Rising Lords

About

Rising Lords is a single player and multiplayer strategy game. It was developed by Argonwood and was released on May 26, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Rising Lords" is a medieval turn-based strategy game that combines card and board game elements. Manage your kingdom by collecting taxes, resources, and dictating rations, while also expanding your realm and engaging in tactical combat against other lords. Your peasants can become knights or be sent to battle, but beware of the consequences as they may eventually revolt. The game features a campaign mode and robust multiplayer functionality.

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Play Modes

+30

Skip User Reviews

72%

Audience ScoreBased on 339 reviews

graphics42 positive mentions

stability25 negative mentions

The game features charming artwork and a unique medieval aesthetic that enhances the overall experience.
The economic mechanics are engaging, requiring players to balance resources, population, and military needs effectively.
The turn-based combat system, augmented by cards, adds a layer of strategy that keeps battles interesting.

The AI is often criticized for being too easy to defeat, lacking challenge even on higher difficulty settings.
There are numerous bugs and performance issues, including crashes and slow loading times, which can disrupt gameplay.
The game can feel tedious due to micromanagement requirements, especially as the number of regions increases.

graphics
84 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
46%
4%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their unique and charming hand-drawn art style, reminiscent of medieval manuscripts, which enhances the overall aesthetic and immersion. Many players appreciate the beautiful artwork and its ability to convey the game's themes effectively, although some note that the graphics may feel simplistic or shallow in terms of gameplay depth. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere and appeal.
- “The visuals are stunning, with a charming hand-drawn aesthetic that feels like a medieval tapestry come to life.”
- “The art style, reminiscent of medieval illustrations, not only enhances the overall aesthetic but also immerses players in a world that feels like a living canvas.”
- “The artwork is beautifully done and unique.”
- “Information you are receiving while playing is misleading and graphically incorrect (slay a wolf and have a picture of a dead boar).”
- “Bought the game because the setting and the graphics were pleasing, but after a few hours testing the game, I conclude that it is more tedious than fun.”
- “Also, the simple graphics belie the resource intensity of the game.”
gameplay
82 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
66%
4%
The gameplay of the game is characterized by a blend of medieval strategy, resource management, and turn-based combat, offering a charming yet somewhat shallow experience. While players appreciate the art style and some engaging mechanics, many express a desire for deeper strategic elements and clearer objectives, particularly in multiplayer modes. Overall, the game shows potential but currently suffers from issues like clunky UI, balancing problems, and a lack of depth in mechanics.
- “This turn-based strategy game beautifully blends medieval history with engaging gameplay.”
- “Rising Lords stands out for its intricate gameplay, allowing players to engage in a multifaceted experience of village management, military strategy, and interpersonal interactions.”
- “Beautiful game, good mechanics - all fairly balanced with a fair number of strategies and lots of variable battle tactics through various unit types, general upgrades, and customized battle decks/cards.”
- “The game forces you to play with a time crunch but then wastes your time with silly mechanics.”
- “Clunky UI, shallow gameplay, unclear objectives, poorly optimized AI, a bunch of random stuff happening that can ruin your play; the list goes on.”
- “Outside of that, from the gameplay I experienced, the game is shallow on a strategic level.”
story
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
67%
6%
The game's story mode is generally well-received, with players appreciating its engaging narrative and challenging missions, though some find it can become tedious and overwhelming, particularly in later stages. While the campaign features interesting characters and plot twists, issues such as unclear objectives, bugs, and a lack of mission selection options detract from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, many players feel the story adds depth and charm to the gameplay, making it a worthwhile aspect of the game.
- “The narrative-driven experience provides players with a structured and engaging story arc, offering a different perspective from the typical sandbox-style gameplay.”
- “Tancred's story adds a personal touch to the game, immersing players in the challenges faced by a young lord as he strives to build his legacy.”
- “The narrative is well-crafted, featuring interesting characters and plot twists that keep players invested in the campaign.”
- “In the story, you are doing things blindly since objectives are not clear or you are unprepared and have to redo a few times.”
- “It's true, I've seen it with my own eyes: in 2024 I buy a full release game and it's simply not possible to save and load a game mid-mission.”
- “But it's just too buggy right now, and there are far too many missions with unclear objectives.”
stability
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting frequent bugs, crashes, and freezes that severely impact gameplay. Many players have experienced issues with saving progress, leading to lost hours of playtime, and the user interface is described as confusing and unresponsive. While some find the game enjoyable, the overwhelming consensus is that it feels unfinished and requires substantial polish before it can be recommended.
- “So many glitches later in the game it's unplayable.”
- “The game is actually fun and there's a really solid foundation to a game here, but in its current state, it's not worth $25 and it's a bug-ridden mess.”
- “If you try to equip equipment and click the arrow, it just freezes your game. If you didn't save, you lose hours of progress. The game just randomly crashes as well, so if you didn't save, you lost all your progress.”
music
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
45%
14%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its immersive quality and ability to complement the game's atmosphere. However, some users express a desire for more variety in the soundtrack, noting that it can become repetitive. Overall, while the music is generally well-received, there are calls for improvement and expansion to enhance the gaming experience further.
- “The soundtrack perfectly complements the atmosphere, immersing you in the world of lords and peasants.”
- “The music is immersive, the artwork is amazing and the game feels and plays like you are a true medieval monarch.”
- “Rising Lords is a beautiful and promising turn-based strategy game with semi-medieval chibi art, smooth and relaxing gameplay, and an astounding soundtrack.”
- “Next time please triple the variety of music that plays in the background.”
- “I would like more types of music.”
- “I have to tell you, the music and sound effects of the original game were way better than this one.”
optimization
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
56%
33%
Overall, the game's optimization has received significant criticism, with users reporting poor performance, clunky UI, and heavy system resource usage, particularly on larger maps. While some players have noted improvements and ongoing efforts to address these issues, many still experience frustrating lag and AI delays. As a result, the game is not recommended for those with lower-end systems.
- “There's been a lot of great changes to the game in 2021 since I've picked it up, completely fixing the optimization issues and setting the groundwork for the continual development of more content for the game.”
- “Excited to see how this grows and gets better optimized.”
- “Oh, optimization isn't the strength as well: the time the AI needs to think about every second move in the battle (even if it's obvious) is horrendous.”
- “Further, for a game of its size and scope, it seems to be somewhat poorly optimized as my system resources were under heavy load.”
- “Definitely enjoyed the core gameplay a lot, but my main concern at the time was optimization, particularly around when you ended your turns.”
grinding
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly in later stages and story mode, where managing resources and building up territories can become repetitive. While some enjoy the initial fun and challenge, many express a desire for features like autorun to alleviate the monotony of resource management and province development. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a significant drawback that detracts from the game's enjoyment.
- “The only fault I find is that it can get tedious in the later rounds, especially on story mode.”
- “It would be nice to have some kind of autorun feature in the conquered provinces because it can get a little tedious to build up each province after you've conquered it and taken control.”
- “Bought the game because the setting and the graphics were pleasing, but after a few hours testing the game, I conclude that it is more tedious than fun.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The game offers high replayability through its tactically satisfying turn and hex-driven battles, alongside a robust multiplayer mode that fosters creativity and community content via a scenario editor. However, some users feel that it currently lacks the playability of other titles, suggesting potential for improvement in this area.
- “This feature not only extends the game's replayability but also encourages creativity within the player base.”
- “The game includes a scenario editor, which can lead to a lot of replayability and community content.”
- “I imagine it could get more playable at some point, but sadly isn't there yet.”
- “Secondly, Lords of the Realm is a much better game, far more playable than this trash.”
- “The turn and hex-driven battles are tactically satisfying, and the multiplayer mode offers endless replay value.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's atmosphere is richly enhanced by a well-crafted soundtrack and meticulous attention to detail in character design and environments, effectively immersing players in a medieval world. The inclusion of descriptive texts, interactive choices, and morally ambiguous characters further deepens the experience, while the suggestion of using spies to gauge opponents adds an intriguing layer to the gameplay. Overall, the atmosphere is both authentic and engaging, resonating with the complexities of medieval life.
- “The soundtrack perfectly complements the atmosphere, immersing you in the world of lords and peasants.”
- “The attention to detail in the character design, landscapes, and buildings contributes to the game's authenticity, creating an atmosphere that resonates with the medieval setting.”
- “Rather long descriptive texts paired with nice little pictures, often with multiple choices to react and recurring characters, add to the atmosphere, while having no clear black and white morality in the story is an unexpected (and very welcome) surprise for me.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game's artwork and music is generally appreciated, adding a positive element to the experience. However, some players express concerns about the overall quality, leading to doubts about the value of purchasing the game in early access.
- “The humor in the artwork and the music adds a delightful charm to the game.”
- “The witty dialogue and clever puns kept me laughing throughout my playthrough.”
- “The comedic elements are perfectly timed, making even the toughest battles feel lighthearted.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers highlight that the meticulous attention to detail in character design and environments enhances the game's authenticity, effectively immersing players in its medieval setting.
- “The attention to detail in the character design, landscapes, and buildings contributes to the game's authenticity, creating an atmosphere that resonates with the medieval setting.”
- “The character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character's unique backstory and motivations.”
- “I love how the choices I make impact the characters' growth and relationships, making every decision feel meaningful and personal.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users express skepticism about the monetization strategy, suggesting that the presence of advertisements may be misleading or intrusive.
- “But don't be fooled by the advertisements above.”
- “The game feels like a constant push to spend money, which ruins the experience.”
- “I can't enjoy the game without being bombarded by offers to buy in-game currency.”