Early Access can be such a tricky thing to sell to a gamer these days, especially when the game is expected to stay in Early Access for a long time. This is the case with Of Kings And Men, a third-person multiplayer “Persistent Medieval War” game that can host battles of up to 200 players simultaneously. The game just launched onto Steam's Early Access program yesterday and is currently accruing a positive user rating of 84%.
Of Men And Kings is being developed by Donkey Crew, a team of indie developers that hail from all over Europe and is being published by Green Man Gaming. The game has been in development for the past 5 years, and according to its Steam page, is going to need between 1.5 and 2 years of development time in Early Access before it is ready to release in full.
Florian "chadz" Hofreither, the Project Lead on Of Kings And Men, had this to say:
"After 5 years of development, with all its ups and downs, today is both the most scary and amazing day for us – we can’t wait for everyone to experience it! We believe that Of Kings And Men will write its own history. If the community joins us now in this journey, they will forever be part of our very first era."
As development progresses, Donkey Crew says they will be adding strategic elements to the game such as players being able to conquer lands via political, economic or military domination. You will also be able to dispatch armies to protect your cities and conquer others by sieging player-built fortifications with said battles of up to 200 players. Holy crap.
Here are the game's primary features at launch in Early Access per an official press release:
- Battles. Over 200 players can battle it out in large, skirmish regions
- Factions. Team up and wage war against enemy kingdoms
- Skills. Train your character and practice your personal skills
- Progression. Unlock Swords, Polearms, Spears, Bows, Crossbows, and other authentic 13th Century weapons and armors to customize your look and play style
- Dynamic Combat. Fight with a fast-paced and intuitive combat system, based on the experience of Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) fighters and medieval manuscripts
- Proprietary Engine. Donkey Crew's custom engine provides a highly optimized, beautiful experience.
For more on Of Kings And Men, head over to the game's official Steam page.
Source: [Gamasutra]
