The Guild Gold Edition

Read the reviews and blurb feeling this is a promising game so bought it. couple of hours in I find the manual is hardly helpful and the tutorial doesnt nearly go deeply enough into how different careers work or how to use espionage and perks of holding office. The AI is highly suspect too. I get a business running well enough to then buy a second. Hire a master to look after the first and they are goddamn useless and cant even buy in stock (cue constant "out of stock" audio messages) Yet your opponents grow at a pretty good rate which i only match by never running out of stock and keeping constant production of whatever is selling at a good price. Decide to run a bar for 2nd business and all it actually is is a brewery as there is no explanation of how to operate the tavern part nor way of seeing if it just does this in the background. In short: they made the game, botched the AI and couldnt be bothered to provide a proper introduction to the quite complex parts of the game such as espionage, bribery or how to win favour with the npc's of the game (who change jobs so frequently there is NO point sucking up to 'the boss' as by the time it takes effect hes moved elsewhere.. inviting them to dinner takes a year!!!)

Where to start? The depth of this game is incredible..... You play someone that has just arrived to a town with little resources and need to build an empire. It's the players preference how exactly they do this. There are professions as wide ranging from gravedigger to international trader to smith to publican to... well you get the idea. Eventually you will have a self sustaining business and once you reach the top of your profession (ability is divided up into 10 levels allowing upgrades of the business as level progresses) you can choose to go into another profession or politics. The political game is one of intrigue and back stabbing - more than once I bribed a senior to give me a position and then called a vote to kick him/her out to get their spot for myself.... Of course whilst all this is happening your character is getting older all the time. Eventually he will inevitably die and if you desire to play on an heir is essential. Right from the outset you can woo a bride of your choice - indeed most players would suggest it is advisable to do so. If you manage to wed someone far above your station in wealth when she/he dies you will inherit that. It may sound slightly callous but rich, old potential spouses are a great way to get some initial wealth and titles under your belt /cough When you do pass on the mantle to the next generation they arrive with all the ranks of profession of the ancestor intact so eventually it is possible to become the highest level master in all professions... it would take several generations however. As mentioned before it is possible to get involved in the political arena of the game. Given the cost and time needed to seriously progress in this direction it is advisable to have a network of business/properties generating plenty of action points and money each turn. It is worth pursuing however as high ranks of office give real benefits such as being able to declare laws, act as a judge or even become immune to charges from your enemies.... Even after all this text I have, to be honest, barely scratched the surface of this game. The only minor issue I have encountered is do not choose a historical campaign if you want to be an international trader. A bug exists that does not show the international cities in a historical campaign.... oh and prepare to lose many hours as you just try to accomplish one more thing...

The Guild GE is simulation game set in Europe in the 1400s. It's centered around managing your business(including but not limited to innkeeper, priest, carpenter, thief) and securing wealth and (political) influence for your family over many generations. To achieve your goal in becoming the wealthiest and most influential family you can also use more shady methods like bribing others to gain a public office or sabotage enemy businesses. The game has it's problems, for example the IA does a lackluster job of running your businesses for you or its' own for that matter. Furthermore the combat system is, in my opinion, not the best the world has seen and is my least favorite part. But still I find my way back to this game time and again. Seeing your character and his children(of one you will take possession upon your death) draws my in and by now I have spent many weekends in early Renaissance Europe killing and bribing my way to the top.

Even in 2020 this game is valid for those who can live with lesser graphics. Nevertheless the game goes to great lengths to deny you property but willingly hands it to the opponents within the same turn. So yeah, great game, but some things do not make sense at all.

I played the hell out of the original release, Europa 1400 - The Guild, and immediately followed up to buy The Guild 2 when it was released... and then released again with pirates... but have yet to get the latest installment, The Guild - Venice. An excellent geo-political/economic strategy game unlike pretty much anything else on the market. The AI is surprisingly tough, too. Thought you bribed the mayor enough to get that comfy position as (insert comfy position here to which there are plenty) only to discover one of your rival families bribed more than you... Just gotta play it. My only regret is not having ever played online with others. I wonder if we GOGgies can revive that? Hmmm...