Kingdom: Classic Tips & Tricks

Recently, I finally got around to playing a game that I've had on my Steam library for quite some time but hadn't tried yet — Kingdom: Classic, a nuanced and minimalist strategy game about being a king or queen. Throughout my arduous journey to try to find out what happens at the end, I picked up a thing or two that I figured might help those who just aren't satisfied with the days they've survived. Enough rambling — let's get to the tips!

Stop Running! Let Him Eat

One of the simplest tips I can think of that still saved me a ton of headaches was how to stop the horse from being tired for what feels like three nights and three days: let him eat. As you rush from side to side, trying to assist every helpless fool within your walls, you'll see your horse might begin to breathe hard. If you stop as soon as you see the first harsh breath, he'll recuperate quickly (you don't have to stop moving, though. You can still walk at a normal speed), but if you don't catch it soon enough and he becomes exhausted, find him some grass, and let him eat! In no time, he'll be ready to chase after those greedy monsters. And while we're on the topic of running: be careful not to run past important buildings because you won't see when you can interact with them if you're sprinting!

Explore! But Maybe Not to Your Heart's Content

While it might seem like a good idea to explore far and wide, what I found is that giving yourself a boundary helps a lot. Not only will you stop yourself from accidentally dying to the monsters when you lose track of time, but you'll also make sure you don't waste valuable daylight. Make sure to check far enough to the sides to know what's awaiting you, then return and make a plan. Personally, I used the buff statues (the ones you find in the wild that wield a hammer or a bow) even if my kingdom isn't surrounding it yet as long as it's not too far from me, and if you find a black horse, by God, man: take it!

Don't Over-conquer

Speaking of exploring your surroundings, you might be tempted to go further and take every tree and inch of land — don't. If you find a camp, leave it be for a while; humans are one of the most important things you can get in the game, and ideally, you get as many as you can. If you leave a camp to survive by itself, you can build up a proper army, so make sure you visit it very frequently, too; heck, until you can't squeeze in the time, I suggest visiting the campsdaily.

Speaking of Armies...

Don't underestimate or misuse your archers because they are invaluable. I thought they were just a pack of morons because they couldn't hit a bunny if their lives depended on it, but that's why you need a whole lot of them — it's quantity over quality with these guys. Jokes aside, having armies of them means your camp is better defended,andyou get a ton of money from their hunting, which will help you stabilise quicker if there are any issues and also pay for the land and farmers.

Build Conscientiously

This tip ties in with not misusing your archers: having a level 1 tower is good and useful, but don't upgrade them until later on because you'll lose a lot of your men to idle standing. Pay attention to what the buildings do and try to time them with the right moment in-game! You'll need archers to be mobile so you can easily expand and get money from hunting, so having two or even three on a tower is a waste. Similarly, keep an eye on when what you're building will make your men walk forward, as you might just get caught with your pants down while they're dragging the catapults or building up the wall: you don't want enemies there while you're vulnerable! If you build the wrong thing at the wrong time, you might just end up losing your catapult and some men.

Bide Your Time!

Tied in yet again with the point above, ideally, don't push your luck by expanding too much too soon. Staying on the smaller side while you gain men and fortify your kingdom is going to save you a lot of headaches in the future. Don't rush, and you'll survive easier. Instead, keep your land manageable and use the night intelligently: as soon as the wave of attack is over, you're safe to head out, so start off your chores when the enemies die.

Don't Be a Greed Monster!

I know it's hard to let go of your beautiful golden coins, but as soon as you see something new, it's usually a good idea to invest in it, even if it looks expensive... in fact, scratch that —especiallywhen it's costly! It's alright to wait a bit until you're more financially stable, but definitely do not postpone it until it's too late; farmers, catapults, knights... they're all important, and they're all going to take a ton of your coins. And while it's good to be a bit frugal about spending on upgrading walls that won't be reached in the early stages of the game, don't forget to fortify them when you can so you don't get caught blind-sided by the ugly, big monsters.

Pace Yourself... in Real Life

Kingdom: Classicis probably the most experience-based title I have ever played; you need to pay attention not only to your kingdom and the men in it but also to everything the game is teaching you without tutorials, stats, or words. It takes a lot of brainpower, and it feels like the progression is a bit slow once you've played it a few times, so if you want to really enjoy the game and give it its best chance, make sure you don't end up burning yourself out. Believe me — in the blink of an eye, I had sunk almost 10 hours into the game already, but that excitement and love can quickly turn into frustration if you don't give yourself some time apart. Take valuable advice from a journalist: it's well worth it to pace yourself in some games, even if it sucks!

Those are some of the more simple yet useful tips I've learned while playing; I hope they help you survive the arduous nights! And if this sounded fun at all, check out the game on Steam, which is free-to-play. Good luck!