Some fine tuning away form an all-time classic
Lets start from the graphics. They are very good to excellent. Some more variety and a few less glitches would be welcome.
The sound is not tiresome, but lacks variety. I have seen much better. Kotor 2 for example.
Learning curve: START AT EASIEST AND RISE SLOWLY. This game is not forgiving for those who say: Oh i know these game, they are all the same. Probably cost it quite a bit in official reviews rankings.
The core: Game play.Half awesome half average to below average.This takes some explaining.
The problem with Medieval Lords is simple. The Combat part of the game is underdeveloped. Period. This pulls back the most amazing interface, graphical engine and medieval economy simulation. As it stands, its a matter of waiting out the disasters until you have enough money & food to bombard the enemy out of existence and storm his castles.Their attacks are incredibly predictable and soon after figuring out what it is you do to make a healthy economy, you will end up waiting to collect the money & food to support the next attack. On the other hand, the random events, the ability to close down buildings like mills when you are not harvesting the crop and re-open them paying only for repairs, the way your castles work best if they have posh neighbourhoods and slums, all that detail that can get you hooked if you like building and actually maintaining instead of watching how it works are the most addictive i have seen, EVER. Now if they go and make another game where you can actually control your troops in battle and the enemy tries to lay a siege instead of trying to raid areas protected by cannons and guarded by thousands of troops behind massive walls, this game will wipe out all competition.