There’s nothing quite like reliving history’s greatest battles. Everyone loves to play tactician, asking what could have been, and what would have been as a result of their choices. Renaissance Kingdom Wars, a grand strategy RTS hybrid published by indie.io, lets you dive head-first into 1510, the heart of one of history’s most fascinating periods. In a world at war, you are a new piece on the board, and with your eyes set on glory, you’ll be taking on warlords and kings with your merry band of mercenaries and molding the battlefield to fit your image.
Developed by Reverie World Studios, Renaissance Kingdom Wars is the latest title in the long-running grand strategy series and has been in early access since July 2024. Coming into 1.0, however, there are some huge upgrades. The past few months have seen various updates to performance (the game now plays at 60 fps versus 30) and an overhaul of the tech tree to better reflect progression, with various new playable units also joining the fray – including everyone from Polish fighters to the Crimean Khanate. Generally, there’s been a wealth of quality-of-life adjustments and updates to modes like skirmish, with those of you who love a good cinematic getting some treats, too.
But with 1.0 there’s a plethora of new updates that are perfect for both existing fans and prospective ones. First up, there have been some huge visual updates across the board, with the aim of better representing the period. The artwork was previously reworked to feel a little more authentic, but this takes it to a whole new level – you can almost feel the smog clogging your lungs. The map has also seen a few expansions, widening the conflict and truly making you feel like you’re ruling over an empire, not just a sorry patch of dirt.
To forge your empire, however, you’ll want to make use of 1.0’s enhanced siege mechanics, which build upon what we’ve seen in early access. In Renaissance Kingdom Wars, the battlefield changes around you as new technologies are unveiled and swiftly put to devastating use. Trebuchets morph into sophisticated canons, and your knights in shining armor trade out their plates to become cavalrymen, reflective of the Renaissance’s strides to advance technology. The upgraded siege system adds new destructible environments to make the battle feel more realistic, as well as enhanced defense systems that challenge you to strategize and find weak points, instead of just hurling rocks or popping cannonballs and hoping for the best.
The 1.0 update also adds multiple army control, meaning you can command every aspect of the battle. Much-requested by the community, this new system means you can share resources between your troops, and coordinate your strategy to pincer in your foes, encircle them, or simply rush them. This opens up a wealth of new tactical opportunities, and better represents the wartime machinations of the time.
But your enemies have learned, too. Their AI and pathfinding have been improved to ensure that they actually put up a decent fight, so you’ll need to make use of all of the above to bring them down and snatch their land for yourself. There’s always the diplomatic route, too, as the negotiation systems now include individual lords in the early game instead of just kingdoms, but let’s be honest, oftentimes the thrill of the fight is just too tantalizing.
Alongside all of this new content, there are also various improvements to the tutorials and improved voice acting for Chinese and German players. All of this means that it’s the perfect time to dive into Renaissance Kingdom Wars and begin carving your own legacy.
The 1.0 update dropped on Tuesday November 26, and the reviews have been flooding in. Rated as ‘very positive’ on Steam, 91% of recent reviews praise its unique approach to strategy gameplay and its classic feel, which is consistently referred to as being reminiscent of older, iconic games.
If you love historical videogames, or are simply looking to support independent creators, indie.io has a wealth of awesome indies for your perusal. Focused on uplifting and supporting smaller developers, it’s constantly spotlighting great new adventures that are always worth adding to your library. You can check out the indie.io sale right here if you’re looking to net some bargains – it’s holiday season, after all, why not treat yourself and help out some creators, too?