Thorny Times, developed by Nikolay Armonik, is a tactical role-playing title that places the player in command of a small mercenary company across a grim medieval kingdom. The core loop combines turn-based, puzzle-like combat with strategic map movement and territory conquest to fund units and sustain campaigns. Key systems include positional combat emphasis, an economic layer linking castles and villages to income, deep character trees, and a built-in level editor for user scenarios. The game targets tactical-RPG enthusiasts who favor planning and long campaigns.

What kind of game is Thorny Times?

In this game, the player leads a compact mercenary band across a strategic kingdom map where each encounter plays like a tactical puzzle. Combat is turn-based and prioritizes positioning and unit synergy over raw numerical power. Maps place terrain and choke points at the center of fights, so formation and movement choices determine success. The campaign layer connects map decisions to future engagement options through territorial control.

Does it include a level editor and community content?

In this game, editing tools are part of the package rather than an afterthought. An integrated level editor and explicit modding support let players build and share custom story maps and scenario scripts. Multiple pre-built scenarios present unique objectives and map layouts, and the editor expands replayability by enabling user-created challenges that test specific tactics and party compositions.

Is it hard to get started?

Within early missions, advancement depends on individual development trees and equipment choices rather than repeated grinding for raw stats. Each fighter has a personal skill tree and inventory slots that shape specialized roles, which makes party composition consequential. Campaign play forces resource decisions between upgrades and unit maintenance. That structure favors players who accept deliberate planning and resource trade-offs over immediate power spikes.

What games is it similar to and what platforms does it support?

Across its lineage, the design follows the spirit of titles like Legends of Eisenwald and the original Discord Times, reflecting the developer’s earlier work. Scenario-driven campaigns and branching objectives echo those predecessors while expanding scenario variety. The game is available for macOS along with Windows and Linux, and published system notes indicate a practical working baseline of 16 GB RAM for larger campaigns.

Best suited to patient tactical players, with a niche audience in mind

Thorny Times rewards players who prefer measured, planning-focused campaigns and narrative scenarios rather than quick action sessions. However, the title targets a specialized audience of tactical-RPG enthusiasts rather than casual players. Those committed to deliberate campaign planning and scenario experimentation should find it worth trying; others should assess whether methodical, economy-driven play matches their preferred pace.