Distant Kingdoms

Distant Kingdoms is a fantasy-themed city-building simulation currently in early access, offering a blend of traditional settlement management with unique mechanics like adventuring parties and multiple races. Players appreciate the game's ambitious premise and the potential it holds to evolve beyond standard city builders. However, the game is plagued by numerous bugs, glitches, and unfinished features, including corrupted save files and a lack of optimization, which significantly impact playability. The development has been reportedly abandoned after the studio's closure, leaving the community uncertain about the game's future. Despite these setbacks, the game's art style, exploration elements, and innovative mechanics such as magic portals and racial bonuses receive praise. The gameplay can be overwhelming due to complex micromanagement and balancing issues, and the lack of randomized maps and campaign mode limits replayability. Overall, while the core concept is promising and some players find it enjoyable, the current state is rough, and many recommend waiting for further updates or completion before purchasing. Early access buyers should proceed with caution due to its unfinished and buggy nature.

Highlights

Players praise Distant Kingdoms for its unique blend of city-building and adventuring mechanics, which add depth and variety to gameplay. The fantasy setting with multiple races and their specific bonuses provides an engaging twist on the genre. The art style and graphics are described as charming and aesthetically pleasing, complemented by a fitting soundtrack. The exploration and quest systems, although currently basic, are seen as promising features that break the monotony of traditional city builders. Many appreciate the complex production chains and logistics optimization, including the innovative use of magic portals for resource transport. The game's ambitious tech tree and research quests add a rewarding strategic layer. Overall, the game offers a fresh take on city-building with potential for growth.

Criticisms

Common criticisms focus on the game's numerous bugs and stability issues, including corrupted save files, unresponsive buildings, and broken load functions. The game is described as unfinished and unpolished, with many players reporting frustrating gameplay blockers and crashes. The lack of randomized maps and campaign mode limits variety and replayability. Some find the micromanagement overwhelming and the difficulty balancing poor, leading to resource and happiness spirals. The racial differences are seen as too subtle visually, and the adventuring sections are criticized as shallow and text-heavy. Performance issues and long load times also detract from the experience. The development studio's closure and abandonment of the project have disappointed many, raising concerns about the game's future support and completion.