The new building game Manor Lords is now the most wanted game on Steam. In the past, the gameplay has often been compared to other titles. The developer clears things up with clear statements. Players should know what to expect.
What game is this about? Manor Lords is a new strategy and building game on Steam that has been at the top of the most wanted games on the platform for some time. It is also enjoying great success on Twitch and even inspires two of the biggest German streamers.
Manor Lords is scheduled to appear on Steam on April 26, 2024.
Manor Lords already looked impressive in the first trailers
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Strategy fans in particular are looking forward to the new title and have great hope for the gameplay and the various mechanics. In addition to the very free design of your cities and classic strategy gameplay, Manor Lords also attracts with combat gameplay that reminded many players, including Maurice Weber, of Total War.
Developer explains what players should really expect
What does the developer say about this? The developer now wants to clear up this and other comparisons shortly before the release. He therefore addressed interested players directly on Steam to make it clear to them once again what Manor Lords is not and explained why he chose Early Access.
“Manor Lords is not competition for Total War,” says solo developer Greg Styczen first and foremost. “It’s a city builder with combat,” he explains further, adding that while combat is part of the game, it’s not as large or frequent as some players might expect. The gameplay focus would still be on city building and management.
He also prepares players for the scope of the game, saying that while there will be different regions, players won’t be able to conquer all of Europe. So players don’t build an entire empire here. Instead, Manor Lords will be much smaller.
Styczen also comments on the comparison with titles like Kingdom Come: Deliverance. “It’s not an RPG either,” he explains, and then refers to the “Visit Mode,” which is intended to allow players to see their cities up close from a first-person perspective. This is more of an experiment and bonus feature. Mainly, however, Manor Lords would be played classically from a bird’s perspective. “There will be no first-person gameplay,” said Styczen.
Players should love Manor Lords for what it is
Manor Lords is primarily intended to be a relaxed strategy and building game whose mechanics focus on aesthetics, resources and management. Styczen hopes players will learn to love Manor Lords for what it is: a realistic, organic and authentic city builder with real-time combat.
Why Early Access? Styczen also commented on his decision to release Manor Lords in Early Access, as this might be disappointing for some. However, he would still like to see development with open exchange between him and the players. Not least because it has worked well so far, but also because it is his first game.
Some things aren’t finished yet and he suspects players will have some requests for changes. That’s why he thinks early access is the right decision.
No roadmap before initial feedback
Styczen does not want to publish a roadmap at this time. The philosophy is more important to him: listen, examine, carry out, rather than dictate what should happen in the future. First, he and publisher Hooded Horse would want to wait for player feedback and then decide which goals have priority.
A final decision has also not yet been made as to whether future tests should take place openly or closed. One idea is that players who already own the game can then take part in the “pre-release beta”, which of course could then be less stable.
Another game also excited strategy fans with its first images: “We’ve all had this idea for years”: New strategy game on Steam delights with 1st trailer