First-rate medieval strategy game
There is something about the medieval period that makes it immensely appealing to both strategy developers and gamers alike, and while Lords of the Realm doesn't really offer anything new in the genre, it is a superb example of what can be achieved. It is a turn-based strategy game that takes place in a tumultuous period of history where players fight for the right to be crowned King of England. Mixing complex decision making with exciting real-time combat, Lords of the Realm takes would-be Kings on an epic journey from small-scale lord dealing with local issues like taxation, farming, bandits etc to higher levels of power where politics, influence in the court and full-on sieges are the order of the day. The level of detail on display here is impressive but rarely daunting thanks to a fluid and well-designed interface which uses graphs and charts to allow players to keep track of what is going on. The combat too feels authentic, with a great range of troops and siege weapons available and which is suitably challenging and exciting. Although the graphics are somewhat basic, they certainly serve their purpose well enough and do not detract from the game's appeal. Voice acting is also worthy of a mention here, due to its high quality and professionalism and which really adds to what is a great all-round package. Complex, challenging and thoroughly satisfying, Lords of the Realm remains a first-class strategy game.