We need more games like this
Manor Lords – before you buy
If you purchase something from a Polygon link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.
I should have enjoyed the beach. I was on vacation, far from my gaming computer, and close to soothing, rolling waves. But instead my mind drifted to a landlocked part of 14th century Germany. Few games have wormed their way into my brain like Manor Lords.
The medieval "city builder with battles," as developer Slavic Magic describes it, is intricate and challenging, with lots of moving pieces and interdependencies. It is also, at times, extremely frustrating. There's a satisfaction to it, like a multi-step puzzle box – you whiz along countless little solutions until they all build up to the satisfying click that finally opens the lid.