Kingdom: New Lands Review (Jordan)
I'm torn as to whether to recommend this game or not...
What I love:
The game design / graphics: everything from the characters & animals, to the scenery, lighting, the weather that changes with the seasons... it's stunning if you like the pixel art style. The music is fitting too, mostly peaceful and relaxed, other times eerie and foreboding, very well composed.
My issue:
Kingdom: New Lands can punish you too hard. You may have a great deal of money saved up, a good number of villagers with their various roles, well upgraded defences, and then everything can be turned on its head in one night. From that point on, you're fighting a losing battle and have to accept you'll need to start again. I don't find that completely disheartening, because with every attempt you learn more about what not to do, but it is a shame to lose all that progress you made.
Some Potential Improvements:
- Have the option of giving more guidance / clues about how to progress
- slightly faster NPC walking / running speed so they stand more chance of getting away from enemies
- being able to relocate NPCs, or have archers be able to move forwards as you build the next watch towers, so you don't have archers left behind in unhelpful places.
- being able to undo / change your mind with marking trees to be chopped in case of mis-clicks
Final thoughts:
Ultimately, it's pretty and addictive, but one harsh wave can be impossible to recover from, so if you're happy to admit defeat and start again (and again and again), it'll be good. I've heard that Kingdom: Two Crowns is an improvement, so it may be a case of: if you're going to get one, just get the newer one (Two Crowns).
P.s. when you find the pet dog, look after them well, the enemies can take the dog and run- which was heartbreaking !