Somewhere between Manor Lords, Civilization 6, and Cities Skylines 2, there lies the perfect hybrid strategy game. You want the sweeping history – the multiple eras – but also the small-scale and people management. Carefully planning every aspect of urban development is compelling, but it adds an extra wrinkle if your city grows organically, and has a personality independent of your decisions. After some promising early footage, a new medieval strategy and city-building game is finally hitting Steam Early Access. Somewhere between the Colossal Order, Firaxis, and Slavic Magic trinity, there sits Memoriapolis.
Initially, you take the role of overseer, ruler, and town planner of a burgeoning medieval settlement – that much at least feels very Manor Lords. A detailed and deep strategy game, your responsibilities get bigger in Memoriapolis over time. The town grows on its own, shepherded by your laws and edicts, but not bound to your every word. Maybe you remember the incredible Majesty from 2000, where you could influence the people, but not control them directly. Memoriapolis feels like that, but combined with the more layered building, taxation, and political systems of Cities Skylines 2.
Over time, however, everything becomes more complex. Like Civilization, the needs of your people, the available technology, and the oceans of progress change over the ages. All told, there are four eras in Memoriapolis: Antiquity, the Middle Ages, the beginning of the Renaissance, and the Age of Enlightenment.
Every epoch presents difficult new choices. You can also build wonders and great buildings to spread the influence of your culture worldwide – your attention, however, will always remain on your city, and your objective is to cultivate a capital of capitals, the greatest metropolis in the world, your own Rome.
Though the game was first revealed back in Spring, the Memoriapolis early access release date is now set for Thursday August 29. If you want to wishlist it and get ready for launch, just head here.
Otherwise, maybe the best city-building games will take your fancy, or perhaps you want to try the best grand strategy games ever made.
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