SAELIG

About

"SAELIG is a single-player Business Role Playing game set in Dark Ages England, with strategy, simulation, and RPG elements. Choose from various professions and live your life in a living world where actions matter, while dealing with bugs. Experience wonderful gameplay with good graphics and lots of grinding to bring wealth and prosperity to your family."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,282 reviews

gameplay50 positive mentions

stability74 negative mentions

The game combines survival, management, political, and economic simulation, offering a unique gameplay experience.
The developer is very active and responsive to community feedback, regularly updating the game with new content and fixes.
The game features a living world where NPCs have their own lives, making the environment feel immersive and dynamic.

The game is still in early access and has many bugs, including crashes and UI issues that can hinder gameplay.
Some players find the gameplay repetitive and lacking depth, especially in the late game.
The camera controls and movement can be clunky, making navigation frustrating at times.

gameplay
144 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
60%
6%
The gameplay of this title is praised for its variety and depth, offering a mix of simulation and sandbox elements that allow players to engage in medieval life through business management and exploration. While many find the mechanics engaging and reminiscent of titles like "The Guild," some players note that the gameplay can become repetitive and is still in need of refinement, particularly in its early access state. Overall, the game is seen as a promising experience with potential for growth, despite some technical issues and a need for more content.
- “Altogether, I'd say this game is the perfect mix of gameplay elements that offers something that'll appeal to fans of any of them while offering enough variety to justify playing again and again. With a developer as hands-on and passionate about their project as this one, I see this being a 'forever game' that I constantly return to.”
- “The gameplay is fun and takes some mechanics and features from games like The Guild and then makes them more engaging, less tedious, and more RPG-like.”
- “This game brings all the elements of living during the Dark Ages and blends together a lot of different game mechanics. This game is a simulator but also an open-world sandbox with an in-depth economy system and business management.”
- “But it becomes a bit repetitive once you've figured the mechanics out.”
- “And the promises are certainly kept, but the updates seem inconsistent and the gameplay is just disappointing.”
- “Gameplay - 5/10: repetitive with not many options from a professions perspective.”
graphics
112 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
66%
9%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players acknowledging decent visuals for an indie title but noting significant room for improvement, particularly in character design and overall polish. While some appreciate the charming aesthetic and historical setting, others criticize the lack of color and repetitive building designs, alongside performance issues that hinder the experience. Overall, the graphics are seen as a work in progress, with potential that could be realized through further updates and optimizations.
- “I've been playing for a long time, before the Viking raiders were added and the new graphics. I can say 100% the game just keeps improving as time goes on; it's impeccable!”
- “As soon as I went into first-person mode and walked around the town with very high graphics, I knew this would end up being the game Guild 3 should have been.”
- “I've played for a few hours on full graphics; this game is beautiful to look at, plays and runs very smoothly.”
- “The hardest part for most players will be getting past the less polished graphics and UI.”
- “The graphics are decent for an indie title, but the washed out greyness and the general lack of colour just suck the life and soul out of the game.”
- “It's very poorly optimized, works the graphics card hard without much visual wow to show for it.”
stability
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game currently exhibits a range of stability issues, including frequent glitches, crashes, and performance problems, particularly in early access. While some players report minor bugs and no game-breaking issues, others experience significant freezing and system lock-ups. Overall, the game is seen as a promising title that requires further polishing to enhance its stability.
- “Way too buggy right now to recommend.”
- “Really disappointed, this game is a gem and I am completely enthralled but it consistently freezes and locks up my computer.”
- “It is very early yet and I run into quite a few visual glitches and bugs as well as it being overall very rough around the edges, but this is a gem that just needs to be polished.”
story
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
80%
14%
The game's story aspect has received mixed feedback, with many players expressing a desire for more structured narrative development. While the RPG elements allow for personal storytelling and varied playthroughs, some users feel that the lack of a cohesive storyline can lead to aimlessness. Overall, players appreciate the potential for character-driven experiences but suggest that additional direction could enhance engagement.
- “Not the usual city-builder, it has an RPG style that starts off your character with a backstory.”
- “The storytelling reminds me of RimWorld, just the right amount of absurd.”
- “Instead of the typical city builder, you live the life of one man and his story...”
- “Needs some storyline development.”
- “It by no means needs to be story heavy, but a little more direction might keep it from getting aimless a couple of hours in.”
- “The lack of a story may make some people think twice, but the potential to make your own story in a town where every playthrough is a little different is enough to replay it with a different style or tactic.”
grinding
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while the early gameplay is engaging and fun, it becomes increasingly tedious in the mid to late stages, particularly when searching for new workers or trying to progress economically. The game offers various ways to build your fortune, but many feel that the grind often lacks meaningful rewards, leading to frustration despite the enjoyable mechanics. Overall, the potential for improvement is noted, with hopes that future updates will address the grindiness.
- “The game isn't difficult at all, not even if you start off as a penniless beggar, it's just grindy.”
- “The game is quite fun in the early stages but mid to late game becomes tedious.”
- “Additionally, the economy seems dysfunctional; I have tried several characters and businesses, and while the alehouse and mine seem to work the best, you really don't get ahead; it's grinding with no reward.”
optimization
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
56%
22%
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to performance problems even on high-spec systems, which detracts from the overall experience. While some players find ways to improve performance by adjusting graphic settings, many express frustration over the game's inability to run smoothly despite low settings. However, the developer is actively working on updates and bug fixes, suggesting potential for improvement in future releases.
- “Incredibly fun - has some performance issues, but it's easy enough to look past that after tweaking graphic settings a bit to run smoother.”
- “On top of the game showing real promise, Stardog, the developer/publisher, is doing a great job of not only updating the game regularly with real content, but also diligently working on bug fixes and patches to improve stability and overall performance.”
- “Will be a great game when they get optimization in.”
- “The game looks like it could be pretty interesting but sadly even at specs that dwarf the recommendations, all graphics turned all the way down, and other performance boosting settings turned on, the game simply doesn't run.”
- “It's not optimized well, which sucks because it has such great reviews. I wish I could enjoy what makes people like this game so much.”
- “It's very poorly optimized, works the graphics card hard without much visual wow to show for it.”
replayability
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
38%
13%
The game is highly praised for its replayability, with many users highlighting its fun and engaging nature that encourages multiple playthroughs. Players appreciate the sandbox elements and the freedom to shape their experience, suggesting that the replay value will only improve as the game evolves. Overall, it is considered a worthwhile investment for those who enjoy role-playing and simulation genres.
- “Very fun game and great replay value.”
- “All of these things aside, I think this game is entertaining and enjoyable, and the replay value will only increase as it gets more refined.”
- “This game is well worth the price and has plenty of replay value in my opinion - buy it and try it!!!”
- “It's all up to you which gives this more replayability.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The music in the game is widely praised for its relaxing and ambient qualities, with many players noting that they could listen to the soundtrack for hours. The soundtracks contribute significantly to the game's charming atmosphere and aesthetic appeal, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. While some players find the notifications distracting, the positive reception of the music remains a standout feature.
- “It has all the heart, charm, labor of love, the gorgeous ambience and sense of ease... I love the sense of freedom and flow, the content and aesthetic appeal of the gameplay, and the ability to switch and multitask through different buildings, occupations and activities... the rich, ambient sound world and the music soundtracks also deserve much applause.”
- “The soundtrack is very relaxing and I could happily listen to it for hours... which is a good job really as time just flies when you're playing this. The only downside is that the notifications can get a little annoying each time they pop up, but I can live with that.”
- “Soundtracks are very pleasing.”
- “The positions of power are fairly disorganized and not really accessible at present; Gioseppi the musician with the feasts was clearly the wealthiest person in town and wasn't invited to any posts, although his staff were.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its pleasant vibe and engaging quirks in NPC behavior, contributing to a relaxing life and business management experience. Players appreciate the developers' commitment to maintaining and enhancing this atmosphere through regular updates over the years.
- “Really great atmosphere and vibe, awesome commitment from the developers with constant updates over the many years I've been coming back to this game.”
- “The atmosphere is pleasant, and there are so many little quirks in the way NPCs behave.”
- “I truly appreciate this game for the overall atmosphere and relaxing life/business management.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
Character development in the game is praised for its freedom and variety, allowing players to explore multiple routes in shaping their character's persona. Reviewers note that it successfully builds on the legacy of "The Guild 2: Renaissance," offering a more intimate role-playing experience compared to its predecessor, which shifted focus to broader strategic elements.
- “If you played The Guild 2: Renaissance, then this is a true successor to this game, unlike TG3 that strayed away too far into a global strategy, totally missing out on that small scale experience, role play, and character development.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players often find that strategy games like "Banished" and "Dawn of Man" lack emotional depth due to a weak connection to characters, leading to monotony. However, moments of tragedy, such as the death of a child from the plague, can evoke genuine sadness and create a poignant emotional impact.
- “Then a child dies of the plague and it's actually really sad and touching.”
- “I got bored with those banished / dawn of man / etc type games because there isn't that emotional connection to a character, and while I love strategy for its own sake, it becomes monotonous quite quickly.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized as hilariously irreverent and icily sinister, providing a unique blend of comedy that balances dark themes with a lighthearted approach.
- “It's hilariously irreverent and icily sinister.”