If you are looking for a reasonably priced RTS set in Medieval Age then this might be the game for you.
Game play and control is by way of the now well established strategic and tactical views, with the added help of a color map. The strategic level is where all of the game is really played; this is where you will spend most of your time. The tactical level is where battles are fought. You can have the AI handle a battle for you but I advise against it unless you have a vast numerical superiority. Every time I have had the AI take over I have lost. Sometimes victory for the player seems all too easy but the AI can surprise you.
The strategic level is where armies are created and cities are managed. To create an army you must first hire a Marshal. Once a Marshal is hired and placed in a city an army can be created around him. The units available for your army other professions are possible, merchant has already been mentioned, the game provides for five and they are Marshal, Merchant, Builder, Spy, and Cleric. In the game you may hire up to nine professionals and these are referred to as Knights. You also have the option to place a member of the royal family into a profession as a knight. The advantage is they don’t cost money; the disadvantage is that appointing them to be a Marshal or Spy puts them at risk of being killed or captured. These professionals help you improve your cities and build your empire.
The designers of the game have divided the Medieval Age into three periods: early, middle and late. At the beginning of a campaign you choose which period of the Medieval Ages you wish to play. Once that is done you are given a list of nations, appropriate for that period, from which you are to choose one. Some nations have advantages that make them good choices for beginners and the great variety of nations and starting periods means this humble little game has a very big potential for prolonged playability. You really get the feeling that you are growing a personal empire during the medieval period. The artwork is very well done and the graphics really makes it come alive. A curious drawback is that the game does not have a 3D engine so POV can’t be changed and it is not possible to zoom in or out. The game interface is easy to learn so after the tutorial it is easy to jump into a campaign in Europe. The learning time is probably 20 minutes tops and some will be able to skip the tutorial and begin play immediately.
Even though play may be started immediately your first campaign should be considered a learning experience. To this end a game manual and a technology tree are included. The manual is very informative and it is even in color. This makes it much easier to identify icons and makes for a more enjoyable guide. Instead of a table of contents listing general subjects an index is placed at the front. Of course it lists topics alphabetically making it very easy to find more specific information faster.
I can easily recommend this game to anyone who might be interested in the medieval period or RTS games in general. The historical period, and this game as well, offer a wide variety of military units to enjoy and the game price is definitely affordable.