My Lovely Empress

About

My Lovely Empress is a single player strategy game with fantasy and romance themes. It was developed by GameChanger Studio and was released on August 20, 2024. It received positive reviews from players.

"My Lovely Empress" is a narrative-driven strategy game where you play as Emperor Hong, ruler of the Crimson Empire. After the loss of your mother and empress, you must navigate political challenges and manage your empire with the help of forbidden, powerful creatures. Balancing the needs of your people and other rulers is crucial as you work to grow and prosper the empire, while also dealing with the grief in your heart.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 167 reviews

gameplay36 positive mentions

grinding18 negative mentions

The game features a unique blend of kingdom management and dating sim elements, providing a captivating and engaging gameplay experience.
The art style and character designs are visually appealing, with significant improvements in 3D graphics compared to previous titles in the series.
The decision-making mechanics are challenging and rewarding, with multiple endings that encourage replayability and strategic planning.

The gameplay can become repetitive and grindy, especially when trying to unlock all endings, requiring multiple playthroughs without a skip option for earlier sections.
Some players find the mechanics to be shallow and the story predictable, leading to a lack of engagement after the initial hours of play.
The game lacks quality of life features, such as the ability to skip tutorials and dialogue, which can make the experience tedious for new players.

gameplay
119 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
62%
8%
The gameplay has received mixed feedback, with some players appreciating the depth and complexity of resource management, decision-making, and kingdom-building mechanics, while others find it repetitive and grindy. The game introduces unique elements that challenge players to balance moral choices and manage their empire effectively, but some feel that the mechanics can feel shallow or tedious at times. Overall, it offers a satisfying gameplay loop for those who enjoy strategic simulations, though it may not appeal to fans of the simpler mechanics found in earlier titles.
- “The robust gameplay mechanics offer a satisfying mix of diplomacy, resource management, and narrative-driven choices.”
- “The gameplay builds upon the foundation of 'My Lovely Wife' with much greater depth when managing your actions, resources, and characters.”
- “Gameplay-wise, you need to make choices on how (or if) to solve issues arising in your empire within your limited time and resources, so you can keep your soldiers, nobles, merchants, and peasants happy, while also expanding your influence to gain the materials necessary for the dark rituals that will help you bring your beloved back.”
- “I think the only gripe is that the gameplay can become too grindy at times or RNG can screw you, so you have to start over and hope it doesn't happen again.”
- “The game's story, while interesting, is overshadowed by repetitive gameplay loops.”
- “They can work in the future on the dialogue; it is kind of basic, and the gameplay itself becomes a bit repetitive.”
story
79 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
58%
5%
The game's story is noted for its engaging political intrigue, moral complexities, and unique character backgrounds, though it can feel predictable and overshadowed by repetitive gameplay. While some players appreciate the darker undertones and character designs, others express frustration with the pacing and the lack of involvement from key characters in the main narrative. Overall, the story serves its purpose but leaves room for improvement, particularly in integrating gameplay with storytelling.
- “I like that the story is not your usual save the princess/build a harem setting, and even if the tone is mostly light, there are some dark undertones.”
- “From the story itself, I really like the engaging storyline with political intrigue, alliances, and betrayals, along with the addition of each unique yaoguai background story.”
- “The story is captivating and the gameplay is satisfying.”
- “At a certain point, the game can also become too easy, and you are just waiting to go through the story while amassing resources at a slow pace.”
- “The art style is really cool and the designs are nice, but they take away the fun of combining ingredients to discover new combinations. There is a lot, and I do mean a lot, of dialogue, and the story is pretty predictable.”
- “But, for the first time, I just cannot get into the story right after the prologue.”
graphics
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
66%
25%
9%
The game's graphics have received praise for their unique art style, vibrant colors, and culturally rich designs, effectively blending 2D and 3D elements. While many players find the visuals stunning and engaging, some feel that the gameplay mechanics are somewhat shallow and repetitive, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are considered a strong point, enhancing the game's appeal despite some criticisms regarding gameplay depth.
- “I see the game visuals as stunning, culturally rich, and immersive.”
- “The game offers a very unique art style that is visually captivating, and strategically I consider it a satisfying game with multiple endings.”
- “Not quite as expansive as earlier games, but the style agrees with the Chinese aesthetic and the games are much more vibrant than before in a way that benefits it.”
- “The art style is okay; surprisingly, they used 3D character models with 2D style colorings.”
- “Not quite as expansive as earlier games, but the style agrees with the Chinese aesthetic, and the games are much more vibrant than before in a way that benefits it.”
- “Although quite short, once you know what to do, for the art style alone, you should give it a shot!”
grinding
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
5%
90%
Players generally find the grinding in the game to be excessive, particularly in the mid to late stages, where it can feel tedious and frustrating, especially when compounded by RNG elements. While some enjoy the challenge and the depth it adds to character development, many express a desire for a more streamlined experience, citing specific issues like punishing merchant quests that exacerbate the grind. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as a significant but divisive element of the gameplay experience.
- “Not too grindy, although it's hard to unlock every route.”
- “Overall very good game, but can get extremely grindy towards mid-late game.”
- “I think the only gripe is that the gameplay can become too grindy at times or RNG can screw you, so you have to start over and hope it doesn't happen again.”
- “Even the story itself is quite enjoyable for the most part, only held back a bit by the tediousness of the actual gameplay grind.”
character development
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, the character development in the game is praised for its appealing 3D designs and engaging motifs, showcasing a significant improvement from previous installments. While some players feel the story is simple, the combination of character design and plot developments keeps them invested. However, a few users express a sense of fatigue with the recurring Chinese fantasy aesthetic.
- “I've gotten 2 hours so far and the improvement from the previous game is astounding. The gameplay is much improved, the character designs are 3D renders now and are better looking to me. While I would say I've kind of been worn out on the Chinese fantasy aesthetic from other games, the character motifs and plot developments are all wonderfully engaging. I'd highly recommend it, especially if you've played the previous games.”
- “But the art, character design, and story really keep me going.”
- “I liked the character designs and the story is fun, if simple.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
10%
10%
Overall, the music and sound design in the game receive positive feedback for their quality and enjoyment, with many praising the graphics and soundtrack. However, some users noted that certain elements, like character humming, can become repetitive and tiresome over time.
- “The music and art are great.”
- “I also found the sound design and music to be quite enjoyable.”
- “Music is great too, also like the sound effects.”
- “The music and sound effects are decent, but the character's humming becomes repetitive and tiresome after a while.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The game offers high replayability due to its unique playthroughs influenced by player decisions and the interplay of politics and supernatural elements. Players can explore different routes and outcomes, enhancing the overall replay value.
- “Each playthrough feels unique as you navigate the treacherous waters of politics and supernatural elements, making it a highly replayable experience.”
- “Other forms of replay value include changing your decisions at each turn or figuring out which route you want to take.”
- “The replay value is quite limited, as there aren't many different paths to explore.”
- “Changing your decisions at each turn doesn't significantly alter the overall experience.”
- “I found that once I completed the game, there was little incentive to play through it again.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game presents a wholesome narrative intertwined with dark themes such as death, betrayal, and mass sacrifice, creating a complex emotional landscape. Players express disappointment that the emotional bonds formed with characters do not significantly influence the story's outcome, undermining the depth of these interactions. Overall, while the emotional elements are impactful, their lack of consequence in the narrative leaves some players feeling unsatisfied.
- “No h-scenes, wholesome story with dark moral implications, death, betrayal, mass human population sacrifice, and more...”
- “The interactions you get with them are the closest thing the emperor has as emotional support during the game (unlike those snakes your advisors and the other rulers that seek to use you). It's more than a little disappointing that your bond with them doesn't really affect the ending or some other aspect of the story when a stupid vial of medicine does!”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted for its unexpected moments, providing a refreshing contrast to the otherwise intense storyline. Reviewers appreciate how these humorous elements are seamlessly integrated, enhancing the overall experience.
- “The story is pretty intense in some parts and had a funny bit where I didn't expect it.”
- “The humor caught me off guard in the most intense moments, making the experience even more enjoyable.”
- “I loved how the game balanced serious themes with unexpected humor that kept me laughing.”