Northgard: A Viking RTS game

Northgard started first released in February 2017 on steam, as an early access game. A year and after more than twenty updates later, the indie game was finally released as a completed game.

In addition, it got a multiplayer modus and a story campaign; through which Northgard managed to develop itself into a serious competitor against titles such as Tropico and the Anno series.

The rough world of the Vikings

In the story campaign we follow the strory of Rig, a proud Viking, who was the only survivor of his clan after a raid. His thrive throughout the story is to avenge his clan.

During the eleven, well designed and diverse, story chapters, we fight ourselves through the harsh and cold Viking world. Besides of raiding other villages, we also have to focus on trading, killing wolves in different forests to get wood, look after our villagers and scout for mysterious runes.

At the beginning of every chapter, we start with one parish hall, a few resources and some villagers. The first thing we have to do, as in all real time strategy games, is searching for supplies to enlarge our settlement.

Northgard is very beginner-friendly and you learn quite fast how things work.

Well fed settlers are happy settlers

By building hunting lodges, lumberjack huts and mines, we can transform our settlers into hunters, lumberjacks and miners. (obviously XD)

How good our stocks are, is showed on top right of your screen, which we have to observe permanently. Being vary of the resources is important, because besides our production, we are also consuming our supplies ourselves, additional to the fact that they are needed in order for us to acquire new upgrade and buildings.

Furthermore, we have to build the scouting hut, to obtain a scout, who discovers new fields, which can be colonised in exchange for food.

Our parish hall is constantly producing new settlers, for as long as they are happy. That means you have to pay attention, that there are always enough houses, food and burning wood.

Nature is our biggest enemy

We have to pay permanently attention to our settlement at all times, because besides being attacked by wolves, Draugrs and not so friendly neighbours, nature can be really harsh to.

For instance, in winter there is always a chance of a snowstorm, which leads large decrease of fire wood and food. In summer, there are high chances for earthquakes, which lead to your buildings taking damage, that you have to repair. follwed by fall, during which mice can lead to a lack of food.

Conclusion

If you like the Norse mythology and are a fan of RTS games, Northgard is defenitly a game worth trying. However, keep in mind that fighting enemies and paying attention to mother nature can still be a challenge!