izigame.me

This game is a captivating and addictive example of how minimalism and simplicity can be interwoven with complex elements placed in just the right spot. Kingdom Two Crowns is a game of empire and resource management, conquest and bespoke gameplay. You establish bases on progressively more difficult islands, growing in size and power to unlock more and more tools and resources. There are numerous mounts, artifacts and units spread out over the various expansions to find just the right style for you. Using only 5 buttons, you will expand your empire and combat the increasingly difficult greed.

CONS:
There are a few downsides to these games, that if you are aware of at the beginning can be bypassed easily. The biggest one is just the AI of the units. It is very difficult to orchestrate certain behaviours using the system, such as prioritizing lot clearing/when to run/where to stand. Tree lots can only be cleared from the outermost trees, and workers often prioritize trees that make it difficult to quickly queue more clearing. Soldier squads don't always cluster at the outermost point of the walls, making their ranged weapons useless in night defense. Projects once assigned, can't be cancelled either, so if you accidentally queue up work outside your base at the wrong time - workers will likely try to travel out during the waves, or will NOT travel automatically when the path has been cleared. I find it difficult to reconcile some of the wave triggers as well, as they don't always make sense timing wise. Second, is the base building and where they appear. As you expand and upgrade, you unlock new buildings whose placement is not always sensible. Between forests, environmental assets, placement of puzzles and "side elements" such as mounts, there is just a lot of inconsistency with where you might find certain buildings you really want. Third is just the sheer number of mounts with various but limited utility; and artifacts as well in some of the later expansions. Perhaps my playstyle is just not conducive with them, but there seems to be just a large amount of superfluous abilities with balancing issues. The bear, for example, has offensive capabilities but limited stamina. It doesn't seem worthwhile when it's primary use is "hunting." The warhorse can trigger limited invulnerability, but again the retreat pacing and offensive units AI, doesn't really align in a meaningful way. There are multiple NPCs you can rescue for specific upgrades, but they aren't always useful. The baker and the knight captain have the greatest impact, being able to lure peasants to the base, and recruit additional knights. The base defense builder is limitedly useful - you can't really access their talents early enough to be highly impactful, but you can see some utility with them. The "horn" maker makes little sense, as waves are split to both sides of your kingdom, and summoning all units to one side can just take way too long. There should really be a mechanic for once a "lane" is fully cleared of portals, all units from that side go to the other and stay there. The "rancher" is also annoying because once you find a mount that suits your style, you're not likely to change them frequently, so having all your acquired mounts in one place is a waste of gold. The last issue - which is just a personal grievance - is the limited offensive capability of the player. There are a handful of mounts, and some artifacts in later expansions, that allow some combat potential, but you still feel largely impotent when faced with waves. This is likely the intent, but I would love to be more of a frontline leader.

PROS:
There are just too many pros to count. I absolutely adore just how charming the game feels. I love the expansiveness of the maps. I revel in the feeling of superiority you get when you've mastered base set-up and strategy. I have these moments when I just crave this game, and get lost in it for hours. Each run feels unique, even while being very similar. Each victory feels sublime, and being able to bring units from island to island makes traversal worthwhile. I get chills every time I send a squad of knights/samurai/etc. to take out a portal. For such a seemingly basic game with minimal controls, the experience and difficulty curve make for a truly incredible game. Challenge islands offer a new level of test when you need a break from the base game.

EXPANSIONS:
There are a ton of added DLC bits. There are 4 other grand campaigns - Japanese, Norse, Fantasy, and Greek - each with new aesthetics and new gameplay mechanics. Some have artifacts that add a new level of fun, but they meld seamlessly into the base mechanics. You won't feel lost while you come to terms with the new elements. I would say the Norse one is the most fun, from driving a chariot pulled by Lynx while wielding Mjolnir and calling down lightning on your foes, to solving different puzzles and turning your workers into twin-axe berserkers to RUIN waves of Greed. I would also say the Greek one is probably the most accessible expansion, while being the most removed from the base game. I REALLY loved the ability to lead your own warband with naval support, and the removal of the whole "big bomb" element to fully close portals. The Dead Lands was probably my least favorite, but I highly appreciate what they did with it and how it works with the new characters and abilities. It also has a wierdly Bloodborne aesthetic, which I admit makes me really happy. The Japanese one is probably the closest in form to the base - with the addition of ninjas to help fish during the day, and camp outside the gates at night to defend. I would love to see more of what this team can do. I would love to see a slightly more "modern" version, maybe with guns/cannons/etc. I would love to continue the mechanics introduced by Olympus, from the warband leading, the naval support, the multiple ships that allow more and more units to be brought with you from island to island, and the fun puzzling.

Ultimately this game is such a diamond in a sea of reskins and knockoffs. I cannot speak highly enough about this game, and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a cozy but addictive game with decent challenge. I would also LOVE to give Coop a try!