Under The Yoke
- March 28, 2024
- Priory Games
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Under the Yoke" is a historical simulation game set in Medieval England, where you start as a serf with a small plot of land and must guide your family through generations. Each character has distinct traits, personalities, and skills, and it's your responsibility to manage their livelihoods, social circles, and daily needs. The game's mechanics are based on three core traits: Mind, Body, and Spirit, which impact each character's abilities and interactions. Your ultimate goal is to ensure your family's contentment and productivity while navigating the challenges of the Middle Ages.
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Reviews
- The game has a unique and engaging concept, offering a fun medieval family life simulation experience.
- The art style is charming and contributes to the immersive atmosphere of the game.
- The developer is responsive and actively working on updates and bug fixes, showing commitment to improving the game.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs and crashes, making it frustrating to play at times.
- The tutorial is poorly designed, leaving players confused about the game's mechanics and objectives.
- There is excessive micromanagement required, which can be overwhelming and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- graphics9 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful art style, which many players find engaging and fitting for the medieval theme. While the visuals are generally well-received, some users report technical issues such as crashes and bugs that can detract from the experience. Overall, the art style is a significant draw for players, contributing to their enjoyment of the game despite some performance concerns.
“Having a lot of fun building out my character, the music draws you in and the graphics are spot on for the genre.”
“I love the art style, everything has been running smoothly for me and I find it pretty relaxing so far as well.”
“This game looks beautiful, the art style is one of the main reasons I purchased on day 1.”
“While the game is graphically simple, the systems are quite complex.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as rewarding, particularly due to mechanics that enhance friendships with villagers, though it may lack excitement and can feel monotonous at times. New players might find certain mechanics, like food interactions, confusing without a proper tutorial. Overall, while the gameplay may be slow-paced, it offers satisfying long-term progression.
“I think it's really rewarding that the game has mechanics for rewarding your friendship with villagers.”
“A tutorial would walk you through each menu and make you assign your character to do things, helping you understand basic needs and mechanics.”
“Big fan of the long-term gameplay; I was able to get pretty far in only a decade with my first single peasant.”
“A tutorial would walk you through each menu and make you assign your character to do things, to help you understand basic needs and mechanics.”
“Monotonous gameplay and music.”
“Big fan of the long-term gameplay, though I was able to get pretty far in only a decade with my first single peasant.”
- story3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is engaging, as it evolves from basic survival to complex social dynamics, including political ambitions and family matters. Players appreciate the RPG elements that provide ongoing purpose beyond initial goals, though many express a desire for more quests, social consequences, and items to enhance the narrative experience.
“You reach a point where you have a surplus of goods, but then you have to consider how to not just live, but thrive—how to get an elected position, marry off your children, etc. I like the RPG aspect because it makes me feel like there's still a purpose to playing after you've met those basic needs, and there are little story breaks every now and then.”
“You get to a point where you have a surplus of goods, but then you have to consider how to not just live, but thrive, how to get an elected position, marrying off your children, etc. I like the RPG aspect because it makes me feel like there's still a purpose to playing after you've met those basic needs, and there are little story breaks every now and then.”
“Would love to see more in the game: more quests or missions, more social consequences and objectives, more items and equipment to aim for!”
“Would love to see more in the game: more quests or missions, more social consequences and objectives, more items and equipment to aim for!”
- music3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed feedback, with some players finding it monotonous and repetitive, while others appreciate its ability to enhance the immersive experience. Overall, there is a call for more variety in the soundtrack to better complement the gameplay.
“Having a lot of fun building out my character; the music draws you in and the graphics are spot on for the genre.”
“But I mean things like fixing the broken GUI problems (seriously, did you not actually test your own game?), rethink some aspects of food and their values, and how they might be used by people who are supposed to be surviving by the skin of their teeth, and for God's sake, add more than the one same monotonous music track to the game.”
“And monotonous gameplay and music.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is generally praised for being engaging and well-conceived, contributing to an enjoyable learning experience. Reviewers appreciate the overall ambiance, highlighting its appeal and creativity.
“The atmosphere is nice and it's interesting to learn.”
“Nice concept, nice atmosphere.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report that the game's user interface is plagued by bugs and lacks intuitiveness, leading to a frustrating experience.
“The UI is buggy and unintuitive.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it unplayable at times.”
“I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the overall experience.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the historical accuracy and complexity of the game's mechanics, particularly in farming and medieval production chains, which adds depth to the grinding experience.
