2024 has been a banner year for strategy and simulation games. In the last ten months, everything from Manor Lords, Thronefall, and Cataclismo to Frostpunk 2 and Age of Mythology: Retold has come out, offering solid options for fans of city building, tower defense, and tactical battles. Not to be forgotten among these launches is Norland, a medieval life simulator and strategy hybrid with design elements similar to Rimworld and Crusader Kings 3. Now is also a great time to check it out, as the game has just received a big new update along with a hefty discount on Steam.
Norland continues to evolve in Early Access, the strategy game having now launched its 23rd patch, which continues to add in features detailed in last month’s roadmap. The highlight of this new update is its further expansion of Norland’s combat. Patch 23 adds in crossbows, which fire more slowly than regular bows but are capable of piercing or breaking enemy armor. It also introduces city towers, allowing players and their opposition to build and place archer towers on the map while a ranged garrison remains in the city to complicate defending against or initiating a siege.
Alongside these new features, the update has also improved Norland’s saving and loading systems, making both faster and cutting down memory use in the process. There are a number of other smaller balance changes and general fixes included in the patch, too, though the game’s creator notes that it was unable to complete a ‘special guest’ visitor feature in time for this patch, despite stating that it would be able to include it in the September update on its roadmap. According to the Steam patch notes, the studio will have these guests ready to “arrive in a few weeks [and] there will be plenty of them at once.”
If you want to take its new changes for a spin, Norland is 35% off on Steam ($19.49 USD / £16.24) from now until October 10 as part of the platform’s ongoing Hooded Horse publisher spotlight. Grab a copy right here.
Otherwise, travel back in time with our favorite medieval games or find other venues for in-depth management through our picks for the top simulation games.
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