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Medieval Lords - Build - Defend - Expand Review - PC

Have you ever wondered what type of game you could expect by combining some of the biggest strategy games in history together? Medieval Lords - Build Defend Expand combines some of these defining elements that have made those games so great. But does throwing these elements together make a hit strategy game?

The opening scene is impressive to say the least setting the scene of the game, putting the player into an utopia of fighting magnificent middle ages battles, that recreate mankind's middle age history. The battles that shaped civilisation as we know it. With the name of Medieval Lords Build Defend Expand it gives the impression of a traditional military RTS. One would be surprised and the expression never judge a book by its cover fits the bill nicely.

Medieval Lords is a city builder, social and economic management game with a smidgen amount of military RTS for good measure. The logical flow of the game is as the title suggests; Build, Defend and Expand. The players life rests with the building The Dungeon. If this is destroyed kiss your life goodbye. The Dungeon is the corner stone of your city.

In some of the scenario maps you will find build and expand are very close together as the amount of space to build your city can be very limited. Every unit is mostly based on a macro level of scale. A single house can have 30+ people residing in residence. Infantry are normally groups of 50. Medieval Lords gets strategy working from the word go before a stone is even laid in your fair city. The game features a range of land properties, such as land fertility, health factors and security. These underlying factors can affect the needs of your people. Building houses on land that has a high degree of disease is more likely to see a high need for health demanded by your citizens. Building crops on poor soil will effect production of that food, meaning you will not be getting the most out of your crops for food storage and when space is tight this is a major importance.

From your first building, you jump into a world similar to that of the hit title The Sims. While trying to manage the economy, you need to be a social manager as you manage the needs of your townsfolk, such as providing water, serenity, food, security, health and leisure. You could ignore it but it would be a demise to your city. If this things get to low, they are likely not to attract any one, no taxes roll in and more importantly no workers or potential troops to sign up. A range of buildings will help solve part of these problems and it is up to you in getting the right mix right to maximise the benefits you will receive. This ... (continued next page)