Summary
The Medieval period has had a stranglehold over the gaming world for as long as it has existed. In particular, grand strategy and real-time strategy games love returning to the Medieval world because of the thrill of managing an entire kingdom in a world dominated by court intrigue, chivalry, and brutal melee combat, as well as the evolution of the world we live in today.
Whether it’s building a kingdom from scratch out of nothing but the sweat on a peasant’s back or managing a centuries-old dynasty, there are plenty of great games that let gamers manage their very own kingdom.
WhenBanishedwasreleased in 2014, the town builder subgenre was struggling to garner much attention. However, the game’s enduring popularity, as well as taking the actual business of managing a Medieval settlement to its most microelements, has had a profound influence on the genre and made the game one ofthe best historical city builders ever made.
Players beginBanishedwith a few peasants in the wilderness with nothing to their name. Players need to think fast to provide shelter and essential resources, as well as get crops in the ground so food stores can be topped up before winter. It’s a brutal cycle, but incredibly satisfying, particularly when a tiny hovel turns into a thriving city.
TheAnnoseries, despite having its fans, has always been overshadowed by the other strategy giants. This is unfair, as theAnnogames have been a consistently great time that continue to develop the city-builder subgenre further.Anno 1404is no exception and isa great introduction to the franchiseas a whole.
Starting on a remote island, players must build up a Medieval kingdom from scratch, balancing increasing populations, demands, and services, with the availability of critical resources that may not demand war and trade. It’s an addictive balancing act that can make a quick play session turn into a marathon.
TheTotal Warfranchise has certainly had its ups and downs over its long life, but one of the better entries wasMedieval 2: Total War, which brought the series back to the Medieval setting after its first foray back in 2002. While theTotal Warseries made its name with theShogungames, the specifics ofMedievalwarfare make it such a good setting for the franchise’s core mechanics.
WhileMedieval 2: Total Warallows players to have control over units in battle, it also features a comprehensive macro management situation where armies and settlements need to be turned into a productive economy to fuel warfare. It’s an intricate set of interlocking systems that makes it one of the best games Creative Assembly has put out.
As massive dev studios turned away from strategy games and city-builders, the indie world stepped up and began to deliver experiences that were tailor-made for the hardcore.Farthest Frontier, while still in early access, is a great example of these kingdom management games that are built out of love for a decades-old genre.
Clearly inspired by the likes ofAnnoandBanished,Farthest Frontiersees the player attempt to manage and grow a settlement in the wilderness, facing off against bandits, natural threats, and eventhe problem of crop rotations, as well as town management and infrastructure. It’s a hardcore game that requires constant attention, but even in early access, it’s one of the best kingdom management games around.
Firefly Studios is a quiet but venerated dev studio that has dedicated its creative output to theStrongholdseries in all its incarnations. While severalStrongholdgames could take a spot on this list,Stronghold 2remains a fan favorite and a great example of the franchise at its best.
As a lord who looks over their domain from a newly acquired castle, players must build up their settlement to have a thriving economy and a judicious military to defend from a variety of attacks that will inevitably be thrown the player’s way. Though critical reception was mixed, the game has built up a quiet but strong fanbase with massive nostalgia for Firefly’s particular brand of kingdom management.
WhileFarthest Frontiermay have beatenManor Lordsto the early access market, it’s hard to deny the sheer brilliance ofManor Lords,which not only excels in the city-builder part of a kingdom management game but also in real-time strategy sections that rival the design of theTotal Warseries.
What makesManor Lordsmost exciting is that it’s not even in its final form yet, and it competes with the very best of the genre. The solo developer Grzegorz Styczeń opted to take on the giants of the genre, and so far, he is putting them to shame. The final release ofManor Lordswill be an all-timer.
It’s easy to imagine the Medieval Period as being short, but depending on the definition, it may have stretched from the 9th Century all the way to the 15th Century. Few games attempt to encapsulate the sheer scale of that timeline quite likeCrusader Kings 3,which focuses on globe-spanning familial dynasties, and it’s agreat entry point into the franchisefor newcomers.
In the game, players take control of any region on the map, and they are free to do what they wish. If they want their kingdom to span entire continents, they’re welcome to try, or if they want to play tall and have an economic powerhouse, that works too.Crusader Kings 3offers near-total freedom, making it one of the best kingdom management games for players looking to be let loose in a sandbox and make their own fun.
Frankly, it’s hard to imagine any game dethroning the sheer brilliance ofAge of Empires 2.Though it was first released back in 1999, the original game still holds up remarkably well to this day, as evidenced by a 2019 remaster that did very little to the core mechanics and just sharpened up the graphics.
That’s because the game’s central design is nearly flawless. Players must create an industrial kingdom as quickly as they can to fuel a military engine to fight other empires that are doing the exact same thing. Strategy, reflexes, and careful planning result in an insidiously addictive game that remainsthe very best of the entire franchise.
