Sovereignty: Crown of Kings
- February 2, 2017
- The Lordz Games Studio
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"Sovereignty: Crown of Kings" is a turn-based strategy game set in a fantasy world. Players build and manage their kingdom, control armies, and engage in tactical combat to expand their territory and secure their rule. The game features a variety of playable factions, each with unique abilities and units, as well as a multitude of challenges and events to overcome.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique and engaging world with diverse factions, each with their own lore and mechanics.
- Tactical battles are well-designed, allowing for strategic depth and rewarding gameplay.
- The developers are responsive to community feedback and actively work on updates and improvements.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and crashes, making it frustrating to play at times.
- The user interface is clunky and not very intuitive, which can hinder the overall experience.
- Diplomacy and economic systems feel underdeveloped, lacking depth and meaningful interactions.
- gameplay54 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by a mix of engaging mechanics and significant technical issues, including frequent crashes and bugs that detract from the overall experience. While many players appreciate the unique strategies and diverse factions, they also express frustration over the unpolished user interface and inconsistent battle AI. Despite these shortcomings, some reviewers find the core gameplay enjoyable and believe it has potential for improvement with ongoing developer support.
“This was one of the coolest concepts for a strategy game I have ever seen. The world was fairly fleshed out for a project by a small team, and the mechanics were simple enough yet engaging.”
“I'm very much enjoying the gameplay, and it seems that the developers are committed to continuing to improve it after release, which I absolutely appreciate.”
“Using a simple, almost board game-like mechanics, the game crafts stories of last stands, desperate deals, and glorious conquest.”
“The gameplay has potential, but honestly, the game is so content light.”
“Unclickable UI, missing submit buttons on unclosable screens, broken tactical combat AI, and a myriad of smaller mechanical bugs make the game a sad shadow of what it could have been.”
“I was stoked to play a fantasy wargame, but the fact that it crashed in under 2 hours of gameplay is too much for me when I can find other stable games.”
- graphics39 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users highlighting significant issues such as graphical bugs, low-resolution icons, and a clunky user interface that detracts from the overall experience. While some appreciate the artwork and atmosphere, others criticize the lack of polish and compatibility problems, particularly for users with Intel integrated graphics. Overall, the game seems to prioritize gameplay over visual fidelity, appealing primarily to those who value strategy over high-end graphics.
“The lore and history are for me what really makes it, and the atmosphere this evokes combined with the artwork is awesome.”
“While the Total War series lately wants you to go out for a beer between the turns - this game is quick and the simple graphics look nice; gameplay is nicer.”
“The artwork and theming is pretty nice, though I agree with some people's thoughts it would be nice to have more background to the factions for immersion purposes.”
“Being able to code for Nvidia, ATI, and Intel graphics is basic table stakes, not something to be making excuses for long after release.”
“Graphical bugs make this game unplayable on many machines, even though it should.”
“Slitherine does it again... charges far too much for a game that has little polish, a frankly ugly UI, and a very inconsistent art style.”
- stability17 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, crashes, and incomplete mechanics that hinder gameplay. Many players experience frequent crashes and glitches, particularly as they progress, and there are concerns about the lack of ongoing support and updates from the developers. While some see potential in the game, its current state is deemed too unstable for a worthwhile purchase.
“Buggy, unfinished, and shallow.”
“The game can crash and the AI is buggy or not working at all, and the developers stopped working on fixing and patching the game; not worth a buy at the moment.”
“Glitches, bugs, and crashes abound.”
- story13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game's story is rich and detailed, featuring a diverse array of factions, each with unique backstories and objectives that enhance the role-playing experience. While some players feel the narrative could be further developed, particularly in terms of faction interactions and diplomacy, the multiple storyline campaigns and distinct victory conditions provide engaging gameplay. Overall, the storytelling elements are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
“Sovereignty is a pretty rare type of game, a fixed map strategy game with elaborate backstory for a huge number of diverse countries each struggling to accomplish their unique goals using very different strategic approaches.”
“Every realm has its own story campaign you can try to achieve victory with, and you can choose around another five victory conditions for every realm you choose to start.”
“This game seems to have a story behind it that it doesn't fully exploit. More role-playing components for each faction would have made it a sublime game. Also, despite the diplomatic modifiers, the AI usually does a little of what it wants in diplomacy.”
“The backstory that is there is detailed and interesting, and the factions are reasonably different.”
“On the default map, there is a real storytelling about how the high elves are forming alliances, but the night elves don't think it's a good idea.”
- replayability8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it limited due to static map starts and a lack of randomly generated worlds, others appreciate the variety offered by different factions and strategies, leading to significant replay value. The ability to experiment with various nations and tactics enhances the experience for those who enjoy strategic depth. Overall, the replayability is notable but may not appeal to everyone.
“There was enough difference in the 'feel' of factions that it has allowed tremendous replayability as I try and retry different strategies with the same faction, as well as the difference of playing a faction that had bullied you as you played another one.”
“This can lead to a lot of replayability and different strategies instead of just mobbing armies and moving them like risk pieces across the map.”
“The game has little replayability.”
“I have games that are $10 full price and have ten times the replayability and longevity of this game (indie too).”
“Its replayability comes from the ability to play each of the prebuilt game world's many different nations rather than having a randomly generated new world each game.”
- music5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, described as agreeable and fitting, enhancing the overall mood without being overwhelming. While there are occasional glitches, the soundtrack is praised for its quality and contribution to the gaming experience.
“The music is quite nice now and very fitting. It enhances the mood nicely without being bombastic.”
“It's a very good game, stable, no bugs, lovely maps, splendid music, and help along the way with a steady flow of information that is never intrusive.”
“The music is agreeable.”
“The music glitches occasionally.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its rich lore and history, which, when combined with impressive artwork, creates an immersive experience that captivates players.
“The lore and history really make it for me, and the atmosphere it evokes combined with the artwork is awesome.”
“First, the art and atmosphere are excellent.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly in campaigns involving smaller nations, where the gameplay often reduces to simply pressing the turn button with minimal engagement or depth.
“Campaigns can be tedious, especially for smaller nations that often have nothing to do except press the turn button.”
“You have a few details here and there, but it ultimately feels shallow and tedious.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviewers express frustration with monetization practices that prioritize profit over quality, arguing that gamers should not support developers and publishers who release unfinished games as cash grabs.
“We as gamers should not be rewarding developers and publishers that put out unfinished games as a cash grab.”
“The monetization strategy feels exploitative, prioritizing profit over player experience.”
“It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game fully without spending extra money.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is enhanced through the camaraderie and connection between characters, as players feel a heightened sense of support and teamwork when in close proximity to fellow infantry. This mechanic fosters a deeper emotional engagement, emphasizing the importance of relationships in the gameplay experience.
