Kingmakers is an upcoming action-strategy sandbox game where players can use modern weapons to fight hordes of medieval enemies. It’s being developed by Redemption Road Games (co-developer of Road Redemption) and published by tinyBuild. The publisher describes it by saying“Think Back to the Future meets Call of Duty.”
In essence, you get to take guns to a swordfight however the trailers do show some fun-looking moments with an offroad pickup and dirt bike going into battle so it appears some modern vehicles can even be available. Kingmakers will support single-player or co-op and players can engage in battle with 1000’s of AI-controlled enemies on the battlefield. It’s being built using Unreal Engine 5 and is slated for release on PC sometime in 2024. The sport was announced a few weeks back but media coverage has been increasing for it as more folks gain interest in it.
Description (via Steam page):
“Return in time to a war-torn medieval era with an enormous arsenal of recent weapons, change the course of history, and save the long run on this epic motion/strategy sandbox. Construct your kingdom, grab a gun, and lead a military of 1000’s into massive, real-time simulated battles — solo or in co-op.”
Most recently Digital Foundry interviewed Kingmakers developers and covered topics including its gameplay, how its AI works, Steam Deck playability, and its early development.
Key Features (via Gematsu):
- Conquer the Past, Save the Future – You’re the last hope in a dying world. Travel back 500 years, to medieval England, with a purpose to change the course of a bloody war and perhaps, in case you’re lucky, stave off the apocalypse. Are you able to tip the scales of history and create a brand new timeline?
- Groundbreaking Medieval Simulation – Each battle you engage in runs as a completely real-time simulation with 1000’s of soldiers fighting at the identical time. Every soldier on the battlefield is controlled by a next-gen multi-threaded AI which controls their decision-making, pathfinding, and loyalty. This, combined with a novel procedural animation system, allows Kingmakers to supply an unprecedented level of character and combat fidelity.
- Bring Guns to a Sword Fight – What number of swordsmen do you think that you possibly can take out with an AK-47? That is your likelihood to seek out out. Use assault rifles, shotguns, grenade launchers, armored SUVs, bikes, attack helos, air strikes and more to be certain that the history altering goes easily. Put your sharpshooting skills to the test and wreak absolute havoc on the battlefield.
- Conquer Alone or Team Up in Cooperative Play – Up to a few friends can lead their very own armies alongside yours, and take part in your conquest in online cooperative play. Work together to interrupt down the enemy castle’s defenses or defend allied strongholds against hordes of opponents. Prepare for an epic medieval multiplayer experience like no other.
- Command Your Troops in Battle – Seamlessly switch between combat and issuing orders, at any time. While the system is easy-to-learn and easy to make use of, the strategic possibilities are infinite. Directly issue orders to the soldiers or leave it as much as your petty officers, allocate legions of archers, swordsmen, spearmen, and cavalry, construct fortifications, and plan your next move before diving back into the fray.
Word from the Developers (via Steam announcement):
“Welcome soldier,
We’re thrilled to introduce you to Kingmakers, a solo or co-op motion/strategy sandbox game with real-time simulated battles in a war-torn medieval era and a contemporary hero. Prepare yourselves to construct, lead, fight, and alter the course of history!
We’re Redemption Road Games, a passionate 20-person dev team that has dedicated over 4 years to crafting this immersive experience. Our focus has been on pioneering technology, pushing the boundaries of Unreal Engine to deliver an unparalleled gaming experience. From rendering and animations to classy AI and cutting-edge online multiplayer code, we’re confident that Kingmakers will stand out within the Unreal Engine landscape.
Drawing inspiration from beloved titles just like the Mount and Blade series, Deeprock Galactic, Kingdom Come Deliverance, Chivalry, Stronghold series, World War Z, and so many more, we’ve curated a novel mix of inspirations to offer you an epic experience.”
Screenshots from #Kingmakers, our newly announced third-person shooter, strategy, sandbox, medieval battle sim with time travel and modern weapons. pic.twitter.com/0M8JGg38sb
— tinyBuild (@tinyBuild) February 26, 2024
