28.03.2018 Pavel Makarov

Strategy is one of the first and once the most popular genres of computer games on PC, the most prominent representative which was “Age of Empires” - an RTS in a medieval setting. The first representatives of the genre are games with simple mechanics: building a base, building units, attacking the enemy. Gradually, the strategies became more complex, research elements were introduced that improved units and buildings, the opportunity to travel through eras appeared, etc. In this article we will present the top 15 most striking and memorable strategies about the Middle Ages.

Release date: 2018
Genre: city ​​building simulator, real-time strategy
Developer: Shiro Games
Publisher: Shiro Games

Northgard is a medieval RTS from the Shiro Games team, in which you have to inhabit the continent of Northgard and populate it with powerful Vikings. At the same time, you will have to fight off animals, undead creatures and establish diplomatic relations with the local residents - the Jotuns.

Teach people various crafts, wisely manage mined or conquered resources, managing to survive the winter and enemy raids. Only tactics and strategy will allow you to expand your influence in new lands teeming with very smart AI.

Release date: 2016
Genre: real time strategy
Developer: GSC Game World
Publisher: GSC Game World

Cossacks 3 is a large-scale real-time strategy from the developers of GSC Game World, telling about battles between the 17th and 18th centuries. Several factors play into winning: the amount of previously mined resources, the choice of troops and weapons, landscape, physics and even the time of day.

Enter the battle by choosing one of 20 nations, bringing up to 32,000 units into the fight at the same time.

Multiplayer for 8 people with the ability to create teams will definitely not get boring.

Release date: year 2014
Genre: real time strategy
Developer: SkyBox Labs, Big Huge Games
Publisher: Microsoft Studios

Rise of Nations is an RTS game from Big Huge Games. The game is a synergy of traditional strategy and city-planning simulator, similar to Civilization, since there are national borders and even wonders of the world.

Maximum authenticity of what is happening: caravans open up new routes, sea trade campaigns create their own fleet, and cities represent key buildings on the continent around which the gameplay is tied. Create your own wonder of the world to take advantage of the benefits provided by this building.

Release date: 2015
Genre: simulator of construction of medieval siege weapons, sandbox
Developer: Spiderling Studios
Publisher: Spiderling Studios

Besiege is an indie sandbox project developed by the Spiderling Studios team. The player's task is to create a special device to achieve the goal while completing the level. With every new one open card the level of complexity increases significantly, and therefore the car has to be improved and modernized every now and then (add armor, install a catapult or a transport crane for the convenience of moving heavy objects).

Complete freedom of action from the very first minutes. The main task is to achieve the goal in any way.

Release date: year 2014
Genre: medieval castle building simulator, real-time strategy
Developer: FireFly Studios
Publisher: FireFly Studios

Stronghold Crusader 2 is a sequel to the original castle-sim project from FireFly Studios. The sequel is also a mixture of RTS and city-planning simulator, in which the main character will have to make a difficult choice between the Crusaders and the Arab fighters for justice. The further fate of the Holy Lands directly depends on the actions of the commander.

Admiring Richard Lion Heart? You will have the opportunity to play on his behalf, managing to control 25 types of different units with special abilities. Difficult, but interesting.

Release date: 2006
Genre: turn-based, real-time tactical strategy
Developer: The Creative Assembly
Publisher: SEGA

Medieval II: Total War is a global turn-based real-time strategy from The Creative Assembly team. Events will unfold in parallel in North Africa, the Middle East and Europe. You have to go through such historical events, like the discovery of gunpowder "Black Death", the invasion of the Mongols and more.

Take part in the Crusades for the glory of Islam or Christianity, rewrite history in your own way, without holding yourself back by any restrictions. In war, all means are good.

Face off? LAN mode for 8 people is just suitable for these purposes.

Release date: year 2013
Genre: real time strategy
Developer: Skybox Labs, Hidden Path Entertainment, Ensemble Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Studios

Age of Empires II HD is a re-release of the cult strategy from Ensemble Games in a new quality. The studio Skybox Labs was responsible for the remake, which did not in any way affect the gameplay or atmosphere of the project. The player has access to 13 civilizations with unique units and technologies.

Using the latter is not so easy - you need to create an appropriate building, and then develop the ability from scratch. And remember that each faction has both strong and weaknesses: You may gain in castle value but lose in defensive quality.

Release date: 2017
Genre: turn-based strategy about Vikings with RPG elements
Developer: Logic Artists
Publisher: Logic Artists

Expeditions: Viking is a real-time strategy game from Logic Artics. You have just been appointed leader of a Viking clan living in a small village. The task is extremely simple - to make the settlement blossom and prosper. Loyal housecarls will follow the leader anywhere, even to Valhalla.

Choose the style of leader at your own discretion, choosing the optimal skills and characteristics of the hero for yourself. Make peaceful alliances and write your name on the pages of history, where there will definitely be a place for heroism.

Release date: year 2012
Genre: global strategy about the Middle Ages
Developer: Paradox Development Studio
Publisher: Paradox Interactive

Crusader Kings II is a global RTS from Paradox Development Studio. The game recreates feudal system relations medieval Europe and the countries of the Middle East, including not only the general picture of events, but also the personal relationships between the characters. Here, every now and then, intrigues and even a struggle for the Papal throne will arise.

The player himself chooses the dynasty around which the plot is built. Study history in a playful way, observing real-life personalities.

Release date: 2017
Genre: global strategy about the Middle Ages with RPG elements, turn-based battles
Developer: Overhype Studios
Publisher: Overhype Studios

Battle Brothers – tactical RPG with a huge open world from Overhype Studios. You have to learn how to manage a squad of mercenaries in the era of medieval Germany. All battles are turn-based, according to the principle turn-based strategy Heroes Might and Magic.

Outside of battles, the hero must look for new quests for himself and take care of the welfare of the mercenaries (weapons, armor, provisions). The game is stuffed with fetnesian characters and representatives of German folklore.

Release date: year 2014
Genre: city ​​planning simulator of a medieval village
Developer: Shining Rock Software LLC
Publisher: Shining Rock Software LLC

Banished is a city-building sim from Shining Rock Software, diluted with strategy elements. You become a kind of hand of God, since the main resource of the game is people. They are born, work, reproduce and die. The key measure of success is supporting the well-being of subjects. It is not enough to build a house - it also needs to be inhabited.

No conditions or conventions: build anything, as long as you have enough resources. 18 types of crafts will not let you get bored, especially since there is no standard strategy here - everything is at your discretion.

Release date: 2005 year
Genre: global strategy about the Middle Ages
Developer: Black Sea Studios Ltd
Publisher: Paradox Interactive

Knights of Honor is an RTS from the Black Sea Studios team in a historical setting. You have to rule an entire dynasty with a king at its head. Create heirs, enter into mutually beneficial agreements with representatives of other kingdoms, principalities and sultanates (pacts, alliances, trade agreements).

The emphasis in the game is on exotic goods, since they are responsible for the advantage of a particular power and its advantageous position relative to other states.

Release date: 2017
Genre: global strategy about the Middle Ages
Developer: Reverie World Studios
Publisher: Reverie World Studios

Medieval Kingdom Wars is a global real-time strategy game from developer Reverie World Studios. Historical setting and a huge living world medieval era. Create cities, fight in the name of the king, take part in large-scale sieges and show off your tactical skills in battle.

Campaign mode with an abundance of international and domestic intrigue, network mode and more. A painfully realistic survival simulator awaits you, where you will even have to hunt rats in order to save not only your own skin, but also the garrison under your control. Difficult, but exciting.

Release date: 2005 year
Genre: economic strategy, urban planning simulator of a medieval city
Developer: Ubisoft Blue Byte Studio
Publisher: Ubisoft

The Settlers: Heritage of Kings is the fifth series of RTS The Setters from Blue Byte Software. In this part, the developers abandoned the standard setting, adding many gameplay elements similar to Cossacks: Europian Wars.

You will reincarnate as the character Dario, whose village was destroyed by the Black Knights. The hero will have to lead the militia to drive out the uninvited guests from his territory.

Release date: 2015
Genre:
Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: SEGA

Total War: Attila is a project that combines elements of RTS and turn-based strategy. Developed by Creative Assembly and in fact is the 9th part of the Total War network.

The action takes place in 395 AD since the split of the Roman Empire. You will play as the great leader Atilla, while simultaneously managing your own state. Constructions are given Special attention: industrial buildings can pollute the atmosphere, sanitary buildings can clean them. It is necessary to seek a balance between industry and ecology.

Strategies have always been popular. This genre doesn't require the same reaction speed as simulation or action games, but that doesn't mean it's easier. After all, only quests can compete with strategies in the challenge they can pose to the player’s ingenuity and intelligence.

Well, strategies about the Middle Ages have always been popular. Don't believe me? Well, think about games like Stronghold and Medieval: Total War. You don’t have to look for the reason for the players’ favor for a long time - after all, the Middle Ages are almost the same as fantasy, but without magic and unnecessary gloss, it’s more... real, and therefore more attractive. And so that you don't have to choose the most Interesting games of this type, we have prepared for you the TOP 10 strategies about the Middle Ages. So, let's begin.

10. Citadels

Our tenth place is taken by a good real-time strategy. The game does not have any special plot, and the controls and graphics are a little let down - but the game is quite capable of dragging on. Made for fans of classic strategies like Starcraft 2, only in a medieval setting. The game is not bad, but it cannot be called something completely outstanding. Well-deserved tenth place.

9. The Settlers: Rise of an Empire

In ninth place we have the sixth game in the famous series about settlers. As in all games in this series, in Settlers: Rise of an Empire (that is the name under which the project was released), the economy plays a very important role. For that matter, the economic development here is much more elaborate than military operations. The only drawback of the game is that it is too easy in places, but that is why it should be recommended to beginners. Overall, Settlers is an interesting project with leisurely, thoughtful gameplay and nice graphics.

8. Golden Horde

The next game that I would like to recommend to you is the Golden Horde. An original project from domestic developers. Interesting historical setting, good, although sometimes slightly drawn-out gameplay, three campaigns - for the Russians, Mongols and Teutons. Of course, you can still make some claims to the game in terms of historical accuracy, but, nevertheless, the project is recommended, at a minimum, for familiarization. And preferably - for a complete passage.

7. Knights of Honor

It was impossible to ignore the Knights of Honor. This game has diplomacy, economics, and excellent real-time combat. Manage your state, spread your religion, enter into alliances and alliances with other ruling dynasties (and you are the head of such a dynasty), and finally, fight. The game is very multifaceted and extremely interesting. Perhaps the graphics engine let us down a little - but, overall, the project turned out to be very worthy. Therefore, we strictly recommend it.

6. Anno 1404

Next up is an economic strategy, in which the construction of cities and trade play a very important role. True, there are military actions here, but we still need to grow into them. In principle, the game can be compared to SimCity, only here everything is much more interesting. Because in addition to urban planning, there is also trade, military action, and diplomacy. And the plot is quite good. Therefore, this game is recommended to all fans of economic strategies.

5. Kingdom Come: Deliverance

In fifth place, our game is not so much about strategy as it is about tactics. An interesting campaign, a good combat system (although, of course, there are better ones), the ability to develop troops and an excellent quest system. In addition, the fact that the game is about the Crusades is a bonus. It seems that the topic is a hackneyed one, and everyone who is not too lazy has trampled on it - but it is not becoming less in demand. In general, tactics lovers - this game is for you.

4. Grand Ages: Medieval

We build cities, enter into trade and diplomatic alliances, fight - this is all about Grand Ages: Medieval. As soon as she came out (by the way, she came out just the other day), they began to scold her. They say it’s long and incomprehensible, and in general – ugh, disgusting. Well, for fans of dynamic gameplay there’s really nothing to look forward to here. But those who like to play slowly and thoughtfully, planning each of their actions like a move in a chess game, will like the game. Fortunately, all the prerequisites for this are there, which means play and enjoy.

3. Medieval: Total War

Well, here's our lineup of leaders. It opens with Medieval: Total War - a wargame from the Total War series, which would be simply disgusting to ignore. In this toy, fans of economic development were left behind - as in all other games in the series. But what kind of battles are there... Scale, historical realism. Sieges are something special. This game, like its expansions and sequels, is strictly recommended for all fans of large-scale battles. Although, what am I talking about - after all, they have been familiar with this magnificent project for a long time.

2.Age of Empires 3

Our second place goes to the classic real-time strategy about the Middle Ages. Nice picture on the screen, simple and intuitive controls, dynamic gameplay. True, we have here not only the Middle Ages, but also the beginning of modern times - but this, I believe, will not confuse anyone. Brief description of Age of Empires 3 – convenient, familiar and very interesting. In general, there is nothing too original in the game, but all the classic elements are used so appropriately that it is extremely difficult to tear yourself away from the Age of Empires. If you haven't seen this game yet, be sure to play it. You will not regret!

1.Stronghold

Well, in first place we have the classics. The First Citadel is one of the strategies that is the best... well, in almost everything. Well-developed military and economic campaigns - and in the military one we must not forget about the economy, and in the economic one we will sometimes have to deal with defense. Good graphics, despite the fact that the game is already many years old. Interesting gameplay - with all the delights of the Middle Ages such as building a fortress, large-scale sieges and so on. Bonus in the form of a plot - the military campaign is a retelling of the story about King Richard the Lionheart. Try it, and I promise you, this game will keep you hooked for a long time.

The medieval era is a difficult and controversial time in the minds of the current generation. For some, it is dirty and disgusting, full of dark superstitions and prejudices, cruelty, injustice and oppression. And for others it is a glorious time, covered in the romance of knightly adventures and exploits.

Can they computer games give a definitive answer, what was the era of the Middle Ages like? Absolutely not. But they can amuse us greatly, giving us the opportunity, albeit a very conditional one, to get away from the routine of gray everyday life and get a taste of the mysterious past with its noble knights, powerful kings, greedy merchants, beautiful ladies, endless battles and uprisings, strict religious dogmatism and other unusual exciting things.

10.Age of Chivalry

Age of Chivalry is a multiplayer modification for Half-Life 2, developed and released by the amateur studio Team Chivalry back in 2007, but has not lost its relevance in our time.

Although visually Age of Chivalry is inferior modern games about the Middle Ages, this does not at all interfere with immersion in the local amazing world medieval battles and castle sieges. Players will experience a first-person view and three different playstyle classes of warriors: knight, archer and scout, each of which has a wide selection of weapons available. The combat system of Age of Chivalry is distinguished by its hardcore and realism, however, it is worth taking into account the considerable age of the engine. In addition to sieges and group battles, you can also take part in story-based battles that imitate those from real medieval history.

Finally, the undeniable advantage of Age of Chivalry compared to most medieval games is that you can download and play it completely free! True, to do this, you must have any game with the Source engine on your Steam account: Half-Life 2, Counter-Strike: Source, and so on.

9. Wars and Warriors: Joan of Arc

The next project in our list of the best games about the Middle Ages on PC is even more significant in age, because it came out on PC back in 2004. Despite this, fans of realistic historical games Wars and Warriors: Joan of Arc will certainly enjoy its well-developed and authentic setting, as well as the plot, which is based on the famous “Hundred Years' War,” which unfolded in the 14th-15th centuries between the French and the British.

In terms of gameplay, Wars and Warriors: Joan of Arc is a simple third-person action game dedicated to battles with swords and other types of cutting/stabbing weapons, the main character of which is the greatest warrior and national heroine of France, Joan of Arc. All story missions(only a single scenario is available in Wars and Warriors) are as close as possible to the real events of the Hundred Years War, and in addition to Zhanna, players will be able to see many others historical figures that time. There was also a place in the game for typical RPG elements: the heroine gradually gains experience and grows in level, upgrades her parameters, can use inventory, change weapons and equipment.

Also in Wars and Warriors: Joan of Arc there is a very unusual element of real-time strategy, which sets a significant share of the game's atmosphere: along with Joan, other commanders along with their squads participate in battles, and some of the military leaders can be taken under your direct control. Together with epic battle music and characteristic medieval scenery, such mass character greatly influences immersion in the gameplay and evokes a natural feeling of participation in one of the greatest wars Middle Ages.

8. The Black Death

The Black Death is a multiplayer survival game set in the Middle Ages, which can hardly be called the best in its chosen category, but despite this, it definitely stands out for the originality of its concept.

The fact is that The Black Death takes place during a plague epidemic that wiped out almost half the population of medieval Europe and was nicknamed the “Black Death” for this reason. It is this gloomy feature, skillfully conveyed by the developers from Syrin Studios and Small Impact Games in the style and atmosphere of the game, that makes The Black Death so interesting.

Otherwise, The Black Death is a completely standard multiplayer open-world survival game, the essence of the gameplay of which is exploration of the environment, construction, mining and crafting, as well as battles (or other methods of interaction, for example, exchange or cooperation) with other unfortunate inhabitants of Europe of the dark times. But since the game is in the early access stage, there are obvious flaws in many mechanics and ideas, which should definitely be taken into account by everyone who wants to plunge into the world of The Black Death.

7. The Cursed Crusade

6. For Honor

A widely known multiplayer game on PC, offering a kind of medieval crossover that allows warriors from completely different civilizations and historical eras to fight in battle: Vikings, knights and samurai.

Moreover, each faction has its own plot-based story (in addition to multiplayer modes, For Honor also has a pretty good training campaign with a script that reveals the characteristics of all three sides) and unique classes. The hero of each class has a unique appearance and game tactics, determined by the character's weapons and skills.

What is also innovative in For Honor is the ART OF BATTLE combat system itself, which at first seems quite difficult to master, for which many players actively scolded (and continue to scold) the game, preferring simpler and more understandable network actions on the theme of the Middle Ages. Let’s face it, the barrier to entry into For Honor is indeed quite high, and in the first stages it will be very difficult for newcomers. But if you still endure and master all the intricacies of the combat system, in the future the game will be able to give you many bright emotions and impressions of breathtaking battles in various modes.

5. Gloria Victis

4. Kingdom Come: Deliverance

A role-playing project of 2018, until the moment of release, persistently positioned by its creators as “The best game about the Middle Ages on PC among RPGs.” However, after its release it turned out to be more than controversial due to its crudeness, numerous shortcomings and unfulfilled promises.

Fortunately, on this moment, after a significant time after release, the developers managed to bring Kingdom Come: Deliverance into a more or less playable form through numerous patches. Of the clear advantages of this game, it is worth noting good graphics and world design, a solid non-linear plot based on real events(albeit with some free interpretations on the part of the creators) and a classless character development system.

The combat system in Kingdom Come: Deliverance turned out to be hardcore, as promised, but strong doubts arise about its fun and historical accuracy - it all looks too clumsy and ridiculous, and the behavior of opponents sometimes causes unpleasant surprise. In general, the AI ​​of the inhabitants of Kingdom Come is lame on all limbs, plus the impression is aggravated by bugs that have not yet been completely eradicated.

Those who prefer robbery and battles to peaceful work will be impressed by the dynamic combat system here, based on non-targeting and the possibility of 64 people simultaneously participating in the battle - this is the number of players the servers in Life is Feudal: Your Own are designed for. And those who want even more epic battles can try their strength and ability to survive in Life is Feudal: MMO - a more global variation of the game, built on the MMORPG principle.

2. Chivalry: Medieval Warfare

A brutal first-person multiplayer action game designed for team battles in various modes and in various arenas. A good selection of game classes and weapons, opportunities for character customization, a good level of graphics and arena design, and most importantly, a simple and yet exciting combat system made Chivalry: Medieval Warfare, if not the most popular, then a very popular game among multiplayer medieval action games .

1. Mount & Blade: Warband

A wonderful RPG with a realistic medieval setting, exciting varied gameplay and a powerful atmosphere that no other similar game has yet been able to surpass. And this despite the fact that Mount & Blade: Warband was released in 2010.

In addition to the single-player freeplay mode, Mount & Blade: Warband also has a network mode (or rather, several such modes), allowing dozens of players to meet on the battlefield.

In fact, Mount & Blade: Warband can be called the most ideal medieval simulator at the moment, every element of the gameplay in which is thought out and refined to the smallest detail. Moreover, other games in the Mount & Blade series also deserve attention, because they are essentially variations of one game with some differences in gameplay and setting due to the fact that they are dedicated to different time periods of the Middle Ages. It is also known that Mount & Blade 2 is in development, but even its approximate release date remains unknown at the moment.

conclusion

After reading this selection, you probably noticed the absence of fantasy games dedicated to the Middle Ages. Yes, we deliberately avoided fantasy games based on this very interesting, but at the same time dark historical period of human civilization - for example, the action RPG series The Witcher and Dragon Age, slasher Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and others. Instead, we decided to focus on projects that cover the era as realistically as possible. Well, we will definitely cover the theme of the fantasy Middle Ages in future articles.

You can in a separate article.

We hope that the success of the game Kingdom Come Deliverance will give rise to a new fashion for projects in a similar setting, but in the meantime we have collected for you the TOP 10 games about the realistic Middle Ages.

For Honor

For Honor is a fun multiplayer experiment from Ubisoft. The developers took a look at the combat system of Kingdom Come Deliverance and based on it they created an entire game where, in addition to multiplayer battles, a story campaign is also available. The plot of the game is far from realism and is intended only to bring together the most famous medieval warriors on one battlefield: knights, Vikings and samurai. The value of the game lies in the opportunity to fight with your friends using edged weapons in fights where the characteristics of the equipment matter less than the dexterity and cunning of the gamer.

Crusader Kings 2

If Kingdom Come Deliverance can be called a serf simulator, then Crusader Kings 2 is already a monarch simulator, where you need to manage a medieval state. You can lead the state into the Golden Age, make it the diplomatic center of Europe or a tyrant country that ruthlessly conquers neighboring states. Please note that in this strategy a minimum of time is devoted to combat, or more precisely, practically none at all. This is not Total War, there is no tactical mode here, only strategic, where all battles take place in the background.

Age of Empires 2 HD

We present to your attention a true classic and the oldest game in our Top 10 best games about the Middle Ages. The game was published in 1999 and received an HD remake in 2013, which brought the resolution up to modern standards. If the archaic appearance of the game doesn’t put you off, then dozens of exciting hours of medieval strategy are guaranteed. Along with all the additions, the gamer will be able to control one of 27 factions in order to lead it to success and destroy the adversary.

Assassins Creed

Today it is probably impossible to find a gamer who does not know about the series of games Assassins Creed. The Assassins had already visited America and France captured by the revolution, Italy during the Renaissance, and even Egypt, but the first part of the game was in the setting of a realistic Middle Ages. A completely adequate plot about the Templars, the third crusade and the opportunity to see with your own eyes a detailed reconstruction of medieval Acre, Jerusalem and Damascus is a good reason to play Assassin again.

Anno 1404

Continuation of the popular series of city-planning simulators, where you will need to develop a medieval state, as well as participate in sea and land battles. Much attention in the game is paid to the construction of monumental buildings like the imperial palace, which pushes the player to constantly develop trade and explore new lands. To successfully develop the state you will have to colonize neighboring islands and gain access to new resources. We recommend downloading Anno 1404 with the Venice add-on, which introduces a multiplayer mode in which you can show your friend who the real dad is in the Middle Ages.

Chivalry Medieval Warfare

A good tactical action game, which, thanks to its dynamics, can be called Call Of Duty from the world of the Middle Ages. The game will equally appeal to both fans of chopping up anything and using their brains to a minimum, and gamers who are accustomed to winning thanks to tactical maneuvers. In Chivalry Medieval Warfare, players are divided into two teams that must either protect or destroy a target to win - everything is extremely simple, but at the same time exciting.

Lionheart Kings Crusade

In the game you have to take on the mantle English king and in the person of Richard the Lionheart, conduct a series of crusades against the Arab states. Lionheart King's Crusade provides the player with a very unusual concept of a story campaign, where you need to complete quests from several blocks of crusaders: the Roman Empire, the Papacy, France and the Templars. Often different factions set opposing goals and it’s impossible to please everyone, which motivates replay games.

Stronghold

Another cult strategy in which the game takes place in the era of the Crusades. The strategy was highly praised by game critics at one time, had unique mechanics and sold well, while being interesting to play even by modern standards. In the game Stronghold you will have to pay great attention development of your own settlement: monitor the mood of the people, develop manufactories, build places for leisure, or even equip torture chambers to force lazy peasants to work.

Medieval II Total War

Yes, we understand how you feel, this is another game in our TOP 10 strategy game, but what a game! At its core, the Total War series is the ancestor of all large-scale strategies, along with Civilization. Therefore, if you want to see the highest quality and deepest game, combining the development of a state on a global map and tactical battles in real time, then Medieval II is your choice. There are more than 2 dozen different factions available in the game, which are radically different from each other, including the opportunity to play for Rus'.

Mount and Blade

We complete our TOP with a cult and unique game – Mount and Blade. The TaleWorlds project is difficult to classify as any one genre, since it has elements of third-person action in equal proportions, role playing game and strategies. The game has no plot as such, just an open sandbox. You are free to do whatever your heart desires: hire recruits and go rob a neighboring village, level up your character, pick up quests in a local tavern, become a friend of an influential monarch, or, conversely, become a local king yourself.

The Middle Ages are one of the most romanticized eras. Books and films, as well as computer games about the Middle Ages, tell about it. When we mention these times, we immediately imagine knights, beautiful ladies, majestic castles and noble fights for the honor of the king, state and beloved. Of course, there are flashbacks with scenes from mass battles, when thousands of swordsmen, axemen, spearmen and horsemen run at each other and fight to the last drop of blood.

Today, together with you, we want to go back 500, or even 1000 years ago, to experience first-hand what it was like for people to live at the dawn of civilization. A list of games dedicated to the Middle Ages will help us with this. We compiled a kind of top and divided it into several parts, providing screenshots and videos. Let's see how the developers were able to convey the mood of peaceful life and war in a period when only the strongest survived.

Strategy games

Naturally, let's start with strategies. We won’t be surprised if most gamers’ acquaintance with the virtual Middle Ages began with this genre. We have a whole top 10 games with strategic elements in which you will control kingdoms and lead huge armies into battle.

Medieval: Total War - the birth of the legendary series

One of the first mass strategies with 3D graphics. The gameplay consists of two parts - turn-based strategy and tactical battles. Tactical mode is a world map on which states are located. You control one of them, constructing buildings, shining with diplomacy and sending troops in any convenient direction. The main task is to completely destroy or subjugate those around you. During tactical battles, real magic happens - scenes that were previously only seen in multi-million dollar blockbusters like Braveheart come to life on the monitor. Thousands of warriors, armed with bows, swords, shields, powerful horses and rough armor, fight on various battlefields with unique landscapes. And even if this was only a small step towards development in in the right direction, first Medieval remains one of best strategies throughout the history of game development.

Medieval II: Total War - kings, sultans and kings

The first part of medieval wars in style Total War came out in 2002. The sequel was destined to be released four years later - in 2006. Creative Assembly celebrated success Rome: Total War and intended to repeat it. And repeated - the second Medieval came out so cool that it is still popular, albeit largely thanks to user modifications. What's new? The graphics have improved, the physics engine has become much more realistic, and the scope has now become an order of magnitude larger. Imagine - more than 25 thousand people could fight on one battlefield with eight participants! It's not just realistic, but super-realistic. Large Medieval battles for the most part had just this scale. In normal battles, the game offered to control an army of 3-4 thousand fighters - also plausible. This fascinated gamers, who every day upgraded their empires, recruited troops and terrorized neighboring countries. If you think that you are capable and worthy of leading an entire nation forward, establish Medieval II: Total War!

The Settlers: Heritage of Kings - Economy and War

But here, although war is present in the form of simulated battles, it is not considered the main ingredient for success. IN The Settlers it is much more important to devote time to the economic processes of your state. Establish trade with your neighbors, extract resources, accumulate treasures, build an army and conquer everyone in the area. Yes, you won’t see mind-blowing battles here, but beautiful graphics, a pleasant atmosphere and a detailed historical setting will make you very happy! There is also a well-developed economic model - build infrastructure, manage taxes, distribute profits.

Crusader Kings ll - global strategy

Now you are the king. And you represent not the state, but your dynasty. You control vast territories filled with resources. Your subjects are peasants, warriors, generals, merchants and other individuals useful to society. Manage them, create competent development strategies and expand your possessions. A well-thought-out interface will help you with this, in which there are many tools for interacting with subordinates and enemies. Here it is not enough to build a building, hire 10,000 horsemen and brazenly take the enemy fortress. This process will last for long days, weeks, or even months. Negotiate with allies, follow palace intrigues, bribe or betray - a real king is ready to do anything for the sake of his kingdom.

Anno 1404 - we build and produce

We continue to list the best strategy games in the Medieval setting. Next up is the Anno series, a separate part of which is dedicated to the beginning of the Renaissance. This is a colorful strategy, the beauty of which is not in military operations, but in the art of conducting diplomatic and economic affairs. Build, erect, stack logs and pebbles - over time, from the headman of a weak village you will become the governor of a central city with huge revenue. The emperor himself will show you due respect and increase your salary. Become a medieval tycoon and show others that money is much more important than the sword.

Golden Horde - how the Mongols conquered the whole world

Even if not all of it, its territory is still huge. In the strategy genre, this game is considered far from a pearl, but it is worthy of attention. Here, battles take place in real time between the Russians and the Mongols, trying to divide power in the Slavic lands. It's interesting that the developers paid a lot of attention to the little things. Thus, the wind affects the lethality of archers, fire from burning buildings spreads to neighboring buildings, ice on rivers breaks when armored infantrymen thunder across it with heavy tread. Even though the basic mechanics are simple, such little things create an unforgettable mood.

XIII century. Glory or death - undeservedly forgotten

If Medieval ll was released in 2006 and is still popular, then about the development Unicorn Games Studio Few remember. But it appeared a year later and was considered a direct competitor Mediwala. True, the emphasis here is on tactical battles, and strategic planning relegated to the background. The developers promised to bring depth to battles that was lacking in Medieval ll. Which is exactly what they did. True, the interface and graphics were a little let down, which, although attractive, were still slightly inferior to the main competitor. And the lack of a strategic map greatly influenced the decision of gamers - they shelved the project and continued to terrorize France and Germany in the series Total War.

King Arthur: The Role-Playing Wargame - taking off the rose-colored glasses

If there are those who think that the real King Arthur did nothing but flash his armor, make fiery speeches and knock over cups of wine at feasts, they will be disappointed. Most likely, in a pleasant way. After all, governing a state is a much more serious task. You will test this from your own experience by reincarnating as one of Arthur’s vassals, who was tasked with bringing order to the lands of Britain. Train fighters, build cities, stop or suppress riots, fight powerful opponents and accumulate chests of gold. Don't rely on simple solutions and be prepared to respond to offenders - medieval life is full of worries and hardships, but you can handle it, because King Arthur himself is with you!

Lionheart. Kings Crusade - Total War defeated?

No, absolutely not. But for a change, you can also play this interpretation of medieval battles, based on a time-tested concept. The Crusaders are trying to conquer the East. But local residents are resisting. Who will win? It depends on the commanders. You will become one of them.

Stronghold - my home, my fortress

And, in the literal sense. Here you will build an impregnable fortress from scratch and defend it from hundreds of opponents. If your architectural genius doesn't fail you, every battle will be easy. But this is a real war, everyone can make mistakes.

RPG games

Now is the time to talk about role-playing adventures. After all, many gamers dream of transforming into a medieval warrior without consequences. We will be reviewing the best simulators of the real Middle Ages. Prepare your computer for time travel!

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is almost perfect

Albeit with average optimization and some bugs. Developers from Warhorse Studios focused on realism. Therefore, here you will begin your role-playing adventures in 1st person as the son of a blacksmith and spend enormous efforts on improving your life. No battles “one against ten” - any drunkard will beat an untrained young man here. But after a hundred hours of gameplay, you will still be able to put on strong armor and successfully defeat all enemies. If a time machine existed, this game would be the perfect training simulation for travelers.

War of the Roses - combat at its finest

If you are interested in how medieval warriors behaved during fights, run War of the Roses. Here your main character will be knocked out from the very first blow until you learn to control the weapon and use it skillfully. Train and win!

Mount & Blade - a ruthless world

The legend tells of a warrior who came, defeated the armies of all the rulers and himself began to reign in Calradia. And only you can realize it if you manage your resources wisely. Level up, recruit recruits, create an army, capture fortresses and make allies - it won’t be easy, but in the end you will become the ruler of the whole world.

MMORPG

From single-player role-playing adventures to multiplayer ones. There will be no picky realism here, but the gameplay will not become less interesting.

Conqueror's Blade - to the East!

The Middle Ages were not only in Europe. The Chinese history of those times can also surprise the fanatical gamer. Local developers decided to demonstrate this by creating a mixture of third-person action and real-time strategy with a multiplayer twist. There will be no dragons or anime characters here - you will be overwhelmed by cruelty and rage.

The Black Death - the world during the plague

One of the most realistic client-side MMO games with an open medieval world. You will start as a simple penniless villager and try to survive in 3rd person during a terrible epidemic.

Mordhau - Battlefield 1442

The project is still in development, but soon 64 people on each server will face each other, without tanks and machine guns, but with swords and bows, to win the title of the best warrior!

For laptops and weak PCs

What if you don't have the top-of-the-line computer? For this case, we have games about the Middle Ages on a weak PC.

Age of Empires 2 - will you live to see the Middle Ages?

After all, you will begin in time immemorial, almost in the Stone Age. But if your strategy is correct, you will lead your civilization to flourish.

Europa Universalis IV - the world is huge

And it can only have one ruler! Become the emperor of the entire planet in the grand strategy game from Paradox.

Rome: Total War - modifications rule!

The vanilla game is dedicated to Antiquity, we know. But here are dozens of cool mods that will take you a millennium into the future. Try it - on a PC with a weak video card this game will run without any lags.

Browser games

Finally, let's take a look at browser games about the treasured Middle Ages, which can be played on any system - the main thing is that you have a modern browser.

Legends of the Ancients - Slavic flavor

This online game has a large fan base - they all enjoy the cool plot, native setting and unique leveling system.

Princely wars - who is the strongest?

The answer to this question will be your victory over all enemies. But first, build a city and recruit an army.

Empire Online 2 - defending the throne

A browser-based strategy that will take you to the Middle Ages and allow you to create a kingdom. Develop the economy, hire an army, engage in diplomacy, make history.