The King is Watching: Crowns of History Review Summary

An excellent base game and great-value DLC add variety with new kings, but balance issues, locked or unplayable content, and Taizong crashes and bugs hold it back.

New kings add variety: The three new kings (Xerxes, Cleopatra, Taizong) each have unique mechanics that make the game feel fresh and add significant replayability. Players appreciate the distinct playstyles and strategic options they bring.

Taizong excels at tower defense: Taizong specializes in defensive play with archers on walls, wall repair, and turrets. His Xuanwu Gate ability and cavalry units are particularly appreciated.

Cleopatra has unique mechanics: Cleopatra features a unique barracks, units, and resource system, with suicide rush tactics and converting dead units into resources. She is considered extremely strong and easy to use.

DLC is excellent value: Players overwhelmingly praise the DLC for being high quality and worth its low price compared to AAA DLCs. The overall update was well received and considered worth the wait.

Xerxes is powerful glass cannon: Xerxes is described as a glass cannon who deals massive damage and can melt bosses, especially with ranged units. His second ability is useful for saving units from trouble.

New kings balance issues: The new kings are considered too overpowered, making the game too easy, with one king clearing level 10 difficulty on any map easily. Cleopatra is called the most broken, with suicide rush, invulnerable shooters, and ability to use new units; one reviewer calls her the worst.

DLC content unplayable or locked: Reviewers report that after purchasing DLC, characters are not playable/unlocked, DLC requires spending scarce soybeans to unlock, and the content feels perfunctory and half-finished.

Xerxes overpowered and inconsistent: Reviews state Xerxes is too strong, with one noting he grants 10% HP but 400% increased damage, and his starting two musketeers can almost solo the first boss. Others find him useless or requiring giving up if units are lost, showing inconsistent balance.

Taizong causes crashes and bugs: Selecting Tang Taizong causes crashes on the volcano map and at his final boss (game stuck), and his shop/supplies are missing or the game cannot exit.

New map difficulty and mechanics: On the new map, threat level 6 spikes difficulty causing advanced unit attrition, low-cost mass and elite strategies are less effective, tentacles reduce castle durability, and players must carefully watch building placement, with one needing to restart due to a wrong placement.

DLC adds three new kings: The expansion introduces three playable rulers with distinct concepts and playstyles. They can be selected as alternatives to the base game rulers.

Each king has unique mechanics: Every new king features a unique trait, blueprint, or mechanic that differentiates their gameplay. This includes unique victory strategies and special unit rosters.

Cleopatra unique unit faction: Cleopatra brings a large set of exclusive units, including crocodiles that provide water and units with post-death skills. Only she can use these new units.

New map and location: The DLC introduces a new map, Edge of Madness, featuring tentacles and turrets that reduce castle durability. This map adds new mechanics and various difficulties.

Kraken boss battle added: A Kraken boss battle with a lengthy sequence is included, where the Kraken one-shots units every 15 seconds. It was released for free alongside the DLC.

Tang Taizong crash bug: Selecting Tang Taizong crashes the game, and using him on the volcano map also causes a crash after a few waves. This is a specific, reproducible crash tied to one character and one map.

Late-game crashes and instability: The game crashes at 763 weeks, and performance degrades after 1000+ weeks. This suggests stability and resource issues in very long runs.

Corpse conversion crash: Converting around 60 corpses at once causes the game to crash. This is a specific action-triggered crash likely due to processing too many entities simultaneously.

Launch failure error 0x11C7: The game can fail to launch with error code 0x11C7. This prevents players from starting the game at all.

Lack of optimization: Reviewers report that optimization is absent. This is a vague but common complaint that may relate to the performance issues reported elsewhere.

Worth buying for base fans: Most reviewers agree the DLC is worth purchasing if you already enjoy the base game and want more of it. It is widely recommended as a natural extension for existing players.

Buy on sale or discount: Several reviewers recommend buying the DLC only when it is on sale or during a launch discount. The price is considered fair, especially compared to AAA DLC pricing.

Adds variety and content: The DLC is praised for adding variety to gameplay and offering substantial content. Reviewers say it is not strictly necessary but good for diversifying your experience.

General positive recommendations: Several reviewers give simple positive recommendations without detailed explanations. These include statements that the DLC is worth buying or recommended.

Supporting developers recommended: Some reviewers recommend buying the DLC as a way to support the developers. This is seen as a reasonable reason to purchase.

Community fair range: $3.99 - $4.99.

Value-First DLC Supporter: Owns the base game, buys cheap DLC and new content drops, and follows patch notes and free map releases. Motivation: Getting a large amount of content for a small price while financially supporting a developer that keeps updating the game. Stance: buy.

Tactical Experimenter: Theorycrafts base layouts, tests cheap frontline blockers with ranged castle support, and experiments with different kings and units. Motivation: Discovering and refining new defensive tactics and unit synergies within the game's systems. Stance: buy.

Hardcore Challenge Seeker: Takes on high-difficulty stages repeatedly, accepts heavy unit losses while learning patterns, and grinds toward full completion. Motivation: Overcoming the most punishing difficulty tiers and fully clearing everything the game offers. Stance: buy.

Paid DLC adds three kings: The paid expansion introduces three new rulers, with several reviews specifically naming Xerxes, Taizong, and Cleopatra. Some reviewers also mention Li Shimin as an additional ruler.

Free content accompanies paid DLC: The update includes free content for all players, such as a new map, region, buildings, advisors, and events. This free content is playable without owning the DLC.

DLC priced as low value: Multiple reviewers consider the DLC inexpensive and worth the cost for fans of the base game. It is favorably compared to AAA DLC prices and even another game that charges high amounts for a single skin.

New map added to game: A new map is introduced, with some references calling it Edge of Madness or Dark Realm. It is mentioned as part of the DLC and also as free content for the base game.

Developers actively incorporate player suggestions: The developers implemented player suggestions, such as adding cavalry content to Taizong. They also provide strong updates and maintain active community communication.