Info about King's Orders:

Official game description:
WHAT IS KING’S ORDERS?
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In King’s Orders, you play as a medieval ruler. Your goal is to manage armies and cities on a map of Europe. Give orders by sending letters to your generals and make decisions based on the reports you receive. Re-enact historical events and see how you can change the course of history. Create a dominating empire that shall last for centuries!  
MEDIEVAL EUROPE
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From the frozen Scandinavia to the coast of Africa - claim new territories, expand your influence, and replay unique scenarios. Each one will challenge you with the most pivotal battles of the Middle Ages, with the outcome hinging on your actions. The Hundred Years' War, the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War, the Reconquista - each can be a setting for your plan to achieve total victory. Do you possess the strategic prowess to forge an ultimate plan that will fulfill your ambitions, regardless of the obstacles?  
KING’S STRATEGY
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King’s Orders is designed for players seeking a more immersive experience than traditional real-time strategies. Communicate with your troops by dispatching messengers with your letters. Send orders and wait for results. Remember it takes time for your runner to deliver the message and the route is full of dangers. Realism is magnified by the lack of battle preview in real-time. Your understanding of events is solely derived from received reports, requiring you to envision the battle and make subsequent decisions based on the information at hand.  
DIVIDE AND RULE!
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Conquer cities and seize control of valuable luxury goods. Gained gold gives you various opportunities, so spend it wisely. Will you train more troops or focus on fortifying? You decide what kind of ruler you are and how you’re about to manage the economy. Every decision has consequences, and unpopular choices may lead to rebellion against you. Ensure the loyalty and morale of your generals, as they play a crucial role in helping you control the populace.

Release date: Oct 25, 2024

Categories: Grand Strategy, Strategy, Historical Strategy, Diplomacy, Resource Management, Time-based Mechanics, Single-player Story


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $5.00 - $10.00
  - Reasoning: The community views this as a shallow but charming strategy game. Explicit price mentions indicate that sale prices of $4–6 are considered fair, with one reviewer firmly stating it's not worth more than $5. Another comparison to a movie ticket suggests a slightly higher ceiling around $10–12, but the overall sentiment leans toward a modest price. Given the mix, a fair base price range of $5–10 reflects the lower-end consensus while allowing for the movie-ticket comparison.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: 12.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The only explicit campaign completion time is 12 hours reported by a player who completed their first campaign. The 7-hour mastery quote corroborates a relatively short learning curve, while the 15-hour estimate suggests total content length, but no specific data exists for full completion of all campaigns, average session length, or distinct endgame activities. Therefore, storyCompletion is set to 12, and other metrics remain null due to insufficient evidence.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game hooks players with its unique mail-ordering system and easy-to-learn tutorial, but quickly becomes tedious and clunky as the empire expands and the novelty fades, leading to a clear drop in enjoyment.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: Tutorial drags on; Steep learning curve; Tutorial voiceover volume issue; Tutorial pause setting broken
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: Novelty of the mail-ordering system; Small empire size; Early game stage
- Player Archetypes:
  - Grand Strategy Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Deep strategic and diplomatic simulation with historical flavor
    - Playstyle: Meticulous management, roleplaying diplomacy, and valuing control over a nation
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: grand strategy nerd
    - Reference games: Paradox
  - Accessibility Newcomer (buy)
    - Motivation: Quick conquest and power progression without heavy learning curve
    - Playstyle: Follows tutorial, expands aggressively, plays casually without optimization
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Frustrated Veteran (no buy)
    - Motivation: Seeking a challenging and functional complex strategy, but unable to enjoy due to flaws
    - Playstyle: Attempts to engage with diplomacy and warfare but hits AI and bug walls, leading to frustration
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Cautious Sale Shopper (sale)
    - Motivation: Getting value for money, enjoying the game at a discount
    - Playstyle: Casual, not tryhard, waits for sales
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Hearts of Iron 4


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Core concept is praised (weight 0.44): The game's central idea of issuing orders via messengers with inherent delays is widely lauded for being interesting, unique, and well-executed. Many reviewers highlight the concept as the game's strongest asset, with potential for depth and replayability.
- Game is fun and enjoyable (weight 0.34): Players consistently report that the game is fun to play and provides an enjoyable experience once they get into it. The core gameplay is described as simple but not boring, with a cool gimmick that keeps engagement high.
- Delayed information mechanic is unique (weight 0.15): The fog-of-war effect created by delayed reports and unreliable messengers is a standout feature that adds depth and tension to gameplay. This mechanic is frequently mentioned as a fresh and immersive take on strategy gaming, setting it apart from other titles in the genre.
- Game is easy to learn (weight 0.15): Reviewers note that the game is not overly complicated and can be picked up quickly, even by those unfamiliar with grand strategy games. The tutorial is thorough, and the UI is intuitive, allowing players to learn the mechanics within an hour.
- Strong immersion and atmosphere (weight 0.12): The game successfully creates an immersive medieval atmosphere, with players feeling like actual rulers making decisions in a strategy room. The aesthetic, music, and overall presentation contribute to a compelling experience that draws players in.
- Mechanics are solid (weight 0.12): Core game mechanics are described as solid and working well, with a cohesive system that functions as intended. The game's systems work in harmony, providing a stable and enjoyable gameplay loop.
- Messenger system is engaging (weight 0.12): The letter and messenger mechanic is highlighted as a main draw, creating anticipation and immersion. Players enjoy the need for constant reports and the strategic setup required, which adds layers to decision-making.
- Realistic historical feel (weight 0.12): The game effectively captures the historical reality of limited communication and feudal autonomy, which is rarely addressed in strategy games. This unique perspective is praised for adding depth and authenticity to the gameplay.
- Presentation is clear and readable (weight 0.12): The UI is described as simple, clear, and easy to navigate, with a readable English font. Emphasis is placed on readability and information management, allowing players to focus on strategy rather than deciphering the interface.
- Has potential for future growth (weight 0.11): Multiple reviews mention that the game has great potential, with a fantastic concept that could be expanded. While some find the current execution passable, there is a strong belief in the game's future improvement and longevity.
- Game has high replayability (weight 0.1): The game offers multiple maps, scenarios, and campaigns, providing a lot of content to explore. Players note that it is fun to play smaller campaigns once and that the game accommodates different playstyles, from building tall economies to aggressive expansion.
- Game is challenging and rewarding (weight 0.09): The game provides a good challenge, with players noting that it requires patience and foresight. Successfully planning and executing complex attacks and defenses feels rewarding, and the game's difficulty is balanced appropriately.
- Appeals to strategy enthusiasts (weight 0.09): The game is described as niche but interesting, appealing to strategy fans who appreciate its unique mechanics. It is compared favorably to titles like Total War Medieval 2, which is considered high praise in the genre.
- Supports small developers (weight 0.05): One reviewer explicitly mentions not refunding the game to support the small development team, indicating a positive sentiment towards the developers. The developers are also praised for promptly fixing reported bugs.

Common complaints:
- Bad diplomacy AI (weight 0.19): Players report that the diplomacy AI is unhinged, with friendly factions throwing insults and far-away factions declaring war unexpectedly. The diplomacy system is also described as broken and monotonous, with bots getting stuck.
- AI does not recruit (weight 0.17): The AI on normal difficulty fails to recruit troops and makes poor strategic choices, leading to an unbalanced game. This reduces the challenge and makes the game too easy.
- Clunky and inconvenient controls (weight 0.16): Players report that the controls are clunky and inconvenient, requiring excessive clicking for every action, making the game feel unplayable. This feedback is supported by multiple clusters highlighting the same issue.
- Poor and tedious UI (weight 0.15): The UI is criticized for being poorly designed, requiring more clicks than necessary for basic actions and being difficult to navigate. This is a common complaint that significantly impacts the user experience.
- Bugs at ARK level (weight 0.1): Players describe the game as buggy, comparing the level of bugs to ARK: Survival Evolved, which suggests a high frequency of technical issues. The specific comparison indicates the severity and impact on gameplay.
- Game feels unfinished (weight 0.1): Feedback indicates that the game is practically unfinished and not fully programmed, requiring more work. This is a significant concern that affects overall satisfaction and player retention.
- Game is shallow (weight 0.1): Players find the game shallow, basic, and too simple, lacking depth and complexity. This is a common criticism that reduces long-term engagement.
- Lack of peace functions (weight 0.07): Players note that there are no game functions to stop countries from declaring war or to make peace, limiting diplomatic options. This is a specific issue that affects gameplay strategy.
- Unwinnable Salerno campaign (weight 0.07): The Salerno campaign is reported as unwinnable on normal difficulty because the enemy is too strong. This is a specific balance issue that frustrates players.
- Tutorial is too long (weight 0.06): The tutorial drags on and is fairly long to complete, which can discourage players from continuing. This is a moderate issue that affects the early game experience.

Gameplay feedback:
- Letter system for commands (weight 0.32): Orders are primarily issued through letters, which deliver commands, reports, and information. Everything from military orders to economic management is handled via letters, making it the core interaction method.
- Messenger mechanic with travel delays (weight 0.26): A core mechanic is the messenger system, where orders take time to travel and can be intercepted. This adds a layer of tactical depth and realism to command.
- Grand strategy game with campaign (weight 0.22): Players describe the game as a grand strategy title featuring a Grand Campaign mode where they manage kingdoms and command generals. This establishes the core genre and scope of the experience.
- Manage cities, armies, sieges (weight 0.2): The gameplay involves managing cities, retinues, and armies, participating in sieges and battles, and conquering land. This highlights the strategic and military management aspects of the game.
- Diplomacy system with trading (weight 0.19): Players can engage in diplomacy with other nations, including trading, bribing, and declaring wars. A dedicated diplomacy window and system are present, making it a key feature.
- Medieval feudalism theme (weight 0.12): The game is set in a medieval era, focusing on feudalism, kingdom management, and strategic warfare. The historical setting is a central part of the game's identity.
- Delayed imperfect information (weight 0.1): The game introduces delays and uncertainty in information transmission, enhancing realism. Players must strategize with imperfect knowledge, adding strategic depth.
- Text heavy, reading intensive (weight 0.1): A significant portion of the gameplay involves reading walls of text, letters, and reports. This text-based approach may appeal to some but could be off-putting to others.
- Adjustable speed settings (weight 0.09): The game offers adjustable speed settings, with the slowest commonly used. Players can control the pace to suit their preferences, though it can feel fast at any speed.
- Recruit and send units via letters (weight 0.07): Units are recruited and dispatched to generals through letters, and players send letters to provinces to manage orders. This reinforces the letter-based command system.
- Command units via orders (weight 0.07): Players command armies and units by issuing orders, which are central to gameplay. This is a fundamental interaction in battles and campaigns.
- Economic management and building (weight 0.07): The game involves building the economy and managing resources alongside military actions. Economic growth is crucial for sustaining armies and expansion.
- Easy to learn, hard to master (weight 0.07): Players find the game easy to learn but challenging to master, offering a decent learning curve that rewards strategic depth. This balance is appealing to strategy enthusiasts.
- Spies provide intelligence (weight 0.07): Spies offer intelligence and can intercept messages, adding espionage elements. This allows players to gather information and disrupt enemy plans.
- Map and pawns strategy (weight 0.06): Players use a map with pawns as moving pieces to visualize strategic positions. This enhances the strategic planning aspect of the game.
- Difficulty settings available (weight 0.06): The game includes difficulty settings, including an easy mode, allowing players to adjust challenge to their skill level. This improves accessibility.

Performance notes:
- Game is buggy and unstable (weight 0.16): Multiple reviews report frequent bugs and crashes, including one requiring a full system restart. This suggests significant technical issues affecting gameplay.
- Save system causes problems (weight 0.1): Players encountered save failures and performance issues during saving, with one review noting the game failed to save four times. Another mentions loading manual saves sends the player to the main menu.
- Performance varies among players (weight 0.06): While some reviews describe the game as smooth and performant, others report instability, indicating inconsistent optimization across different systems.
- Audio settings not working (weight 0.04): The tutorial voiceover remains too loud despite adjusting the master volume, indicating an audio bug that affects user experience.

Recommendations:
- Recommended by most reviewers (weight 0.43): The majority of clusters explicitly recommend the game, with many praising its unique mechanics and strategy gameplay. A smaller portion recommends it conditionally based on sale price or genre preference.
- Worth buying on sale (weight 0.28): Several reviewers emphasize the game is only worth purchasing at a discounted price, often citing the current price as too high for the content. A few mention specific price points like $15 or a movie ticket cost.
- Strong negative recommendations (weight 0.25): A few reviewers strongly discourage purchasing the game, calling it a scam, not worth playing, or recommending alternatives like other strategy titles. Others mention unresolved bugs and AI issues that make it unplayable.
- Unfinished current state (weight 0.25): Multiple reviewers note the game feels unfinished or broken, recommending waiting for updates before purchasing. Some suggest checking back after several months or major patches, while others fear issues may never be fixed.
- Mixed recommendation for genre fans (weight 0.24): The game is generally recommended for fans of grand strategy, paradox, or Total War titles, but with caveats. Some reviewers note it's too niche or only suitable for those already invested in the genre.
- Unique mechanics and concept (weight 0.19): Reviewers highlight the game's unique concept, including constant fog of war, delayed actions, and decentralized control, as a major draw. This uniqueness is often cited as both a strength and a reason for caution.
- Not recommended at full price (weight 0.18): Several reviewers explicitly state the game is not worth its full price, recommending waiting for a sale or significant updates. This is a common theme across multiple clusters.
- Comparison to other strategy games (weight 0.14): Reviewers compare the game to Crusader Kings, Europa Universalis, Total War, and Manor Lords, either as a simpler alternative or as a reason to play those instead. A few recommend playing those games instead due to frustration with this one.
- Cautious recommendations with caveats (weight 0.14): Many reviewers give cautious or hesitant recommendations, noting the game deserves a try despite flaws or is recommended for specific audiences. Some suggest watching a let's play first or buying only at a low price.
- Potential and promise shown (weight 0.11): Some reviewers base their recommendation on the game's raw potential, even if current state is lacking. They suggest it could be great with updates and encourage checking back later.
- Limited playtime appeal (weight 0.09): Some reviewers suggest the game is worth only a few hours or days of play, comparing it to a movie ticket. Others recommend it for annual check-ins rather than sustained play.
- Gameplay advice and strategies (weight 0.08): One reviewer provides strategic advice on taking cities before capitals to avoid rebel issues. Another suggests playing other scenarios for better value, and a third recommends a slow, roleplaying approach.
- Issues with AI incompetence (weight 0.07): A significant complaint is the AI's incompetence, particularly in the grand campaign, making the game frustrating or unplayable. This issue is cited by multiple reviewers as a reason for negative recommendations.
- Graphics and visual quality concerns (weight 0.03): One reviewer notes the game is ugly in terms of map and pawns, which may detract from the experience. This is a single complaint but highlights a potential area for improvement.
- GenAI art asset controversy (weight 0.03): One reviewer refuses to recommend the game due to the use of genAI tools in art assets, indicating a ethical concern that may be shared by others. This is a specific and potentially divisive issue.
- DLC recommended with base game (weight 0.03): One reviewer specifically recommends getting the DLC along with the base game for a better experience. This is a specific positive point that may be relevant for potential buyers.
- Preconceptions and expectations (weight 0.03): One reviewer advises not going into the game with preconceived notions, suggesting players should approach it with an open mind. This could be useful advice for potential buyers.
- Reading and study required (weight 0.03): One reviewer recommends the game for those who like reading and studying game mechanics, indicating a potentially complex or text-heavy experience. This may be a niche appeal.
- Grand strategy veterans may find it trivial (weight 0.03): A single reviewer notes that experienced grand strategy players may find the game too easy or trivial. This suggests it might not offer enough challenge for veteran players.

Other player notes:
- Good value for price (weight 0.22): Reviewers find the game reasonably priced, especially when purchased on sale, and consider it worth the asking price despite its shortcomings.
- Compared to other strategy games (weight 0.2): The game is frequently compared to titles like EU4, Total War, and Radio General, with mixed opinions on its mechanics and UI.
- Compared to Crusader Kings (weight 0.16): Many reviews compare the game to Crusader Kings, describing it as a lighter or alternative version, and some suggest its mechanics could have been improved by borrowing from that series.
- Lack of Chinese localization (weight 0.15): Multiple reviews request Chinese language support, noting the absence of official localization and fan translations due to the text-heavy nature of the game.
- Active developers and bug reporting (weight 0.14): Developers are seen as responsive, with a bug report button and quick fixes, and they are active on forums and in-game surveys.
- No Chinese support due to workload (weight 0.14): The lack of Chinese localization is partly because the game is text-heavy, making fan translations labor-intensive; players still request official support.
- Unique letter-based command system (weight 0.13): The game distinguishes itself by using written letters for orders, which some compare to Radio Commander and find immersive, though it can be cumbersome.
- Difficulty and tutorial feedback (weight 0.13): The game's difficulty is number-based, and the tutorial, featuring old-style English narration, takes about an hour to complete and covers all letter functions.
- Limited language options (weight 0.11): Players desire more language options, including Spanish and Turkish, with some offering community translation efforts.
- Feels like early access (weight 0.1): The game is perceived as an early access title due to various issues and lack of polish, leading some reviewers to wish it had been officially labeled as such.
- Lack of replay value (weight 0.09): With about 15 hours of content and no unique faction mechanics, the game suffers from low replayability.
- Lack of updates (weight 0.07): One reviewer noted that the game has not received updates, despite a March 2025 update being prepared for future improvements.
- AI-generated art assets (weight 0.06): One reviewer notes the art was developed using genAI tools and would revise their review if the art were replaced by a human artist.
- Lacks unique country mechanics (weight 0.06): The game does not offer distinct mechanics for individual countries, with all sharing the same units and buildings, reducing replay value.
- Potential if not abandoned (weight 0.06): Reviewers believe the game has potential to become a top indie strategy title if the developers continue to fix flaws and add updates.
- Desire for more maps (weight 0.06): A review asks for additional maps, specifically Far East and Middle Eastern, alongside the existing five maps and grand strategy map.
- Spy mechanics could be enhanced (weight 0.05): One reviewer suggests that enhancing the spy game could make the title special, indicating the current espionage elements are underdeveloped.
- Not a full historical simulation (weight 0.03): The game does not aim for complete historical accuracy, which some appreciate but others may find lacking compared to grand strategy benchmarks.
- All achievements in Latin (weight 0.03): A review notes that all achievements are in Latin, which may be a unique but niche feature.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.27): The game frustrates players through an excessively clunky interface requiring many clicks for simple actions, poor and buggy AI behavior, and frequent game-breaking bugs that ruin campaigns. The overwhelming reliance on repetitive letter mechanics and unclear diplomatic systems exacerbates the feeling of wasted time and unfair losses.
- Disappointment (weight 0.12): Players are disappointed by the shallow execution of a promising concept, with poor AI, tedious micromanagement, and a lack of historical depth. The use of AI-generated art and the absence of Chinese localization further contribute to dissatisfaction, as does the game's abrupt ending that offers no closure.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.07): Players enjoy the game's unique letter-based mechanic, which creates immersive uncertainty and a sense of playing as a medieval leader. The strategic depth from message delays and fog of war, along with fun core mechanics, provides a satisfying and engaging experience.
- Boredom (weight 0.05): The game becomes repetitive and monotonous over time, with endless unit spam and tedious sieges that lack variety. The lack of content and shallow strategic depth cause interest to wane, especially in the late game.
- Annoyance (weight 0.04): Annoyance stems from the cumbersome mailbox UI, slow tutorial, and repetitive actions that risk physical strain. Poor AI diplomacy and the lack of intuitive controls further irritate players, making routine tasks feel like chores.
- Appreciation (weight 0.04): Players appreciate the innovative concept of messenger-delivered orders, which adds realistic delays and tension that reflect historical communication limits. The well-made letter presets and detailed reports contribute to a positive reception of the game's unique approach.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.03): Satisfaction arises from the rewarding experience of executing complex strategies, such as winning wars and overcoming the challenge of delayed information. The game's value for money and quick developer support for bug fixes also enhance overall satisfaction.
- Excitement (weight 0.02): Excitement is generated by the novel mail-ordering system, which feels fresh and fast-paced even at slow speeds. The game's unique and realistic messenger concept fills a long-standing niche, making it an appealing and immersive experience to sink time into.
- Confusion (weight 0.02): Confusion is caused by a lack of clear information on mechanics like sieges, trade, and diplomacy, as well as unclear UI elements. Contradictory battle reports and unexplained AI behaviors, such as insults despite high relations, leave players puzzled about game rules.
- Overwhelmed (weight 0.02): The game becomes overwhelming as the kingdom grows, requiring players to send a flood of letters and manage multiple buildings and messengers. The sheer volume of incoming information and the need for constant micromanagement create an unmanageable experience.
- Frustrated (weight 0.02): Frustration is driven by the buggy grand campaign, tedious UI with slow animations, and a nearly non-existent AI. Diplomatic surprises and repetitive gameplay loops without strategic depth make the game feel unpolished and unsatisfying.
- Hope (weight 0.02): Hope is expressed for the game's future, as the concept has high potential and a March 2025 update signals ongoing development. Reviewers anticipate refinements and Chinese localization that could unlock the game's full appeal.
- Anger (weight 0.01): Anger is provoked by the game's frequent failures to save and numerous bugs that waste players' time and money. The requirement of excessive clicks for simple actions makes the game feel unplayable and drives players to frustration.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Enthusiasm is fueled by the immersive message system and decisive battles, which many players consider among the most enjoyable experiences in recent memory. The game's features are highly praised, with some calling it the best they've ever played.
- Tiredness (weight 0.01): Tiredness results from the constant bombardment of notifications and the physical strain of repetitive letter drafting and panel switching. The need to send permission letters to every fiefdom in a grand campaign quickly becomes exhausting.
- Love (weight 0.01): Players love the game's immersive style and the appealing concept, which align with their preferences for atmospheric grand strategy. The direction the game is heading excites them, fostering deep appreciation.
- Anticipation (weight 0.01): Anticipation is high for upcoming content like the battle DLC and Chinese localization, which players look forward to exploring. The potential for deeper campaigns and future developer updates generates eagerness for what's next.
- Disappointed (weight 0.01): Disappointment comes from the poor execution of an interesting idea, with bugs and economic balance issues hindering play. The grand campaign is often unplayable, preventing players from experiencing the full game.
- Interest (weight 0.01): Interest is sparked by the exciting and detailed game concept, which encourages players to interpret and question the information they receive. The game's interactive nature keeps players engaged and curious about its world.
- Concern (weight 0.01): Concern is raised by the game's steep learning curve and slow pacing, which may deter some players. Additionally, AI collapses and sudden snowballing effects could unbalance gameplay, affecting long-term enjoyment.}