Immerse yourself into the intricate world of ‘Lords and Villeins,’ a feudal city-builder that challenges you to navigate a complex market simulation. Entrusted by the royals, your task is to settle and govern a new land, harnessing its riches for the realm, your personal gain, and if benevolent, the villagers. Zone plots, construct homes, set taxation policies, and expand your supply chain as your population grows. The heart of this game lies in its unique family-management system. Families operate autonomously, managing stocks, paying taxes, and trading, while you regulate the economy, balancing supply and demand for stable growth. ‘Lords and Villeins’ offers various strategies, from a communist economy with full produce redistribution to a laissez-faire market. As your settlement expands, logistics become crucial—manage distances, storages, markets, and housing to optimize productivity. Customize your gameplay with adjustable difficulty settings, catering to your preferred complexity. While primarily economically driven, the game features minimal military conflict but includes rich options like a campaign mode with 15 levels, visiting noble houses, and building monastic establishments. Recruit villagers as servants or guards, and use 160+ objects, 53 zones, and 40 professions to create a thriving settlement. Experience distinct seasons, a dynamic world, and a medieval-inspired yet creatively flexible simulation.
Should I play Lords and Villeins in 2024?
The good
1. Unique Concept: Lords and Villeins stands out with a unique medieval village-building and management system that many players find intriguing. The detailed crafting elements and economic management aspects are praised, offering a depth of gameplay that few games match.
2. Creative Freedom: Players love the creativity involved in planning and designing their villages. The game allows you to tweak, micromanage, and optimize your economy, making it a satisfying experience for those who enjoy intricate simulations.
3. Relaxed Gameplay: Unlike fast-paced sims, this game offers a more relaxed, gentler experience, which appeals to players looking for a slower-paced town-building game.
The bad
1. Bugs and Performance Issues: Multiple reviews mention significant bugs, from households failing to function correctly to performance drops, particularly with larger populations. These bugs can make the game frustrating and sometimes unplayable.
2. Poorly Explained Mechanics: The game has a steep learning curve due to poorly explained mechanics and obscure menus. The tutorial is lengthy but often leaves players confused about essential gameplay elements.
3. Pacing and UX Issues: The game’s pacing is slow, with a lot of waiting involved. Additionally, some user experience issues, like the absence of basic features (e.g., mouse panning, moving objects without deconstructing) and the need for more tooltips and better UI, detract from the overall enjoyment.
Verdict
Should you still buy or play this game in 2024? 🏰
Lords and Villeins offers a unique and creatively fulfilling experience for fans of detailed, medieval village simulators. If you enjoy micromanagement and the challenge of optimizing an intricate economy, the game can be quite rewarding. However, be prepared for bugs and performance issues that could detract from your enjoyment.
Given its mixed reviews, this game is a better fit for those who have the patience to navigate its quirks and are willing to rely on community support for solutions. If you buy it, consider doing so during a discount and join the game’s Discord for helpful tips and bug workarounds.
In summary: Buy if you’re into detailed sims and don’t mind a few hurdles. Otherwise, you might want to wait for more polish or look elsewhere. 🌟
Get the game on Steam
In-game Screenshot
Top image is not real in-game screenshots. Fan-art made by Gamer.se. Some game metadata is coming from RAWG
