SOUNDBITE: Sim City set in the Medieval past may not be to everyone’s liking but it’s a novel spin on an old genre.

As advertising slogans go “It does what it says on the tin” has become something of a cliché but it works so well why bother thinking of something else to use? The same notion can be applied to dirth of “me to” games that lie behind most computer games, nothing new has come along in years.

And so it is with Medieval Lords. On the surface it looks like its going to be a RTS in the mode of Warcraft or its ilk. Maybe at a push it could be another Stronghold. If that is what you’re thinking then you’re sadly mistaken, as it’s a variation on SimCity. Perhaps that’s being a little too harsh on Medieval Lords. After all, it takes the concept of micro-management – where you have to balance the amount of food, resources against expansion and keeping your people happy and throws it back to a mythical dark-ages.

Making sure that the balance between these elements is just right is the key to success an if you find such concepts to be a little anal then there are no redeeming qualities in this type of game. However, what Medieval Lords offers is an interesting take on what has been a rather style genre of late.

VISUALS
When it comes to the look of the game, building games often rise or fall on the look and the feel of the game play. Medieval Lords may not break any new ground, after all we’re used to 3D roaming environments but it more than suffices.

Yes, there are sections – articulately the armies – that appear to be floating in mid-air and don’t quite fit in with the scale or the feel of the game, but on the whole we were satisfied. With a first-person perspective that allows you to roam around your empire, you’d expect a little more than what you get, which is awkward and merely skips over fences and buildings rather than forcing you to explore.

AUDIO
The audio in building games takes a backseat to the visuals and the playability of the actual game. And so it is with Medieval Lords. The peasants grunt in the right places and in-game directions are satisfactory.

 PLAYABILITY

When it comes to making the most of your empire, it’s the usual balance of economy and happiness. The career progression of your empire is simple and nothing new – ie. You start out with Level One buildings and the aim is to upgrade the area in terms of resources and amenities in order for the population to grow.

Maintaining a small city is simple but the temptation is there expand at an ever increasing rate. This was a feature we quite liked about Medieval Lords, in that the game is quite ruthless – expand too quickly and you’ll soon feel the wrath of your population. Invading other territories is a case of building an army, pitching them on the borders of your neighbour and watching the invasion unfold. The player has little interaction with the action. Other than throwing sufficient men at any campaign, taking over enemy territory feels an arbitrary part of the game.

CONCLUSION

For many it might offer nothing new but it’s mix of simple interface and harsh learning curve makes for a challenging an semi-rewarding games – we’re just not sure how long it’ll keep you attention enthralled. When it comes to doing exactly what it says on the tin, then Medieval Lords and its sub-heading Build, Defend, Expand, seem sto neatly live up to expectations.

RATING: 7
PRICE: £30 (inc. VAT)
PUBLISHER: Digital Jester
DEVELOPER:
LINK: www.medievallords.com