PlayStation 5, Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S, and Mac.