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I'm enjoying the game, but I feel it should be noted for interested parties that this is more of a resource management game than a combat RTS. The number of combat units you can control is fairly limited for most maps, resources are scarce for upgrades and balancing things out while taking into account things like Happiness, food, gold, fame and mystic research really takes up more time than combat does. So if you are looking for a medeival form of Starcraft, you will likely be disappointed.
As I said, I am enjoying the game very much. Story mode is challenging enough without being tedious and the story itself is decent. The different clans offer distinct advantages over one another and the gameplay is different enough as to not seem stale. Unit special abilities would have been welcomed, but even without that the game is pretty fun.
This game's promise looks nice and some games are fun, but the amount of bugs after so many years shows, that it didn't receive enough attention from the devs, more focus was on new paid mechanics and DLCs. Mechanics are not the best, UI is problematic, gameplay is weird with buggy and annoying AI. I am not sure I recommend this game, expecially that it sometimes is unplayable, because of random bugs
It has some interesting ideas that I would have like to explore more, but the difficulty is just too much for me to enjoy. As it is, I get too stressed out every time I play it, so it doesn't make for a pleasurable experience. I wish it had a lower minimum difficulty setting than "normal", which is actually to me fells more like "hard".
As sad as I feel writing this, GOG is an afterthought for the dev. Game has massive issues keeping track of achievement and unlocks progress, but only on this platform. Works on Steam just fine. Also read the Steam version has map editor while this one doesn't (did not confirm though).
In general I love the concept of the game, it's amazing. It's also the best coop RTS you could find atm via the generated campaigns that is the conquest mode (can also be played solo). Objectives and map rules are varied and very interesting.
But I got tired of all the technical issues so I stopped playing (went through several conquests with a friend). You can't even save/load - well, technically you can, but when you load, my friend always disconnects, so it's unusable.
I bought Northgard because I was yearning for a Settlers-like experience. I wanted a game that I could casually play while listening to my favourite podcasts. Of course, it's nothing of the sort.
My shock came from the multitude of things that can destroy your fragile economy. You can achieve proper stability in the late game. Still, the only genuine control factor is the population limit, as every newcomer strains your resources and hurts happiness--forcing you to expand, build, upgrade, and then expand some more.
You can undoubtedly turtle, but a regular session against the AI comes with a constant reminder that you need as many villagers as possible. If you get a bunch that merely support their weight, at least they can serve as insurance if you come toe-to-toe with another ambitious player.
But war is a definite IF in Northgard. The clans have various subtle strengths which can set you on your way to achieving a specific type of victory. Only the main challenge comes from reconciling your clan's powers with the available resources, the unforeseen opportunities, your urgent needs. If you don't care for 'hard times,' this game might be up your alley.
The included campaign aims to introduce the primary mechanisms and victory conditions. However, the only reasonable way to learn is to get wrecked repeatedly in regular games. As such, you can quickly learn how everything works in the proper context right from the start.
I'm certainly no fan of micromanagement. But unlike games where switching between control groups and activating specific abilities in the nick of time is the primary mechanism, Northgard emphasizes economy and workforce management. There are only three unit types, and battles are straightforward.
This game is a weird beast. It reminds me of Rise of Nations, Settlers, Warcraft III, and others. However, every element works to produce good sessions and satisfying victories.
