Kingdoms & Lords is a fun medieval game which blends the worlds of strategy, simulation and turn-based battle gaming.

What's Kingdoms & Lords about?

If you enjoy games like Clash of Clans and Castle Clash then you'll like Kingdoms & Lords. Your mission is essentially to protect your village from attack from evil invaders. You achieve this by not only fortifying your kingdom with barracks, soldiers, stables, etc. in a simulation-style town-building mode - but also by attacking your enemy.

The turn-based battles in Kingdoms & Lords are fun to play, if not very original. You must choose which types of warrior to send in (swordsmen, axemen, spearmen, etc.) and use their skills accordingly. There are magic spells you can cast to assist you.

Unfortunately, magic potions, soldiers, buildings and the like don't come for free in Kingdoms & Lords. There are three types of in-game currency, some of which you can build up by collecting taxes or unlocking achievements. Eventually though, you'll find yourself having to part with real cash if you want to keep playing at a steady pace.

Taking command

Both the strategy and battle modes in Kingdoms & Lords are pretty easy to grasp, especially if you've played this type of game before. If not, your virtual guide, Lisa, will run you through the processes of constructing and battling so you don't get lost.

How does it look?

Kingdoms & Lords is bright and colorful, and there's plenty of detail here. From the realistic buildings in the town, to the fun effects of the battle sequences, the game feels very much alive.

Music in the game has a very medieval feel to it. The sound effects really help set the scene, especially the twittering bird song, which adds some tranquility amid all the fighting!

The verdict

Kingdoms & Lords is a fun game that will amuse fans of both simulation games and role-playing adventures. It's a shame that progress relies so heavily on in-game purchasing.