Thrive: Heavy Lies the Crown is an upcoming strategy game that combines city-building and real-time combat in a medieval fantasy setting. The game is developed by Zugalu Entertainment and published by PlaySide Studios, and is expected to launch into early access in 2024 on PC/Steam.
What is Thrive: Heavy Lies the Crown?
Thrive: Heavy Lies the Crown is a game that puts players in the role of a ruler who has to rebuild a kingdom from the ashes of a previous civilization. Players will have to manage their resources, construct buildings, research technologies, and deal with various events that will shape the fate of their kingdom.
Players will also have to face the threat of the Waelgrim, a mysterious and hostile race that seeks to destroy humanity. Players can choose to fight them with their military forces, or try to negotiate with them through diplomacy. The game features a dynamic narrative system that will change the story and the gameplay based on the player’s choices and actions.
The game offers both a single-player mode and a multiplayer mode for up to four players. In multiplayer, players can cooperate or compete with each other, as well as interact with other kingdoms through trade, alliances, or war.
What makes Thrive: Heavy Lies the Crown unique?
Thrive: Heavy Lies the Crown is not just a typical city-building game. It also incorporates elements of real-time strategy, simulation, and role-playing. The game aims to create a realistic and immersive experience of ruling a medieval kingdom, where every decision matters and has consequences.
One of the main features of the game is the morality system, which will determine the type of ruler the player becomes. Players can choose to be benevolent or tyrannical, and this will affect the appearance of their kingdom, the behavior of their subjects, and the outcome of the story. For example, a benevolent ruler may have a prosperous and happy kingdom, but may also face rebellions from dissatisfied nobles or invaders from other lands. A tyrannical ruler may have a powerful and feared kingdom, but may also face unrest from oppressed peasants or betrayal from their advisors.
Another feature of the game is the exploration of mysterious lands, where players can discover new resources, secrets, and dangers. Players can send expeditions to explore these lands, and encounter various events that will test their skills and judgment. Some of these events may lead to new opportunities or challenges for the player’s kingdom.
The game also features a complex combat system that requires strategy and tactics. Players can recruit and train different types of units, such as infantry, cavalry, archers, siege weapons, and more. Players can also use magic and special abilities to enhance their troops or hinder their enemies. The game has realistic physics and damage models, which means that units can be injured, killed, or routed depending on various factors such as terrain, weather, morale, and equipment.
When will Thrive: Heavy Lies the Crown be released?
Thrive: Heavy Lies the Crown is currently in development by Zugalu Entertainment, a Canadian indie studio founded by Branden Sloane in 2011. The studio has previously worked on games such as Deadliest Catch: Seas of Fury and Epic Dumpster Bear.
The game is published by PlaySide Studios, an Australian company that specializes in mobile games. PlaySide Studios was founded in 2012 by former Electronic Arts developers, and has published games such as Age of Darkness: Final Stand and AR Dragon.
The game was announced in September 2022 with an official gameplay overview trailer. The game is planned to enter beta testing in 2023, and launch into early access in 2024 on PC/Steam. The game is expected to have regular updates during its early access phase, adding new features and content based on player feedback.
The game has received positive reactions from fans and critics alike, who praised its originality and depth. The game was featured at Gamescom 2023 with an official trailer, which showcased some of the gameplay aspects and visuals of the game.
Thrive: Heavy Lies the Crown is a game that promises to deliver a rich and immersive experience of ruling a medieval kingdom in a fantasy world. The game combines city-building, real-time strategy, simulation, and role-playing elements in a unique way that will appeal to fans of various genres. The game is set to hit early access in 2024 on PC/Steam.
