Kingdoms and Castles
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox video game
| collapsible =
| state =
| italic title =
| title = Kingdoms and Castles
| image = Kingdoms and Castles cover art.jpg
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| developer = Lion Shield
| composer =
| publisher = Lion Shield{{efn|Console versions published by BlitWorks.}}
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| engine =
| platforms = {{cslist|Linux|macOS|Windows|Xbox One|Xbox Series X/S|PlayStation 4|PlayStation 5}}
| released = {{ubl|Linux, macOS, Windows|July 20, 2017|Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S|December 1, 2023|PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5|March 21, 2024}}
| genre = City-builder
| modes = Single-player
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Kingdoms and Castles is a city-building video game developed by Lion Shield and released on July 20, 2017, for Linux, macOS, and Windows. In the game, players build and expand a medieval town while defending it from dragons and vikings. The game received mixed to average reviews on release.
Gameplay
Kingdoms and Castles is a city-building game in a medieval setting.{{Cite news |last=Livingston |first=Christopher |date=2017-07-25 |title=Kingdoms and Castles is a fun and breezy medieval city builder |language=en |work=PC Gamer |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/kingdoms-and-castles-is-a-fun-and-breezy-medieval-city-builder/ |access-date=2022-11-20 |archive-date=September 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240908200516/https://www.pcgamer.com/kingdoms-and-castles-is-a-fun-and-breezy-medieval-city-builder/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Graham |date=2017-07-25 |title=Kingdoms And Castles is a beautiful, relaxing citybuilder |language=en |work=Rock Paper Shotgun |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/kingdoms-and-castles-review |access-date=2022-11-20}} Players begin by placing down a castle on one of the game's islands, strategically placing it next to resources such as fertile land or iron deposits. The player has a limited number of peasants who perform jobs such as farming, building and collecting lumber. They can increase their number of peasants by building more homes. The peasants must be fed, which can be accomplished by building farms and granaries that store the food. Other buildings include foresters who cut and replant trees for lumber and quarries that can collect stone used to build larger homes. As the player progresses, they can begin taxing their peasants for gold, which can be used to pay workers and unlock new types of buildings.
Disasters periodically happen in the kingdom, such as an annual winter that destroys crops, lightning strikes that cause fires, and infectious plagues. Occasionally, enemies such as dragons, vikings and ogres will attack the kingdom. The player must construct defenses and recruit soldiers to fight off these threats.
Players can, if enabled, interact with AI kingdoms via diplomats. They can choose to ally and trade goods with them, or to expand their holdings through war.{{Cite web |date=2022-05-23 |title=Steam :: Kingdoms and Castles :: AI Kingdoms Update - Now Available |url=https://steamcommunity.com/games/569480/announcements/detail/3183490131033248733?l=english |access-date=2024-08-19 |website=store.steampowered.com |language=en |archive-date=November 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127030449/https://steamcommunity.com/games/569480/announcements/detail/3183490131033248733?l=english |url-status=live }}
Development
Kingdoms and Castles was developed by Lion Shield. It was inspired by SimCity, Banished and Stronghold. The game was supported via the crowdfunding website Fig. It made over {{USD|108,000}} with an original goal of {{USD|15,000|long=no}}.{{Cite web |last=Hall |first=Charlie |date=2017-08-10 |title=Crowdfunding platform Fig finally turned a profit for investors |url=https://www.polygon.com/2017/8/10/16125828/fig-first-profitable-game-equity-investment-kingdoms-and-castles |access-date=2023-01-15 |website=Polygon |publisher=Vox Media |language=en-US |archive-date=August 20, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240820012158/https://www.polygon.com/2017/8/10/16125828/fig-first-profitable-game-equity-investment-kingdoms-and-castles |url-status=live }}
The game was released for Linux, macOS, and Windows on July 20, 2017.{{Cite web |last=Hall |first=Charlie |date=August 10, 2017 |title=Crowdfunding platform Fig finally turned a profit for investors |url=https://www.polygon.com/2017/8/10/16125828/fig-first-profitable-game-equity-investment-kingdoms-and-castles |access-date=May 17, 2024 |website=Polygon |language=en-US |archive-date=August 20, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240820012158/https://www.polygon.com/2017/8/10/16125828/fig-first-profitable-game-equity-investment-kingdoms-and-castles |url-status=live }} Published by BlitWorks, the console versions were released for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on December 1, 2023,{{Cite web |last=Watton |first=Neil |date=December 1, 2023 |title=Create a cozy little medieval world with Kingdoms and Castles on Xbox |url=https://www.thexboxhub.com/create-a-cozy-little-medieval-world-with-kingdoms-and-castles-on-xbox/ |access-date=May 17, 2024 |website=TheXboxHub}} and for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on March 21, 2024.{{Cite web |last=Jason |date=March 7, 2024 |title=City-building strategy game Kingdoms and Castles comes to PlayStation March 21st |url=https://www.gamingnexus.com/News/64745/City-building-strategy-game-Kingdoms-and-Castles-comes-to-PlayStation-March-21st/ |access-date=May 17, 2024 |website=Gaming Nexus |language=en |archive-date=May 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517130738/https://www.gamingnexus.com/News/64745/City-building-strategy-game-Kingdoms-and-Castles-comes-to-PlayStation-March-21st/ |url-status=live }}
Reception
According to the review aggregator website Metacritic, Kingdoms and Castles received "mixed or average reviews".{{Cite web |title=Kingdoms and Castles |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/kingdoms-and-castles/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=Metacritic |language=en}} Rock Paper Shotgun praised the artstyle, and felt as though gameplay was less complex than that of other city-building games. PC Gamer enjoyed watching buildings be constructed, and considered the game to lack significant "depth", but overall felt as though it was "perfectly enjoyable". Kotaku said that he was "hooked" on constructing buildings, and felt as though it traded accessibility for complexity.{{Cite web |last=Plunkett |first=Luke |date=2017-07-25 |title=Kingdoms and Castles Is A Very Fun City-Building Game |url=https://kotaku.com/kingdoms-and-castles-is-a-very-fun-city-building-game-1797211088 |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=Kotaku |language=en |archive-date=November 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120230410/https://kotaku.com/kingdoms-and-castles-is-a-very-fun-city-building-game-1797211088 |url-status=live }}
Notes
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References
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