Lords of the Realm

Release Date: April 30, 1994

Strategy, turn-based, splitscreen, multiplayer, singleplayer

82%

Steam

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Lords of the Realm is a strategy game set in the realities of medieval England, which combines complex economic and military themes. The player will play the role of one of the six rulers who aspire to the crown. Of course, it can only be achieved in one way - through total domination.

Each of the candidates for the throne takes possession of one of several territories. The game is divided into rounds (which determine the seasons of the year), during which all the rulers take specific actions. The most important of these are, of course, field work aimed at increasing the amount of food, extraction of mineral resources and the construction of a fortress, which will serve as a command centre and at the same time an effective barrier against enemy troops. At a later stage, the player will also have to expand his army and begin expansion to acquire new territories and eliminate opponents.

In Lords of the Realm the success is determined by the balance of the account, so it is the money earning that needs to be sacrificed the most effort. Without gold, we will not hire out mercenaries, nor will we build an army, nor will we be able to afford to obtain the missing raw materials. As it happens in medieval England, the only fixed element of income is the taxes paid by your subjects. However, they should not be exaggerated from their height, as this could lead to civil unrest and, as a result, to a loss of control. The second important source of money is trade. However, it is only possible when buyers visit our territory. Generally, it is efficient economics that has the greatest impact on winning the game. With a lot of money you will be able to put up a sizeable army, and this army will surely pay off by conquering more areas to your glory.

Just as solidly as the economic theme, in Lords of the Realm the fight was treated (at least in terms of command of troops, because you can't say much good about the intelligence of the opponent). We can fight both in the open field and under the walls of the enemy's castle. The player decides to set up his army in array, using archer knights, catapults, ladders or battering rams. Demanding tactics will certainly be delighted that in Lords of the Realms there is the option of dragging enemy survivors to their side and locking castles that allow you to wait until defenders start to suffer from hunger. The game also contains diplomatic options, among which there is a variant of alliance, threats or classic flattery.

Lords of the Realm is an interesting product, requiring action on many different levels, which will surely win the hearts of all strategists. A big advantage of the game are the above mentioned extended economic threads, minimal but still existing diplomacy and the ability to play even six people at once. The disadvantages include the low intelligence of the computer opponent, especially in terms of the conduct of the army during the battle.

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Last updated on August 14, 2015

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