Kingdoms Reborn

About

Kingdoms Reborn is a single player and multiplayer strategy game. It was developed by Earthshine and was released on November 2, 2020. It received very positive reviews from players.

"Kingdoms Reborn" is a city-building strategy game set in a fantasy world. Gather resources, construct buildings, and manage your kingdom to ensure its growth and prosperity. Navigate dynamic seasons and weather systems, interact with NPCs, and engage in diplomacy or warfare with other kingdoms to expand your influence and secure your legacy.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

+10

Skip User Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 7,900 reviews

gameplay348 positive mentions

optimization58 negative mentions

Engaging gameplay with a unique card-based building system that adds strategic depth.
Great graphics and a relaxing soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
Fun multiplayer mode that allows for cooperative city building and competition.

AI opponents are passive and do not provide a meaningful challenge, making the game feel less competitive.
Performance issues arise in late game with high populations, leading to lag and crashes.
The card system becomes redundant in mid to late game, as players accumulate wild cards and can easily copy buildings.

gameplay
1,060 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
63%
4%
The gameplay of "Kingdoms Reborn" is characterized by a unique blend of city-building mechanics and a card system that introduces both strategic depth and randomness. While many players appreciate the engaging resource management and gradual learning curve, some criticize the card mechanics for becoming irrelevant in the late game and the overall simplicity of the gameplay loop, which can lead to repetitiveness. Despite its flaws, the game offers a satisfying experience for fans of the genre, with potential for further development and complexity as updates are released.
- “Easy to pick up but hard to master, the game reveals the depths of the mechanics to you slowly as the match progresses.”
- “The gameplay loop is not only fun but also easy to understand, and the clear production chains make it easier to keep track of things.”
- “In the realm of city-building games, Kingdoms Reborn stands out as a shining beacon of excellence, captivating players with its intricate gameplay, captivating visuals, and innovative card system.”
- “There's only so far you can build your colony before you're better off starting another on the same map; there's really no war mechanics and trading is timed/instant.”
- “The map is huge, but the gameplay loop is too simple to really take advantage of it.”
- “The card mechanic basically just randomizes your start.”
graphics
438 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
54%
4%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the warm and cozy art style, clean visuals, and overall aesthetic appeal, while others criticize the lack of detail and performance issues, particularly at higher population levels. Many appreciate the game's unique visual charm and the pleasing environments, but there are calls for improvements in graphical fidelity and user interface design. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered good for an indie title, there is a consensus that further optimization and enhancements could elevate the experience.
- “Beautiful graphics, very impressive indie game!”
- “The art style is clean and comfortable to look at, with some interesting choices for stylization that make it approachable.”
- “Kingdoms Reborn's visuals are a feast for the eyes, with meticulously crafted environments and charming character designs.”
- “The graphics are a little subpar when it comes to details.”
- “The graphics are pretty awful, even on high settings.”
- “Between the graphics and the weird added features that aren't really fun/useful, this city builder feels cheap.”
optimization
306 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
64%
19%
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting significant performance issues, particularly in the late game when populations exceed 200-300. While some users noted improvements and decent performance on lower-end systems, others experienced severe lag and frame drops, especially when zooming in or managing larger colonies. Overall, the game is seen as needing further optimization to enhance stability and performance, particularly for high population scenarios.
- “Then you factor in the non-stop development when, out of nowhere, you'll see 'hey, hope everyone's having fun, here's a whole new culture to play with', the almost buttery smooth optimization, and the capacity to build truly big cities. This game has, for a long time now, been my go-to comfort food while watching streams or blissing out to music.”
- “Some previous reviewers noted that the fps (frames per second) bogged down after 200 citizens, but the developers have tweaked the program and the performance is good well into the late game (seems they reduced the number of AI players from 7 to 3 to address the fps issue).”
- “The gameplay is great, performance is more than expected for an early access title, and overall is really well put together while also being decently pretty to look at.”
- “Running on RTX 4070, i5 9600KF, 32GB RAM, 980 Pro Evo M2 NVMe, in the beginning it was fine, but after several hours of gameplay, it started to have some performance issues. Each time I zoomed in for a more detailed view, it had issues; I guess too much stuff was happening at once. Other than that, it was pretty solid.”
- “If not for the performance issues, I would likely make this my main city builder after Anno 1800, knocking Banished down a peg. But if the game stutters, lags, and has such bad FPS and CPU usage at a population of 28, I dare not imagine what it will be like at hundreds or thousands of citizens.”
- “The gameplay is decent, but that doesn't actually matter if by the time you have over 800 folks, the game starts to become sluggish and turns into an unenjoyable stuttering mess by 1600.”
music
194 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
45%
2%
The music in the game is widely praised for its relaxing and engaging qualities, enhancing the overall ambiance and gameplay experience. Many players appreciate the soothing soundtrack, which complements the city-building mechanics and provides a calming backdrop for extended play sessions. While some note that the music can be repetitive, the overall consensus is that it significantly contributes to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “The music really adds to the ambiance.”
- “An absolutely fantastic city builder that incorporates the best features of new and classic resource gathering / tech advancing games combined with a tremendous original music soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack is fire.”
- “The only things I wish the devs would change is to get rid of the 70's style music (it drives me nuts) and make the maps larger/buildings smaller.”
- “Only thing a little annoying is the music so I turn it down.”
- “The graphics are pleasing, not hyper-realistic which gives the game a certain charm and makes it memorable, the soundtrack is a tad repetitive, which is something one would have expected from a much older game like Stronghold or Pharaoh.”
grinding
144 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
7%
92%
Reviews on the grinding aspect of the game are mixed, with some players finding it engaging and manageable, while others describe it as tedious and overly time-consuming. Many appreciate the balance between macro and micro management, which helps prevent the experience from becoming monotonous, but others feel that mid to late-game can drag on, requiring excessive effort for minimal reward. Overall, while the game offers enjoyable elements, it may demand more time and patience than some players are willing to invest.
- “Overall, I think it is an engaging but not tediously micromanaging game.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Basically, this is a game like many of those other settlement builders, but much slower and more tedious, without really providing any additional challenge or excitement.”
- “Very grindy and no real feel of accomplishment.”
replayability
94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
55%
9%
Replayability in the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising its high replay value due to diverse civilizations, a card system, and random map generation, while others feel that the experience can become repetitive after a few playthroughs. Many highlight the potential for unlimited replayability, especially with multiplayer options, but some express concerns about the AI and lack of unique challenges limiting long-term engagement. Overall, the game offers a solid foundation for replayability, though improvements are needed to enhance its longevity.
- “The replay value is very high because you can try out different types of civilizations.”
- “The introduction of a card system adds an element of strategy and decision-making that elevates the game's depth and replayability.”
- “This game is very replayable; every time you start a new game, it is completely different. I have 350 hours invested into this game, and I absolutely love it!”
- “Not much replayability though.”
- “This makes the game not re-playable; after a couple of games, I got bored and have not played it again.”
- “There are no factions or anything like that, so every new run that you start kind of feels the same, and I am missing a bit of replayability, especially with the missing enemies.”
stability
92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
87%
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting various bugs and glitches, particularly related to autosaving, UI issues, and AI behavior, especially at higher population levels. While some users have experienced significant performance issues and crashes, others find the game generally playable and enjoyable, noting that it shows promise despite its early access status. Regular patches are anticipated to address these stability concerns, but players should be prepared for a somewhat buggy experience.
- “The game is 99.9% bug free and it has received a major and great upgrade package including the new faction + military fun.”
- “No glitches so far, all around a great game.”
- “Besides the optimization issues when nearing 250 pops, the game runs great and looks the part.”
- “The UI is somehow worse than Banished despite starting development years later and is unbelievably buggy.”
- “There are also lots of bugs and glitches like population being stuck and not moving, game lagging and needing restarting, and one crash so far.”
- “Even though it is very playable in its current state, the game is still buggy, so you end up with weird bugs 10 hours into the scenario which prevent you from playing any further.”
story
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
77%
17%
The game is largely criticized for its lack of a compelling story, with many players noting that it offers only a minimal narrative framework at the beginning and primarily functions as a sandbox experience. While some players appreciate the freedom this provides, others express a desire for more structured storytelling elements, such as quests and missions, to enhance gameplay. Overall, the consensus is that the game lacks depth in its narrative, which could benefit from additional content and challenges.
- “And let us not forget about the riveting storyline!”
- “[i] Compelling storyline - engaging narrative.”
- “The game has no tutorial or storyline, just hop in and figure it out as you go.”
- “The story, such as it is, is that your little band of misfits and hopefuls have survived some sort of apocalypse and are starting over.”
- “I dunno, it lacks story and isn't very organized.”
atmosphere
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
27%
9%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and captivating environment, enhanced by vibrant graphics, dynamic weather, and pleasant music. Players appreciate the relaxing and "chill" vibe, which contrasts with more intense games, while the diverse atmospheres across different areas provide unique challenges and play styles. Overall, the aesthetic design and sound contribute significantly to a refreshing and enjoyable experience.
- “The aesthetic design of the graphics and music contributes significantly to the positive atmosphere.”
- “The game's world is brought to life with vibrant colors, detailed textures, and dynamic weather effects, creating an immersive and captivating atmosphere.”
- “Relaxing and very nice atmosphere overall.”
- “- if a more realistic war atmosphere is created, it will be fine in terms of war dynamics”
- “-- much more 'chill' atmosphere than other games like this.”
humor
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is often described as wild and absurd, with players finding amusement in quirky mechanics like the card deck and the extreme mobile suits. Multiplayer sessions are particularly entertaining, as players enjoy laughing at each other's misfortunes, such as resource shortages and unexpected disasters. Additionally, the inclusion of humorous elements like the random seed generator and playful references, including names like "Trump," adds to the overall comedic experience.
- “Some of the tech tree should be more flushed out and spaced out, the mobile suit for the shogunate is a little... extreme, but hilarious when I reinforced my friends with it.”
- “Diplomacy is funny: you pay 1000 gold and become friends with a faction.”
- “Fun game, I've already gotten 3 other people to download and play it as well, very fun in multiplayer with friends as it's funny to watch their people die to lack of something and then sequentially laugh at them for a few minutes until you eventually help them when they have 3 people left.”
monetization
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
57%
The monetization aspect of the game is heavily criticized, with multiple users labeling it as a potential cash grab due to the presence of microtransactions and in-game purchases. While some reviewers express optimism about the game's development, they remain wary of its future monetization strategies, fearing it may follow the trend of other games that prioritize profit over player experience. Overall, there is a mix of hope for the game's potential and skepticism regarding its financial model.
- “Cash grab game, will last you 2 days if you try very hard.”
- “High probability this game never leaves alpha, do not recommend buying, looks like any other alpha cash grab.”
- “I fully suspect this game to have microtransactions in the future based on this gameplay.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game emotionally engaging due to its deep narrative and lifelike characters, leading to a strong investment in their journeys. The real-time gameplay enhances immersion, allowing for a seamless experience that fosters emotional connections without interruptions. Overall, the emotional depth is a standout feature that resonates with players.
- “This epic tale weaves a tapestry of unparalleled depth, filled with characters so lifelike and compelling that I find myself emotionally invested in their triumphs and tribulations.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews highlight that while "Kingdoms Reborn" excels in its stunning visuals and charming character designs, there is little emphasis on character development, suggesting that the focus may be more on aesthetics than on deepening character arcs or growth.