Northgard

From the creators of Evoland and Darksburg comes Northgard, a simplified approach to the RTS genre that will appeal to newcomers to the genre. Set in a world of Norse legends and myths, this is a game for people who are interested in playing a real-time strategy game but don’t want to commit themselves to playing an overly complicated game.

Being as focused on simplicity as it is, does Northgard still manage to appeal to RTS veterans, or is it better suited for a casual audience? Let’s take a look at how this game sets itself apart from its more complex cousins.

Vikings and lands

Developers Shiro Games wanted to create a game that feels like an epic Viking story. The game is set in the newly discovered continent of Northgard: a cold and harsh land where only the strongest might survive.

Northgard features a single-player story mode called Rig’s Saga. In this mode, players will follow the story of Rig, the son of a murdered Viking High King, as he fights to reclaim his father’s Regal Horn. This mode is great to acclimate players to Northgard’s mechanics, and the overall feel of the game as well.

The story mode is great, with an interesting plot and well-written characters to make the experience even better. This reminds us of games like Command & Conquer Red Alert 3, where the single-player experience is just as good (if not better) than the multiplayer.

Meet the Clans

As you explore the game’s lengthy campaign, you’ll get to control some of the game’s Clans. Like the Civilization in Age of Empires, Clans are the different factions of Northgard. Each of these Clans have their own set of strengths and weaknesses, and you’ll have to get accustomed to them if you aim to master them for multiplayer.

The base game includes 6 Clans, with 6 more available as DLC. While the concept of Clans is a great way to segment the game, it’s a shame to see that each Clan is a separate piece of DLC. It’s also terrible to see that some Clans seem to be handicapped to fit better with the rest, like the Dragon and Lynx Clans.

Norse design

Visually speaking, Northgard looks like a mix between Civilization V and Warcraft III. The simple, cartoony graphics are a blessing for some low-spec gaming PCs, but they might be a bit too unimpressive for more demanding players.

Even though the game’s graphics might leave a bit to be desired, it makes up for it with its beautiful art direction and captivating (albeit short) soundtrack. There’s a lot of dedication behind the character designs and making the world of Northgard look and feel believable.

Control to win

As we previously mentioned, this RTS is less complex than some of its competitors. The mechanics are simple enough to understand and just as easy to master. Sadly, this can sour the experience for some players who might be looking for a more challenging experience.

The game plays like an area control board game, where control over territory becomes the most prized commodity. This gameplay model might sound slow-paced, and it is, but Northgard manages to keep things moving with its great balance between difficulty and exploration.

Pros:

• Easy to play
• Beautiful art and designs
• Great campaign

Cons:

• Can be too easy
• Outdated visuals