One thing that’s been wonderful to see happen more and more recently has been games taking inspiration from more than one source. While Thrive Heavy Lies the Crown could be seen as solely a Manor Lords rival, there’s much more going on. It’s got Frostpunk 2-esque decision making, RTS combat straight out of titles like Age of Empires 4, and the fantasy feel of Heroes of Might and Magic 3. It’s something that’s a true blend, and it even has a multiplayer element. If that sounds like it’s your bag of bricks, you’ll be able to get your hands on it soon as its early access release date has been announced.
Thrive Heavy Lies the Crown is an upcoming city-building game that looks instantly familiar but offers a lot of extra bells and whistles that mean it’s something entirely unique. For a start, it lets you play in single-player, but there’s also PvP and co-op modes available for up to four players. So while you’re laying down buildings, engaging in skirmishes, or making tough decisions, up to three other people could be doing it alongside you – or against you.
One of the most intriguing features of Thrive Heavy Lies the Crown is how it reacts to your playstyle, and offers different options depending on what you’ve chosen. Be a benevolent or tyrannical ruler and you’ll find yourself granted abilities you wouldn’t get were you walking a different path. Similarly, the decisions you’ll encounter will also be tailored to your playstyle, so a despot won’t get exactly the same options to deal with matters compared to someone who cares more for their people.
Away from that what you’ve got is a city builder that asks you to break ground on these new, untested lands far away from your people’s home. You’ll be assailed by foes both magical and mundane, so you’ll also have to be a deft hand at RTS combat when dealing with bandits, besieging castles, or indulging your dark desire to go on raids to take what you want by force.
There’s a lot to get excited about here and if it manages to pull it all off, we might be looking at the next Manor Lords-esque breakout hit, and you won’t have long to wait to play.
Thrive Heavy Lies the Crown releases into Steam Early Access on Thursday November 7. Head over to the game’s store page if you’d like to keep an eye on it by adding it to your wishlist.
Should that prove too long to wait, our guides to the best 4X games and the best RTS games will be sure to help you discover exactly what you’ve been searching for.
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