This is a review of the 1.0.0bv version of Land of the Vikings, a colony sim survival / city builder game currently listed on Steam. A game code for it was received from the PR firm representing the devs and publisher, LAPS and Iceburg Interactive respectively. The game is a single player game built using Unreal game engine. It comes with a fully customizable Settings menu, save options and multiple ways to configure gameplay. There is a build editor that connects to Steam workshop. A button to the official Discord server is included on the game’s splash screen. This review is created based on a pre-release version at the time received, and there may be significant changes after full release on Steam. As always, this will be an unbiased look at the game, some details about the UI, graphics, basic gameplay and playability along with an evaluation of its pros and cons.
Land of the Vikings overview
Currently enjoying this game, and streaming it on Twitch (twitch.tv/disciplyne). It looks good, has a decent set of objectives and maps, and operates smoothly for the most part. It has two modes, the first is called the Immersive Mode which operates much like a combination story mode / extended tutorial. It offers up the easiest map as default, with plenty of resources close by. The map can be changed to a more challenging one where the map is bigger and / or resources are harder to come by. There is also a select-able option for disasters, which was turned on by default on my first run.
In Immersive Mode, the game starts out with the player as leader of a small band of Viking who are survivors fleeing from a large raid. Briefly put, the objective is to increase the population and rebuild its fame with the player appointed as leader, a Jarl. As Jarl, you will manage resource allotment, mete out punishments, decide the assignment of roles in order to increase prosperity and defense. The story mode will offer prompts offered by a sage who gives out advice on choices and warns of potential outcomes, while the freeplay mode simply gives tool tips and event descriptions.
The main UI HUD is easy to work with, and gives you the ability to assign work to the residents of the community. The initial work consists of chopping down trees and mining stone. These are used to build some basic buildings that help the community increase in number and gathering capability. This also adds points to Fame which can be used on Yggdrasil a.k.a. the “Tree of Life” (ToL) menu in the lower left corner of the screen. This in turn unlocks more abilities, resource gathering increases and advanced buildings.
As you increase your community and gathered resources, and unlocking more types of buildings, additional events start to happen. In the ToL there is a branching of skills where you can choose to concentrate on trading, or raiding. Either one has different advantages and disadvantages, unlocking further events.
Other menus lie beside the ToL menu that allow you to view and manage different aspects of the growing civilization. In addition, across the top of the game window, there is a semi-translucent banner of statistics showing the various quantities of resources, population and buildings. It also shows stats called happiness and fame. The level of happiness of the community can have great effect on the productivity of the game, as well as the type and amount of events that happen in the community. Having ample housing, resources and clothing, along with how certain events are dealt with will help increase it, whereas failing to do well in those areas will decrease it. Low happiness leads to more bad events happening, decrease in population and possible ousting of the player as leader. The level of Fame is what gives points to use on the ToL and is increased by dealing with events, increase of the population and accomplishing some objectives. It also attracts Heroes who will provide your troops with leadership, inspiration and confidence in battle.
In the middle of the top banner is a semicircle that shows alternating images of a sun & moon surrounded by another circular band of graphics separated by color and images. These two will rotate respectively to show the days and seasons cycles. IT is important to keep tabs on these, especially as the seasons roll around to fall and winter. Activity and health of villagers and crops are effected by these, and can adversely effect the gathering of resources and the population’s happiness.
Moving around and other controls
The camera movement across the map consists of side to side, rotation and zoom in and out, which are accomplished by a combination keys and the mouse buttons. The player will be doing a lot of this, especially on large maps. Basic movement default is WASD, QE keys and the mouse 3 button. The controls can be changed in the options menu under Control Input, which is accessed via the settings menu accessed by the ESC button on PC. The left and right mouse buttons are respectively used in context to place and release buildings or select and quit. Other key selections are used to perform actions such as Quick save (F5), manipulating building placement (Z & X) and road sizes (Q & E), the speed of the game (Spacebar, 1- 4) and the menu (Esc). There is also an option in the Control menu to have EdgeScroll on, which scrolls the map as the mouse cursor approaches the edge of the game window. It is on by default, however, it can be a nuisance and I turned it off.
The Look & Sounds of the game
There is an impressive array of Graphics settings. The Screen Resolution can go as high as the display default (mine is 2540 x 1440) to a low of 1024 x 768. There is also the typical options for mode of windowed, borderless, and fullscreen. Along with several other quality settings such as gamma, FPS View Distance & Shadows, there is an option to turn on or off Nvidia DLSS.
Textures and shadows in the game, while not the highest level seen in today’s games, are still quite good. At high resolution and epic settings, the buildings look quite good at close viewing. The same cannot be said for everything in the environment, and the villager features are not as impressive, yet all are quite serviceable. At such high setting there was no lag on running on a mobile Nvidia 3070 GPU and Intel 12800hx CPU with SSD setup. There is some oddity in the physics, especially with the water, but the wind effects and creature movements, as well as the villager walking pace, seem acceptably natural. Have yet to see villagers and creatures running and they all hover slightly over the ground leaving no footprints, even in the snow. Some buildings can be easily clipped through to view the interior, and in at least one, evidence of the dev teams good humor can be found.
There is a warning in the Settings > Graphics menu for the Nvidia DLSS regarding blurring of villagers and animals, yet that appeared to be minimal even at close observation of high resolution on speed settings of 8x and below. YMMV.
As for the sounds of the game, along with a background musical theme there is many localized sounds when zoomed in that are appropriate to the region. At night, there is the chirping of crickets and other insects; during the day, birds chirping. Goats bleating and ringing their bells, cows mooing, chickens clucking, sounds of builders and carpenters, the indistinct conversation of passing villagers can all can be clearly heard in the populated areas. Outside of the village, there is the constant roar of wind and waves over the water and open land. The sound effects are clear & most seem well matched to the activity of which they are associated sufficient ability to be controlled in the settings menu. An exception is the sound over the water. It sounds like heavy runoff washing into a storm drain at all water locations, including the beach areas.
Gameplay – the Basics
Land of the Vikings is a colony sim survival/city builder game where you take on the role of a Jarl, the leader of a small band of Viking survivors. Your primary objective is to rebuild the community, manage resources, and guide your people to prosperity. The gameplay is divided into two modes: Immersive Mode and Freeplay Mode.
In Immersive Mode, players start with a small group of villagers and a modest amount of resources. The game provides a series of story-driven prompts and tutorials through a sage who offers advice and warnings about potential outcomes. This mode is perfect for new players as it eases them into the gameplay mechanics while presenting challenges.
The Freeplay Mode allows for a more open-ended experience, where players have the freedom to shape their Viking settlement without much guidance. This mode is ideal for experienced players looking for a sandbox experience with tooltips and event descriptions aiding them along the way.
As the village grows, advanced gameplay mechanics come into play. Players need to manage multiple aspects such as resource production chains, trade dynamics, and social hierarchies. Resource management evolves from basic gathering to a complex system of production and trade. For example, turning raw materials like wood and metal into finished goods like weapons and tools is essential for village growth. Establishing trade routes with neighboring settlements can introduce rare resources and boost the village’s economy.
Another advanced mechanic is the management of villagers’ skills and professions. As the Jarl, you can assign specific roles to villagers based on their abilities, ensuring that tasks like farming, crafting, and defense are handled efficiently. Additionally, the Happiness and Fame metrics become critical, as they influence villager productivity and the occurrence of random events. Maintaining high levels of happiness and fame can attract heroes who provide leadership and combat bonuses.
Pop-Up Challenges
Throughout the game, players will encounter various challenges that literally pop up, presenting the Jarl with critical decisions that can impact the village’s future. For example:
1. The Justice Dilemma: When a thief is caught in the village, you must decide whether to exile the thief or impose a fine. Exiling the thief may remove a potentially disruptive element from the community, but it could also decrease the village’s labor force. Fining the thief might deter future crimes while keeping the workforce intact, but it could also lead to unrest among villagers who may perceive the punishment as too lenient.
2. Desecration Dilemma: A valuable resource is discovered buried within the remains of a sacred site. As the Jarl, you must choose whether to extract the resource, which could provide significant benefits to the village but would desecrate the site, or leave it untouched to honor the ancestors and maintain the villagers’ morale. The decision will impact both the village’s resources and the people’s happiness and spiritual well-being.
These dilemmas and others like them add depth to the gameplay, requiring players to weigh the consequences of their decisions and adapt their strategies accordingly.
Assigning Specific Roles
Assigning specific roles to villagers is crucial for the efficient functioning of your settlement. Each villager has unique skills and attributes that make them suitable for certain tasks. To assign roles, follow these steps:
1. Open the Villagers Menu: Located at the bottom of the screen, this menu displays all villagers and their current tasks.
2. Select a Villager: Click on a villager to view their skills and attributes.
3. Assign a Role: Choose from available roles such as farmer, builder, miner, or soldier based on their skills. Assigning the right role can enhance productivity and efficiency.
Regularly monitor and reassign roles as needed to adapt to changing needs and challenges within the village.
Bottom Left Menu Items
1. Tree of Life (ToL): This menu, located in the lower right corner of the screen, allows you to spend Fame points to unlock new abilities, resource gathering techniques, and advanced buildings. The ToL has branching skills that let you focus on different strategies such as trading or raiding, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.
2. Management: The Management menu provides an overview of your village’s resources, production rates, and consumption. Use this menu to balance resource allocation, track shortages, and plan for future needs.
3. Villagers: This menu displays a list of all villagers, their roles, skills, and current tasks. It is essential for managing labor assignments and ensuring that all critical tasks are covered.
4. Objectives: The Objectives menu outlines the main goals and side quests that can be completed to earn rewards and progress in the game. It helps you stay focused on key tasks and track your progress.
5. Statistics: This menu provides detailed information on various metrics such as population, resource levels, happiness, and fame. It is essential for monitoring the overall health and stability of your village.
Pausing and Speeding Up the Time Cycle
One of the nice mechanics of the game is that it allows players to control the simulation time cycle to better manage their village. You can pause or speed up the time cycle using the following commands:
- Pause/Unpause: Press the Spacebar to pause or unpause the game.
- Speed Up Time: Use the numbers 1 to 4 to adjust the speed of the simulation. This feature is useful for quickly advancing through routine tasks or waiting for resources to accumulate.
By mastering these mechanics and tools, players can effectively manage their Viking settlement, ensuring growth, stability, and prosperity.
Strategies for Growth
- Resource Management: Efficient resource management is vital for the prosperity of your Viking settlement. Start by prioritizing the gathering of essential resources like wood and stone to build basic structures. As your village grows, diversify your resource collection to include food, metal, and other materials. Balancing the supply and demand of resources will prevent shortages and ensure the stability of your community.
- Trade and Diplomacy: Establishing trade routes and diplomatic relationships with neighboring settlements can significantly boost your village’s wealth and stability. Invest in building trading posts and sending out trade caravans to exchange surplus resources for valuable goods. Additionally, forging alliances with other settlements can provide mutual benefits, such as protection and shared resources during times of crisis.
- Military and Defense: Strengthening your village’s defenses is crucial for repelling raids and maintaining order. Train and equip a capable militia to defend against external threats. Building fortifications like walls and watchtowers can provide a strategic advantage during attacks. Additionally, assigning roles to villagers to focus on military training and defense ensures a well-prepared and resilient community.
Common Strategies to Avoid
- Overexpansion: While expanding your village can be tempting, growing too quickly without adequate resources and infrastructure can lead to disaster. Ensure you have a stable foundation before increasing your village size.
- Neglecting Defense: Ignoring your village’s defense can make it vulnerable to raids and attacks. Always prioritize building fortifications and training a capable militia to protect your settlement.
- Ignoring Happiness: Failing to maintain the happiness of your villagers can lead to decreased productivity and increased negative events. Pay attention to their needs, provide adequate housing, food, and entertainment to keep them content.
Number of Maps and Unique Playthroughs
Land of the Vikings offers a variety of maps, each with unique geographical features, resource availability, and challenges. The game currently includes **five distinct maps**, each designed to provide a different experience and test your strategic skills. The maps range from lush forests with abundant resources to harsh, barren landscapes that require careful planning and resource management.
Each playthrough of the game is unique due to several factors:
1. Dynamic Events: Random events such as raids, natural disasters, and resource shortages keep players on their toes and require adaptive strategies.
2. Villager Attributes: The unique skills and attributes of villagers influence the efficiency and success of various tasks, adding another layer of variability.
3. Tree of Life Choices: The branching skills in the Tree of Life allow players to customize their playstyle, focusing on different strategies such as trading, raiding, or resource management.
4. Player Decisions: The choices made by the player, from resource allocation to diplomatic relationships, shape the development of the village and the challenges faced.
Estimated Time to Complete a Successful Playthrough
Completing a successful playthrough of Land of the Vikings can vary based on the chosen mode and playstyle. On average, a playthrough in Immersive Mode can take approximately 30 to 50 hours, considering the story-driven prompts and challenges. In Freeplay Mode, where players have more freedom, the playthrough time can extend to 50 to 70 hours or more, depending on the complexity of the settlement and the player’s goals.
By implementing these strategies and avoiding common pitfalls, you can ensure the growth and prosperity of your Viking settlement, while also enhancing your character’s influence and riches as the revered Jarl of Legend!
