Game worlds create an alternate reality, where you get to explore and be someone else. Several fantasy worlds, likeThe Witcher’s Continent, are anachronistic, combining historical elements from one century with inventions from another, and other universes are based on real-life locations, such as Montana in Far Cry 5.
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As the protagonist, you are responsible for running a kingdom (or queendom). You might construct buildings, protect and guide your subjects, or complete menial royal duties. While monarchies are rightly antiquated and games based on them have dwindled, kings and queens live on in these game worlds, where they should stay or else abdicate the throne.
9The Sims Medieval
InThe Simsmainline series, you can create whoever you like and build up anything you dream of. InThe Sims 4, you can build a house that looks like a castle and create a family that you pretend is royalty, or you could download a mod that makes your Sim and the Sims around them think that your Sim is royalty.
But in The Sims Medieval, you may play as a Monarch, one of the ten Hero types available, as they negotiate with other rulers, listen to their villagers’ grievances, and pass laws. The downside is that this spin-off strips you of an open world and much of the freedom from the base games, instead following a quest-style formula that has a definitive ending.
8Rune Factory 4 Special
In mostRune Factorygames, the protagonist is initially afflicted by amnesia, andRune Factory 4is no exception. In this installment, you hit your head, fall from an airship, and land in the town of Selphia. The dragon and town guardian Ventus will mistake you for the prince or princess from the Kingdom of Norad, and later you will discover that another villager, Arthur, is the true prince.
Despite the case of mistaken identity, you are tasked with royal duties for the duration of the game. These duties entail side quests from the villagers to slay monsters, advance your skills, or deliver an item like a fruit or flower. With the points you acquire from completing your duties, you may execute orders, such as to expand your home and shop inventories, and you can also raise your Prince or Princess Rank by bringing in more tourists to Selphia.
7Crusader Kings 3
Set in the Middle Ages,Crusader Kings 3starts you out as a noble, and when your character dies or gets removed from the throne, you play as the heir to the throne. This heir will typically inherit character traits from their ancestor, including how they respond to the choices they make and events that impact their realm.
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In each realm, there is a different form of government, including a feudal system, and the government type and leader will affect the culture, military, and policies. Whether your realm is a kingdom in name or not, you govern, grow, and defend your land through the centuries.
6Final Fantasy 15
When his kingdom is attacked and his father Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII is killed, Noctis Lucis Caelum ascends the throne and then embarks on a journey to reclaim his home and reunite with his fiancée Lunafreya Nox Flueret. Luckily, his friends — some of whom were raised and trained to protect the Lucian royal family — aid him along the way.
Noctis’ royal blood is crucial both to the story and in terms of combat, as he possesses the power of kings and can summon gods. There are also the collectible Royal Arms, powerful weapons that used to belong to late Lucian kings and queens, scattered across the world of Eos.
5Civilization 6
For the most part, the Civilization series puts you in charge of a civilization, which you determine the rise and fall of. Whereas the other worlds are usually fantastical,Civilization 6takes inspiration from historical leaders and real-life nations, such as England and Egypt, so you choose to govern a realistic civilization from the past.
you may become not only the ruler of a kingdom but also the Ruler of the World. By expanding your cities, waging war, and pursuing technological and cultural developments, you can build up your empire and ensure its survival.
4Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord
Unlike some of the other games in this list, inMount & Blade 2: Bannerlord, you are not born into royalty but rather can become a ruler by either establishing your kingdom or conquering an existing one. If you create your kingdom, you have the freedom to customize it and choose the culture andpolicies in place.
The other option is to win an election for the throne, thus defeating the previous ruler and taking their place. You do not plan the kingdom from scratch, but you get to make the political decisions going forward.
3Fire Emblem Fates
Fire Emblem Fatesis broken up into two storylines (Birthright and Conquest) where you play as Corrin, the heir of Hoshido who was raised by the Nohrian royal family. If you choose the first game, you side with your blood relatives and fight against the Kingdom of Nohr, but in the second game, you remain loyal to your adopted family.
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Either way, you end up combatting the enemy kingdom and commanding units in this tactical RPG, and you’re able to also build shops and other facilities in My Castle mode. Though not quite an entire kingdom, Corrin’s castle lets you partake in base-building.
2Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom
Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum is the crown prince of Ding Dong Dell, but when his father is poisoned, he escapes his homeland and vows to find a new kingdom he will call Evermore. He achieves his goal, and you help Evermore prosper by recruiting citizens and building facilities to collect materials, develop weapons and armor, upgrade spells, and improve your higgledies, elemental beings that aid you in combat.
Along with managing a kingdom, youdefend it against invaders in Skirmish mode, where you take control of one of the commanders and lead your troops on an open battlefield. Outside of combat, you can improve your offense and defense with the Military Might you accumulate, and controlling towers and cannons in battle will give you an advantage as well.
1Little King’s Story
Little King’s Story puts you in the shoes of the 3’8 child king Corobo, who along with his friends and advisors founded the Kingdom of Alpoko. At first, Corobo’s castle is small and dingy, but as you advance your kingdom, the castle undergoes renovations.
Early goals involve treasure hunting, fighting, building facilities, raising your popularity by completing side quests and conquering the foreign kingdom across the river, something you accomplish with the help of your subjects, whom you command Pikmin-style. However, the combat is not easy, and the boss’s battles against the other kings are unconventional. Little King’s Story also takes risks by breaking the fourth wall, critiquing polygamy, and asking you to question your existence all in one game.
