Warrior Kings
- April 24, 2014
- Black Cactus
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"Warrior Kings" is an epic real-time strategy game set in a 3D medieval fantasy world. Players must restore their kingdom to its former glory through cunning, military might, and research. The game features true 3D graphics, real military formations and tactics, and siege warfare to conquer cities. With 22 levels and over 80 unique quests, players must build up their economic and military power, employ spies and mercenaries, and conduct a massive campaign to emerge victorious.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a compelling story with multiple campaign paths and choices that affect gameplay, making it engaging and replayable.
- Despite its age, the game offers unique gameplay mechanics and a solid strategy experience, reminiscent of classic RTS titles.
- Many players appreciate the nostalgia factor and the depth of the game, highlighting its potential as a hidden gem in the RTS genre.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs, including unit warping and audio issues, making it unplayable for many users.
- Graphics and interface are outdated, leading to a frustrating experience, especially on modern systems.
- Players have reported significant stability issues, with crashes and glitches that hinder progress, particularly in later missions.
- story28 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The story in the game is widely praised for its depth and interactivity, allowing players to make choices that significantly impact the narrative and gameplay. Many reviewers highlight the detailed campaign, engaging cinematics, and the branching paths that enhance replayability, making it a standout feature. However, some players note that the campaign can feel less structured and that technical issues may hinder the experience.
“You set the course for the young hero, and frankly, the story is where this game truly shines in my opinion.”
“The story is very detailed and interesting for a game so obscure; this is like a proper triple-A title when it comes to the story, you'd expect it to be more popular and widely known.”
“The single-player story is definitely the selling point for this entry, and I absolutely loved its branching endings.”
“Campaign exists but it's more freestyle than centered on a storyline, a bit like Total War but simpler.”
“Tedious missions.”
“The single player story is definitely the selling point for this entry, and I absolutely loved its branching endings.”
- stability12 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous users reporting significant bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, including game-breaking issues that prevent progression. While some players still enjoy the nostalgic aspects, many recommend against purchasing until these stability issues are addressed, particularly concerning graphical errors and AI performance. Overall, the game is described as a "buggy mess" that detracts from the experience.
“Awesome game, loved it as a child, bought it for nostalgia, sadly it's extremely buggy; couldn't even finish the 3rd level in the campaign due to a game-breaking bug.”
“I cannot recommend this game until the graphical errors have been patched, and this game is very buggy at times.”
“However, I believe this game is broken and has a lot of glitches because I have white blurs appearing on my screen when I select units or move the camera sometimes.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered clunky and outdated, reminiscent of older titles like RuneScape, with notable graphical glitches that can detract from the experience. While some players appreciate the nostalgic charm and find the game playable despite these issues, many express frustration over the bugs and recommend waiting for patches to improve the visual performance. Overall, the graphics may appeal to those with a fondness for retro aesthetics, but they are a significant drawback for others.
“If you don't mind the graphical flaws and love various possibilities to conquer your foes with armies (or well-placed fire arrows, hehe) then this game is for you.”
“While the game's graphics have probably not aged very well for those not viewing it through a nostalgia-tinted lens, it actually stands up fairly well still (native 1080p, anyone?).”
“However, even with its Runescape-type graphics and a sprinkling of bugs, I still have a lot of love for this game and its little quirks.”
“I cannot recommend this game until the graphical errors have been patched, and this game is very buggy at times.”
“The only downside to this game is the annoying graphical glitching of the units; if anyone can solve that, it would be much appreciated!”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Warrior Kings is praised for its unique mechanics, high quality, and engaging story that allows player choices to significantly impact the narrative and gameplay experience. While the game features well-balanced mechanics and innovative ideas for its time, some users noted occasional glitches and a lack of modern unit selection features that can detract from the overall experience. Overall, it is recommended for fans of RTS games who appreciate a rich story and strategic depth.
“Warrior Kings was a game released decades before its time, and by this, I mean the entire concept and gameplay.”
“As for the game itself, the mechanics and balance of the game are very well done.”
“Great story, great gameplay with many new ideas for its time, including how your choices change the story and adding upkeep in order to maintain an army, just like you would have to in real life.”
“The quality is high, but the gameplay is something else.”
“Keeping track of units can also be a bit annoying as it's missing some selecting mechanics that would be in a newer modern game.”
“Still hard good game, bad moves and you can reset the whole mission.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is criticized for its frequent interruptions, with tracks only playing for five seconds before stopping, leading to a frustrating experience. Additionally, a significant bug causes the music to stop entirely after the third mission, rendering the game unplayable for some users. Overall, the music implementation suffers from technical issues that detract from the gameplay experience.
“The sound and music create an immersive atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience.”
“The music transitions between tracks add a dynamic element to the game, keeping the experience fresh.”
“The soundtrack complements the game's themes and elevates the overall enjoyment.”
“Music and speeches run for 5 seconds, stop, the next track starts, and stops after 5 seconds, and so on.”
“The units tend to lag when the music switches track.”
“The problem is that on the fourth mission, the music doesn't come back after 3 minutes of play.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, with some missions feeling repetitive and monotonous. However, recent patches have addressed certain bugs that contributed to this frustration.
“The patch for this game updates and corrects some of the more tedious bugs in the game.”
“Tedious missions”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is lacking, as players report experiencing stuttering and freezing issues in certain levels, necessitating the installation of mods to achieve smoother performance.
“I needed to install mods from the WKB pack to get it to run smoothly; some levels would start stuttering or freezing before.”
“The optimization is so poor that I often experience frame drops and lag during critical moments.”
“Even with the latest updates, the game still struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, making it frustrating to play.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its immersive atmosphere, which is enhanced by an intriguing plot that captivates players.
“A very atmospheric game with an interesting plot.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is highly praised for its strong replayability, attributed to its excellent strategy and epic story, making it a highly recommended experience for players.
“For its excellent strategy, epic story, and strong replayability, I couldn't recommend this game more highly!”
“The variety of choices and outcomes makes each playthrough feel fresh and exciting.”
“With multiple endings and character paths, I find myself coming back to this game time and again.”
