Post by AmericanPride on May 8, 2006 15:07:06 GMT -8
Ultimately one of the best games I have ever played. Basically - you control a noble family dynasty beginning in 1066 after the conquest of England by the Duke of Normandy. You select any one of the families ruling as Kings, Dukes, and Counts and have at it. The goal is to build your family's wealth, prestige, and land. Every single character in the game is represented through a massive family tree. When I say "massive" - I mean f-ing huge. Get this: even though the game begins in 1066, you can trace lineage back another four generations. Brothers, aunts, moms, cousins - they're all there. Even bastard children. And all of this have specific character traits that influence how they act and react with the others. Why is this important? Because during the course of events, you have to manuever family to inherit more lands through marriages - or if you prefer, through fraud and war.
Let me give you an example.
I played a short game as the House of Lancaster. I had one son and no wife. He had a son. My brother was the Duke of Cumberland to the north. He had no heirs - so I would inherit his lands. Eventually he has two sons - my nephews. They both "convienantly died" - i.e. assassination - in the Duke of Cumberland's old age, and upon his death, I inherited all of northern England. I had a problem: the original Duke of Lancaster died. So did his oldest son. However, he had another son who was the same age as his grandson. They hated each other. The grandson - as the successor to his father, and therefore his grandfater - inherited all the titles. Fortunately - before any problems could grow dangerously large, he committed suicide because of depression, leaving the youngest son of the original Duke of Lancaster as the undisputed ruler of northern England. Except - of course - being a vassal to the King of England, William, during the entire course of events.
So you can understand my worry, when - playing a new game as the Duke of Saxony - I had only three daughters from my first wife. Aging, it was time to look elsewhere. The daugther of the King of Denmark wasn't up to the task. She "died". I then married the oldest daughter of the King of England - unfortunately, her first child was a daughter. But there's still some more time. Just started.
I'd reccommend this game to anyone who has an interest in medieval history, family lineages, and just downright fun strategy.
Plus:
* Extensive family tree, detailing how everyone's related
* Character traits and portraits, making it feel like you "know" them
Minus:
* Jump right in. There's so much; that's the only way to learn how to play
* Needs more character options; waiting 20 years for a Duke to die so you can move on can be quite boring
Let me give you an example.
I played a short game as the House of Lancaster. I had one son and no wife. He had a son. My brother was the Duke of Cumberland to the north. He had no heirs - so I would inherit his lands. Eventually he has two sons - my nephews. They both "convienantly died" - i.e. assassination - in the Duke of Cumberland's old age, and upon his death, I inherited all of northern England. I had a problem: the original Duke of Lancaster died. So did his oldest son. However, he had another son who was the same age as his grandson. They hated each other. The grandson - as the successor to his father, and therefore his grandfater - inherited all the titles. Fortunately - before any problems could grow dangerously large, he committed suicide because of depression, leaving the youngest son of the original Duke of Lancaster as the undisputed ruler of northern England. Except - of course - being a vassal to the King of England, William, during the entire course of events.
So you can understand my worry, when - playing a new game as the Duke of Saxony - I had only three daughters from my first wife. Aging, it was time to look elsewhere. The daugther of the King of Denmark wasn't up to the task. She "died". I then married the oldest daughter of the King of England - unfortunately, her first child was a daughter. But there's still some more time. Just started.
I'd reccommend this game to anyone who has an interest in medieval history, family lineages, and just downright fun strategy.
Plus:
* Extensive family tree, detailing how everyone's related
* Character traits and portraits, making it feel like you "know" them
Minus:
* Jump right in. There's so much; that's the only way to learn how to play
* Needs more character options; waiting 20 years for a Duke to die so you can move on can be quite boring
