This article features a list of the 19 best medieval-themed video games to play. It includes a variety of game genres ranging from role-playing to strategy. Some notable games mentioned are The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, and Crusader Kings III. Each game is briefly described with information about its setting, gameplay mechanics, and unique features. The list aims to provide medieval gaming enthusiasts with a diverse selection of immersive and entertaining experiences set in the rich and captivating medieval era..
What are the best medieval games of all time?
Few periods in human history are as shrouded in as much mystery as the Middle Ages.
It was a time of uncertainty, oppression, and misery, but also of glory, knights in shining armor, and intriguing legends.
The Dark Ages may have not been humanity’s brightest period, but they have left us with many immersive experiences in the form of books, movies, and, of course, video games.
Today we’ll be looking at the best medieval games to play, especially since we’re spending more time than usual at home.
How We Chose the Best Medieval Games
Here are the following criteria we had to narrow down games by in order for them to make this list:
- Has to be related to or takes place during medieval times
- Brings something unique to the table
- Has an immersive atmosphere
The 19 Best Medieval Games to Play
Without further ado, here’s our list of the 19 best Medieval games you should play today:
19. Feudal Alloy
Initial Release Date: January 17, 2019
Developer: Attu Games
Publisher: Attu Games
Starting off on our list is the Metroidvania epic Feudal Alloy.
You play as Attu, a… fish-controlled robot? Wait, how is this medieval?
Well, the setting fits the dark ages quite accurately apart from the obvious sci-fi/fantasy elements.
Out of all the best medieval games on this list, Feudal Alloy is probably the most imaginative when it comes to combining human creativity with medieval badassery.
Apart from platforming and combat, you also get a detailed RPG system that allows you to customize your character’s looks and apparel. And each clothing item comes with bonus stats, as you would expect.
18. Ancestors’ Legacy
Initial Release Date: May 22, 2018
Developer: Destructive Creations
Publisher: 1C Company
With historical accuracy in mind, this medieval game is set between the 8th and 13th centuries.
The single-player mode focuses heavily on historical battles that occurred during that period in Europe.
It even includes more obscure events that even some of the best medieval games seem to gloss over, such as the in-fighting amongst Polish tribes in the 900s.
The multiplayer, on the other hand, isn’t quite as impressive as the single-player. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a strong RTS with satisfying mechanics and tactics, but it doesn’t feel revolutionary like other medieval games.
However, there is one strategic aspect that got me hooked during my multiplayer sessions. You can team up with a friend and defeat others by not even engaging in combat.
More specifically, you can do some hit-and-run attacks on their resources or kill some of their villagers when they’re alone.
Not the most ethical way to play, sure, but if the game offers it, why refuse?
17. Apocalipsis
Initial Release Date: February 28, 2018
Developer: Punch Punk Games
Publisher: Klabater
Oh, boy. If you want to play something disturbing, you should try Apocalipsis.
Just from this screenshot, you can probably already tell that it’s not the happiest of games.
By the way, are you into black metal? Well, you’ve got one more reason to play: the soundtrack consists of Behemoth songs.
As if the imagery wasn’t dark and twisted enough, ey?
If you’re wondering where the inspiration for this game came from, you can blame some medieval wood engravings for it.
So while the game isn’t specifically set in medieval times, everything sure looks like it came out of the most twisted Dark Ages artist’s mind.
By this point, you’re probably wondering about the gameplay. Well, it’s a point-and-click adventure, similar to Machinarium and Deponia.
Okay, the last example isn’t fitting, but you get the idea. You solve puzzles to progress through the story and get to the end of it, which I won’t spoil because it’s worth checking out for yourself.
16. Haimrik
Initial Release Date: June 19, 2018
Developer: Below The Game
Publisher: 1C Entertainment
Haimrik is a young lad who had the misfortune of being born in medieval times.
The 16th game on our list of best medieval games is a puzzle platformer with a fairly creative twist: you solve problems with words. Literally.
You’ll spend most of the game dodging arrows, unlocking doors, and beating foes by using a combination of different words that appear on the screen.
You have to pick from a list and complete a sentence to progress.
Some puzzles have varying solutions that will make the game play out differently depending on your choice of words.
In other words, well, they kill you. It’s not the most complicated or the longest game by any means, but I do enjoy its creativity. And considering its low price, it’s worth a shot.
When you imagine the best medieval games, you might not want to play as a scribe. But please do. It’s worth it.
15. Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth
Initial Release Date: August 16, 2017
Developer: Daedalic Entertainment
Publisher: Daedalic Entertainment
With 21 playable characters, this interactive point-and-click story takes you through Ken Follet’s tale from the bestselling books of the same name.
If you’ve read them, then you pretty much know what to expect.
But if you’ve been planning on reading them and never had the chance, you can now play this game and it will basically be the same thing.
14. Devious Dungeon
Initial Release Date: March 5, 2014
Developer: Ravenous Games Inc., Woblyware, Woblyware Oy, Ratalaika Games
Publisher: GrabTheGames, Ratalaika Games S.L.
If you’re looking for the best medieval RPGs with platforming and level randomization, you’ve just stumbled upon pure gold.
Tight controls? Check. Hearth-pumping action? Check.
Classic SNES graphics that bring 90s kids back to the good old days? Oh, hell yes!
What sets Devious Dungeon apart from other games on this list is its randomly-generated levels.
If you don’t know what that is, let’s just say you’ll never play the same level twice.
You’ll always have fresh twists and turns to explore, and discovering everything can prove quite challenging. Fair warning, though, the story is kinda meh.
13. Battle Brothers
Initial Release Date: April 27, 2015
Developer: Overhype Studios
Publisher: Overhype Studios
Set in a medieval fantasy world, you get to control every move in this fantastic and fun turn-based RPG.
The game eases you into the action but gets more complicated as you progress throughout the campaign.
Battle Brothers also force you to think strategically in the true sense of the word. You’ll never defeat foes with the same strategy.
Much like the previous medieval game on our list, this one also features procedurally-generated levels and even randomly generated character backstories.
While far from perfect, it’s one of the best medieval games you can play from the turn-based strategy genre.
Currently, the game also comes with free DLC: Lindwurm – a mythological creature from German folklore resembling a wingless dragon.
12 Mordhau
Initial Release Date: April 29, 2019
Developer: Triternion
Publisher: Triternion
If you’re looking for a fun, brutal, and engaging multiplayer experience, Mordhau will probably become your favorite medieval game in no time.
You can wield shields and swords, axes, cannons, catapults, bows, and virtually any medieval weaponry you can think about.
The game features PvP combat and co-op multiplayer, allowing you to have fun with friends and foes alike. But don’t be fooled by the screenshots or hectic videos you see online.
Mordhau is deeply ingrained in strategy and customization. Kicking, dodging, handling a horse and much more will have to be mastered through experience, just like ye old knights used to do.
11. Conan Exiles
Initial Release Date: January 31, 2017
Developer: Funcom
Publisher: Funcom
Who would create a “best medieval games” countdown without mentioning anything Conan-related?
As you’d expect, it’s brutal, it’s explicit, and it’s set in the violent world of Conan the Barbarian.
It’s got everything you’d wish for in an online survival game: tower defense, dungeons, mounts, resource farming, looting, tons of customization options, and many, many updates that have blessed this game with far more content than it had at launch.
Oh, and you can customize your genitals. Take that, Cyberpunk 2077!
10. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Initial Release Date: March 22, 2019
Developer: From Software
Publisher: Activision
From Software, the guys who brought us Dark Souls and the involuntary memes we all know and love today, have blessed us with yet another medieval instant classic.
And just like anything that has to do with Dark Souls, you’ll also have to “git gud” if you want to stand a chance in Sekiro’s Sengoku period-inspired world.
With over 50 awards and several Game of the Year titles under its belt, it would be a dishonor not to mention Sekiro when talking about the best medieval games that you can play.
But just in case you haven’t seen any of the Dark Souls memes: know that this game is hard.
No, I mean really hard. If you’re a casual player, you might want to ease into it.
9. Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Initial Release Date: February 13, 2018
Developer: Warhorse Studios
Publisher: Warhorse Studios; Deep Silver
Based on real events that occurred in the Holy Roman Empire during the 15th century, Kingdom Come: Deliverance tells the tale of Henry, a simple man whose family and home get destroyed by Sigismund’s mercenary army.
The game stays true to its medieval setting with a sense of realism, historical accuracy, and impressive visuals powered by Crytek’s world-famous CryEngine.
It’s no wonder that the game has topped many best medieval games reviews from users and critics alike.
Delve into the choice-driven story and suffer the consequences of your own actions, as the game’s AI adapts to your every action. And did I mention historical accuracy? Because you will also meet some prominent Bohemian figures throughout your journey.
No spoilers ahead. You can thank me later.
8. Northgard
Initial Release Date: February 22, 2017
Developer: Shiro Games
Publisher: : Shiro Games
Norse mythology comes to life in this epic strategy game that sees a band of Vikings discovering a new territory that they dub “Northgard”.
Although originally a PC exclusive, the game is now also available on all three major consoles.
Its redesigned UI allows people who prefer controllers to get in on the RTS fun.
Build settlements, assign roles to your clansmen, delve into the deep story, or get sunk in the ever-expanding multiplayer as the developer keeps pushing new updates regularly, and simultaneously keeping it alive on many people’s best medieval games list.
7. Chivalry: Medieval Warfare
Initial Release Date: October 16, 2012
Developer: Torn Banner Studios
Publisher: Torn Banner Studios; Activision
Gore, guts, and glory. Chivalry Medieval Warfare’s gameplay heavily focuses on swordplay and dismemberment.
Oh, that’s right. This one’s for all the Mortal Kombat lovers who love role-playing as medieval knights.
If the term “hack and slash” wasn’t invented yet, this game could’ve been the prodigy to do so.
Now don’t think that swordplay is all there is to Chivalry in Medieval Warfare.
You can also man javelins, use longbows, and catapults, drop burning oil on enemies and tackle dynamic objectives that force you to coordinate your team’s attacks accordingly. And yes, it’s solely multiplayer, with the single-player elements just for practice.
6. A Plague Tale: Innocence
Initial Release Date: May 14, 2019
Developer: Asobo Studio
Publisher: Focus Home Interactive
Set in medieval France, you follow Amicia and Hugo de Rune’s story as they try to escape the inquisition and, surprisingly, a swarm of rats that thrive in the dark and eat human flesh.
It’s a haunting tale and metaphor about the black plague that took place in Europe around the same time period.
Somewhat similar to other medieval RPGs, you get a crafting system that allows you to make diverse gadgets to get you through the game more easily – that is if you take your time to gather resources. …and if you like stealth games, you’ll be pleased to find out that most of the levels rely on sneaking.
But what truly makes this one of the best medieval games you can play is its captivating gameplay, intriguing puzzles, memorable soundtrack, and shocking story moments.
You’ll grow attached to the characters quite easily, and there will be a couple of moments in which you might shed a tear or two.
I don’t know about you, but this type of story keeps me hooked from beginning to end.
5. King Arthur’s Gold
Initial Release Date: November 5, 2013
Developer: Transhuman Design
Publisher: : Transhuman Design
This is probably the best free-to-play medieval game that ever existed, with obvious inspiration from Terraria and Worms Armageddon.
Even if you choose to get the optional DLC, the price still remains fairly low, which is yet another reason you should try it.
Like in Terraria, you can set free your imagination and mine resources to build all sorts of castles that your mind can conjure.
It features cooperative gameplay and frantic multiplayer action that will keep you on your toes as you’re trying to guess each of your enemy’s moves.
4. Besiege
Initial Release Date: January 28, 2015
Developer: Spiderling Studios
Publisher: Spiderling Studios
A surprising, yet worthwhile entry in our list of best medieval games is Besiege.
Let your imagination run wild, as Besiege gives you the opportunity to build all sorts of deadly siege weapons to destroy fortresses, villages, and much more.
With fully destructible environments comes copious amounts of fun. Your objective is to conquer kingdoms by destroying their defense lines, battalions, and castles in creative ways.
You can even try to make your contraption fly by placing a propeller on top; though the physics engine is unpredictable, and you’ll find it stumbling around and causing damage in a hilarious fashion.
And guess what? If creating behemoths of destruction isn’t enough for you, the game also features a level editor that allows you to create the most intricate destructible environment you can think of, and share it with the entire community as well.
3. Mount & Blade: Warband
Initial Release Date: March 30, 2010
Developer: TaleWorlds Entertainment
Publisher: Paradox Interactive; Ravenscourt
Massive 64-player battles, an enormous world to explore, character customization down to the smallest of details, and a realistic combat system where you have to use your mouse and keyboard to control even the smallest sword swing or shield rise.
While it’s not the most impressive game from a graphical standpoint, the things you can do in Warband are seemingly limitless. And although the game is littered with many bugs, players have found ways to exploit these problems and turn them into fun.
Over the years, both the original Mount & Blade and its expansion have garnered the heart and soul of a large player base that remains active up until this very day. If you haven’t played it before, fear not.
Delve into the massive single-player campaign that lets you manage even the smallest of details, get used to the controls and the fighting mechanics, and then jump into the hilariously massive multiplayer world.
2. Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord
Initial Release Date: March 30, 2020
Developer: TaleWorlds Entertainment
Publisher: TaleWorlds Entertainment
Bannerlord improves on nearly everything that the original and its expansion have created.
There are so many things you can do in this game that it would take hours to explain and show you all the fine details.
If you ask me, this has the potential to become the very best medieval game that has ever existed once it will eventually leave the early access stage.
Ah, yes, I almost forgot to mention that. Yes, the game is still in early access, and as you can imagine, it’s got a few quirks that need to be solved.
However, that didn’t stop it from reaching number two on our list, did it? Just by this factor alone, you should get an idea of how much potential the game has.
As far as I’m concerned about medieval RPGs, none come even close to the level of customization, combat, and world-building that Bannerlord has to offer.
1. For Honor
Initial Release Date: February 14, 2017
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher: Ubisoft
While it might seem subjective, we do have a few good reasons for placing For Honor in the first place out of all the best medieval games currently on the market.
For a start, it’s a game that receives constant updates from Ubisoft even to this day, slightly over three years after its initial release.
Second of all, while it may not be as strategic as the RTSs on this list, it’s easy to learn and hard as hell to master.
The fact that you can play single-player or multiplayer with five distinct game modes doesn’t hurt either. It’s got so much variety that it manages to satisfy even the most hardcore medieval combat fanatic.
While at first, it started out with only three factions (Knights, Samurai, and Vikings), the Marching Fire expansion has now added a fourth one – the Wu Lin.
Oh, and did I mention that Ubisoft also gives it away for free to anyone from time to time?
That’s how I and many of my friends got it. If you ask me, it’s a pretty sweet deal for a triple-A game.
Summary
This concludes our rundown of the best medieval games to play.
Here’s a quick recap of the 19 best medieval games:
- For Honor
- Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord
- Mount & Blade: Warband
- Besiege
- King Arthur’s Gold
- A Plague Tale: Innocence
- Chivalry: Medieval Warfare
- Northgard
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- Conan Exiles
- Mordhau
- Battle Brothers
- Devious Dungeon
- Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth
- Heimrik
- Apocalipsis
- Ancestors’ Legacy
- Feudal Alloy
What’s your favorite medieval game? Leave a comment below.
The article presents a list of the 19 best medieval games to play. The games chosen for the list had to be related to or take place during medieval times, bring something unique to the table, and have an immersive atmosphere. Some of the games on the list include Feudal Alloy, Ancestors’ Legacy, Apocalipsis, Haimrik, Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth, Devious Dungeon, Battle Brothers, Mordhau, Conan Exiles, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Each game offers a different experience in terms of gameplay and setting, but all provide an immersive medieval-themed adventure.
Source: gaminggorilla.com
Hashtags: #Medieval #Games #Play
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