“Manor Lords”: what is the new game – the phenomenon that sold a million copies in one day

the «Manor Lords»from the Middle Ages Video game Which was launched like a catapult on the Steam platform at the end of April, and has captivated players around the world even if it is not yet completed.

Developed largely by one person over the past seven years, it was one of the most anticipated releases on Steam, the popular PC gaming platform. Although it was made available early in incomplete form, it sold one million copies on its first day of release.

What is Manor Lords?

It is about one City building simulationthe latest in a long line of games starting with “Sim City” 1989. These games involve building and managing a settlement, designing road networks, creating homes for people to live in, organizing public services, and generally trying to keep its citizens alive and happy.

But there are some key differences between “Manor Lords” and these traditional games, he explained guardian. Most obviously, Manor Lords is set in the Middle Ages rather than the modern era. You will play the role of a feudal lord who has been granted a plot of land by the king in order to build a city on it. You pave dirt roads, build houses for villagers to live in, create farms and fields for farming, and develop crafts like blacksmithing to support the army.

Another difference is that “Manor Lords” are given larger teams Focus on survival. As with real medieval rural settlements, the game revolves largely around the seasons. Villagers can survive for a while by hunting deer and gathering berries, but these resources are limited and will diminish when winter comes. For the settlement to truly thrive, you’ll need to use the land to your advantage, plowing fields, sowing seeds and harvesting at the right times of year, ensuring you have enough supplies to see you through the difficult months. If you don’t plan properly, the villagers will starve and freeze before time runs out.

Why is it so popular?

Manor Lords has built its reputation over several years through Steam’s wishlist system, which allows players to keep track of games they’re interested in, and gives developers a sense of the “hype” surrounding them. When “Manor Lords” developer Greg Styczeń revealed the game in 2020, he expected it to reach around 14,000 wish lists. It came in the week before its release 3 million wishlists It was the most requested game on the platform at that time.

In recent years, there has been a widespread increase in interest in city-building games, especially those with survival game elements. I started with “Frostbank” The year is 2018, where players build cities in a world covered in ice, making difficult decisions to ensure the survival of the population.

Another example is “Against the storm”which challenges players to build a society on land that is gradually covered by water as ocean levels rise.

“Manor Lords” certainly capitalizes on this trend, but it also has several features that make it stand out, such as Focus on realism And the details. When you start building a new house, you will see your oxen and their drivers dragging logs to the construction site, while villagers chat and mutter to each other as they assemble one building board after another. Likewise, hunters drag the deer carcass to their camp, prepare the meat for consumption, and then take it to the market where other villagers can buy it.

There is, too Strategic game elements Which allows you to exercise your influence as a medieval lord. You can raise militias from your settlements and create military units to repel bandits or to fight the armies of rival princes. You can also use your growing power to claim more territories, access more resources and build more settlements.

Is it worth buying incomplete?

Manor Lords has been released for Steam’s Early Access program, which means that although you can buy it now, the game isn’t out yet. In its current form, it gives you enough things to see and do to justify its price (offered at 29.99 euros These days, it’s from 39.99), but there are clearly areas of the game that need improvement or expansion. While building your city has plenty to keep you busy, the battle system and higher-level strategy have a lot of untapped potential. Additionally, the game’s tutorials are very basic, so you’ll start managing your village through experience and learning. In short, you probably won’t regret buying ‘Manor Lords’ now, but you also won’t miss anything if you wait for the final version, which is expected to be released in about a year.