Manor Lords

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Upcoming medieval strategy game for PC that combines deep, organic and realistic city building with large scale, tactical battles.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 52,442 reviews

gameplay2,136 positive mentions

grinding1,302 negative mentions

gameplay
6,260 mentions
34 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Manor Lords" is characterized by its blend of city-building and real-time strategy mechanics, offering a unique experience that emphasizes historical accuracy and immersive world-building. While many players appreciate the depth and complexity of the mechanics, they also note significant issues such as bugs, unbalanced gameplay, and a lack of clear tutorials, which can make the experience frustrating, especially for newcomers. Overall, the game shows great potential but is still in early access, requiring further development and refinement to fully realize its ambitious vision.
- “The gameplay is simple but full of depth, and the combat system is pretty neat.”
- “Great relaxing game that makes 6 hours of gameplay feel like 30 minutes.”
- “The gameplay is fun, I had to try a few game saves first before I managed to survive a raider attack, but once you learn which resources work best in different landscapes (for example trading goods instead of farming on poor land) you can progress.”
- “Worse, the reason I'm rating this negatively and also the reason I'm rating this 8 months after playing, is it doesn't look like it's ever going to deliver this gameplay.”
- “However, there are so many bugs affecting the core mechanics that it is not playable in the long run.”
- “The game has so much potential, but as it stands, I get screwed over and over by mechanics that I don't understand, and that the game doesn't explain.”
graphics
3,982 mentions
67 % positive mentions
32 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Manor Lords" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning detail and immersive quality, with many players praising the realistic medieval aesthetics and the intricate design of buildings and landscapes. The game effectively utilizes Unreal Engine to create visually captivating environments, although some users have noted minor graphical glitches and performance issues, particularly on lower-end hardware. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, enhancing the gameplay experience and drawing players into the medieval world.
- “The graphics are great and meticulous touches like dirt being eroded in high traffic areas make it something extraordinary.”
- “Absolutely beautiful graphics and gameplay, a more chilled city-builder game.”
- “The graphics are amazing and it runs well.”
- “And then the graphics lose the appeal, since you don't have time to look at them.”
- “It's far from ready, you'll have issues with your towns people's AI, and if you are using an ARM GPU, you'll encounter many graphical errors and bugs (roads not rendering, snowfall bugging and making buildings impossible to see to name a few).”
- “The graphics are basic, using outdated medieval texture and mesh packages.”
music
1,534 mentions
59 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The music in "Manor Lords" has received widespread acclaim for its enchanting and immersive quality, effectively enhancing the game's medieval atmosphere. Players appreciate the relaxing and atmospheric soundtrack, although some have noted that it can become repetitive after extended playtime, leading to requests for additional tracks. Overall, the combination of beautiful graphics and a captivating soundtrack contributes significantly to the game's appeal, making it a standout in the city-building genre.
- “The soundtrack blew me away, with an epic song blowing through my ears as I look at my now huge town, an agitated song as I try to desperately manage my resources and a relaxing melody to appreciate the game's insane views.”
- “The music perfectly complements the game’s setting, creating an immersive atmosphere that pulls you deeper into your role as a manor lord.”
- “The music is incredible, the graphics are beautiful, and the city-building element is so relaxing and fun.”
- “My only complaint is that the music is a bit naff; it does not suit the game. One track seems more oriented for Chinese/Japanese culture, not for a western medieval game.”
- “The only thing is the same music coming back over and over again will drive you crazy; disable it.”
- “The music tbh is boring and repetitive, so I have turned it off, along with the peasants' talks (boring and annoying after a very short time).”
grinding
1,368 mentions
0 % positive mentions
4 % neutral mentions
95 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the farming mechanics tedious and unbalanced. While some appreciate the depth and complexity of managing resources, others criticize the micromanagement required to ensure successful crop yields, often leading to frustration and a sense of inefficiency. Overall, players suggest that farming needs significant improvements to make it a viable and rewarding part of the gameplay experience, as it currently feels more like a chore than an engaging mechanic.
- “It's not a fast-paced game, but it's not tediously slow either.”
- “Starting regions - this is completely RNG; sometimes when you start, you have little to no resources around you, and the fertility is completely broken (not that farming is any good).”
- “Then you find a map with great resources and no farming.”
- “Farming is annoying if you don't get 100% fertility; you feel very gimped, and manually setting the fields to fallow is annoying.”
- “Food production through farms is tedious and just straight up not worth it.”
- “The farming is a complete disaster that you have to manually monitor peasant by peasant, farm by farm, day by day, month by month to make sure sowing and harvesting are done at the specific exact right moment.”
stability
1,166 mentions
11 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
89 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is a significant concern among players, with many reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes, particularly as gameplay progresses beyond the initial stages. While some users acknowledge the game's potential and express hope for future improvements, the consensus is that it is currently too unstable and incomplete for a full recommendation, especially given its early access status. Overall, players suggest waiting for further updates and fixes before fully engaging with the game.
- “This game, despite only having one developer, managed to launch as a fun, bug-free early access.”
- “The current state of the game is relatively bug-free and runs with high frame rates on ultra settings at 2k resolutions.”
- “It's authentic, smooth, bug-free, and extremely satisfying to play.”
- “Game is incredible but when you get deep into the game around 20 hours played it becomes so buggy it's unplayable sadly.”
- “The game is overly complicated, buggy, and unbalanced.”
- “My negative review is due to the constant freezes and crashes.”
optimization
826 mentions
45 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback from players. While many praise its impressive graphics and smooth performance, especially on high-end systems, others report significant performance issues, particularly in late-game scenarios with larger populations. Overall, the game shows potential for optimization improvements, especially as it continues to develop in early access.
- “Near the end of the game, I had a total population of 2516 and an army at least 300 strong, and the game still ran fine on ultra settings, which is a true testament to the optimization done behind the scenes.”
- “Manor Lords is a beautiful and well-optimized game that offers a relaxing medieval town-building experience.”
- “For an early access game, this is very polished and optimized.”
- “I don't know why the author decided to switch from UE4 to UE5, but the game has no optimization now.”
- “This is why I am writing this now; optimization is absolutely necessary for this game to have decent play time, because it will otherwise melt PCs left and right.”
- “The game needs serious optimization.”
story
804 mentions
12 % positive mentions
79 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The game's narrative aspect is largely absent, with many players expressing a desire for a more structured story or campaign mode. While some appreciate the potential for emergent storytelling through gameplay mechanics, the consensus is that the current experience lacks a compelling narrative or character development, making it feel more like a sandbox without clear objectives. Overall, players hope for future updates to introduce more story elements and missions to enhance engagement.
- “Set in a medieval world filled with political intrigue and strategic challenges, 'Manor Lords' provides a rich narrative experience.”
- “The story is shaped by player decisions and interactions, creating a personalized and evolving narrative that reflects the challenges and opportunities of medieval governance and warfare.”
- “The game beautifully captures the rise and fall of medieval cities, making each playthrough feel like a rich, evolving story.”
- “I hope there can be a story mode like other city builders, for example, 'Frostpunk'; it felt like it was just there to make you progress through the game.”
- “There's no campaign, no multiplayer, just 'new game', and off you go into a skirmish style game with zero story, goals, or direction.”
- “At a $40 price tag (when I purchased it), it is a steep price to pay for a game that is less than a demo; this game has no clear end game, no competing AI or real player threat, has a juvenile overlay display, has a broken economy, has a broken trade system, has no storyline, has extremely limited updates, has a skeleton glossary, it is slow, uneventful, and ultimately unrewarding.”
atmosphere
502 mentions
71 % positive mentions
28 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Manor Lords" is widely praised for its immersive medieval setting, characterized by stunning graphics, detailed animations, and a captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the game's ability to create a cozy yet dynamic environment, where the combination of ambient sounds, seasonal changes, and intricate building designs contribute to a rich and engaging atmosphere. Despite being in early access, the game's attention to detail and authenticity in portraying medieval life have left a strong impression on players, making it a standout title in the city-building genre.
- “The atmosphere is incredibly rich with beautiful detailed animations, immersive ambient sounds, and great medieval music.”
- “The music perfectly complements the game’s setting, creating an immersive atmosphere that pulls you deeper into your role as a manor lord.”
- “The world of Manor Lords is brought to life through its stunning visuals and immersive atmosphere.”
- “Despite its charming look and atmosphere, I can't recommend it at this point.”
- “Sure, there are some things that need work, but the atmosphere is impeccable.”
- “My few negatives is that there isn't so much world to explore and take over; that will hopefully change in the future, but even if it doesn't, it is still a game worth the price, just for the atmosphere and the aesthetics of the game.”
replayability
438 mentions
26 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players noting a lack of depth and content that limits long-term engagement. While some enjoy the initial gameplay and find potential for replayability through different strategies and scenarios, others feel that once the basics are mastered, the experience becomes repetitive and lacks variety. As the game is still in early access, many hope for future updates to enhance replay value significantly.
- “Excellent game that goes above and beyond, with super graphics, great pacing, good replayability, and regular updates focusing on improving the game core loop.”
- “The fact I'm finding so much replay value even on the same pre-release map shows how much fun it is.”
- “Whether you’re focused on building a flourishing economy or leading your armies into battle, the game adapts to your playstyle, allowing for endless possibilities and replayability.”
- “You might get about 6 hours of content with little replay value.”
- “I experienced most of the content the game has to offer already and until more content is added, this game unfortunately doesn't have much replayability after your first successful settlement or two.”
- “However the replayability in early access gets boring quickly; as soon as you master the basics, there is nothing more to it.”
humor
122 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players highlighting the funny in-game dialogues, quirky glitches, and absurd scenarios that arise during gameplay. Many reviews mention the hilarious community interactions and the comedic elements of character names and voice lines, contributing to a lighthearted atmosphere. Overall, the humor adds a unique charm to the gaming experience, making even frustrating moments enjoyable.
- “The game draws you in with simple functionality and dreams of a major city, and then you find yourself diving into the vibrant and very active community to test/share strategies and hilarious in-game moments that make every playthrough unique.”
- “Even when I failed and lost my first town to bandits, I had a laugh walking through the burning village while playing 'I don't want to set the world on fire.' Blame Fallout, but it was extremely humorous to do before starting over.”
- “This game has funny banter - your serfs will go about their day complaining about the weather or gossiping in the fields together, talking crap about someone else and how they'd want to punch them in the head or something.”
monetization
72 mentions
11 % positive mentions
11 % neutral mentions
78 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising it for being free of microtransactions and DLCs, highlighting the passion of the solo developer. However, many users express concerns that the game feels overpriced and resembles a cash grab, particularly given its early access status and perceived lack of content. Overall, while some appreciate the absence of exploitative monetization practices, others remain skeptical about the game's value and long-term support.
- “All the best to the devs, take your time and my money, because it's really refreshing to see high quality games at this price point which are not buggy and full of microtransactions.”
- “In a world full of scams, lazy AAA devs, and greedy monetization systems, this game is such a wonderful experience for a gamer.”
- “No microtransactions or any other rubbish, just fun!”
- “Absolute cash grab at this point for an early access game.”
- “This game is a swindle, a complete rip-off of Farthest Frontier and a cash grab in all aspects, and nearly a complete copy with extras.”
- “It is all very clumsily put together and feels like another early access cash grab where the players will have high hopes, but we will get nothing but disappointment in the end.”
emotional
72 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, highlighting its wholesome and immersive qualities that evoke nostalgia and heartfelt experiences. Many reviewers mention forming attachments to their cities and characters, feeling genuine remorse during difficult decisions, and appreciating the developer's passion and communication. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to elicit strong feelings, making it a unique and engaging experience in the medieval village-building genre.
- “This game makes me feel things, things my wife hasn't made me feel in years.”
- “From the first tree you fell, the first harvest collected, the first soldier slain defending his home; everything adds to the compounding emotional investment in your settlement.”
- “It's hard to find a game which will let you sit back, enjoy the beautiful graphics and touching music and just build something comfortably, without stress.”