“Reigns: Her Majesty” is a popular mobile and PC game developed by Nerial and published by Devolver Digital. It’s the sequel to the original “Reigns” game and offers a unique and engaging experience that combines decision-making, resource management, and storytelling elements. In this article, we will explore the pros and cons of “Reigns: Her Majesty,” provide a detailed guide on how to play the game, and suggest five alternative games with a similar gameplay style.
Pros of “Reigns: Her Majesty”:
- Engaging Gameplay: “Reigns: Her Majesty” provides a compelling and addictive gameplay experience. It combines the simplicity of a card-based decision-making system with complex consequences, making each choice important.
- Replayability: The game offers a high level of replayability. The decisions you make can lead to multiple different outcomes and storylines, encouraging players to explore various paths and make different choices in subsequent playthroughs.
- Charming Art Style: The game features a charming and unique art style with hand-drawn illustrations. It creates a visually appealing and immersive world.
- Rich Storytelling: “Reigns: Her Majesty” excels in storytelling, weaving a narrative filled with humor, intrigue, and historical references. It keeps players engaged by introducing new characters, events, and dilemmas with each reign.
- Progression and Objectives: The game provides players with objectives and missions that add purpose to each reign. These objectives guide players and keep the game from feeling aimless.
- Character Development: As the Queen, you can interact with various characters and develop relationships with them. The dynamics and personalities of the characters add depth to the gameplay.
- Challenging Decision-Making: The choices you make have consequences, and it’s often difficult to predict the outcome. This challenges players to think strategically and make decisions that will benefit or hinder their reign.
- Unlockables and Secrets: “Reigns: Her Majesty” has a variety of unlockable items and secrets, encouraging players to experiment and discover hidden elements within the game.
- Time Management: The game requires players to manage various resources, including the church, the people, the army, and the treasury. Balancing these resources adds a layer of strategy to the game.
- Clever Use of Mobile Interface: The swipe-based control system on mobile devices feels intuitive and responsive. It’s easy for players of all skill levels to pick up and play.
Cons of “Reigns: Her Majesty”:
- Repetitiveness: While the game offers numerous storylines and outcomes, the core gameplay mechanic of swiping left or right can become repetitive over time.
- Difficulty Spikes: Some players may find certain decisions and objectives quite challenging to complete, leading to frustration and multiple failed reigns.
- Lack of In-Game Tutorial: The game doesn’t provide a detailed tutorial, which can be confusing for new players. Learning the mechanics and consequences of decisions can take some trial and error.
- Linear Progression: Despite the multiple possible outcomes, the game’s overall progression can feel linear. Once players complete certain objectives, they may start to recognize patterns in the storylines.
- Limited Device Compatibility: While the swipe-based control system is suitable for touchscreens, it may not be as enjoyable for players on PC or other platforms. The game’s design is primarily optimized for mobile devices like Smitesource.
Now that we’ve discussed the pros and cons of “Reigns: Her Majesty,” let’s delve into how to play the game:
How to Play “Reigns: Her Majesty”:
“Reigns: Her Majesty” is played by making decisions as the queen of a medieval kingdom. Your goal is to manage the kingdom and your own status while trying to maintain a balance between the church, the people, the army, and the treasury. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to play the game:
1. Swiping Mechanic: The core of the game revolves around swiping left or right on cards. Each card presents a choice or situation, and you must swipe in the direction of your choice. Left typically represents “no” or “disapproval,” while right represents “yes” or “approval.”
2. Balancing Resources: As you make decisions, you’ll notice that the four resources at the top of the screen—church, people, army, and treasury—will increase or decrease based on your choices. It’s important to keep these resources in balance because if any one of them reaches its extremum, your reign will end.
- Church: Represents the influence and power of the church. Keep it neither too high nor too low.
- People: Represents the happiness and well-being of the common folk. Avoid letting it get too low.
- Army: Represents the strength of your military. Maintaining a strong army is essential for your kingdom’s safety.
- Treasury: Represents your financial resources. Be cautious about overspending.
3. Objectives and Missions: At the start of each reign, you’ll receive objectives and missions to complete. These missions guide your decision-making and provide a sense of purpose to your reign. Successfully completing objectives can unlock new cards and storylines.
4. Character Interactions: You will encounter various characters throughout the game. You can interact with them, develop relationships, and even make important decisions regarding their fate. Your interactions with these characters can significantly impact the game.
5. Balancing Act: The game is all about maintaining a balance between the four resources, completing objectives, and managing the court’s favor. Be cautious about making decisions that could lead to the premature end of your reign.
6. Learning from Failure: You’ll likely experience multiple reigns that end in failure. Use these failures as opportunities to learn from your mistakes and make better decisions in subsequent reigns.
7. Unlockables and Secrets: As you progress through the game, you may unlock new items and secrets. Experiment with different choices and explore various storylines to discover these hidden elements.
Now that you know how to play “Reigns: Her Majesty” and have an understanding of its pros and cons, let’s explore five alternative games that offer a similar gameplay style:
1. “Reigns” (Original Game): If you enjoyed “Reigns: Her Majesty,” you should definitely try the original “Reigns” game. It offers the same swipe-based decision-making mechanic but with a different storyline and setting.
2. “The Council”: “The Council” is an episodic narrative adventure game with a strong emphasis on decision-making. It combines historical settings, political intrigue, and supernatural elements to create a compelling and choice-driven narrative.
3. “King of Dragon Pass”: This game combines elements of strategy, storytelling, and decision-making in a fantasy setting. You lead a clan and make decisions that shape the clan’s destiny, culture, and relationships with other tribes.
4. “Long Live the Queen”: In this visual novel and simulation game, you play as a princess and heir to the throne. Your goal is to prepare for your coronation by making various decisions that can impact your character’s skills, relationships, and fate.
5. “Hypnospace Outlaw”: While it differs in setting and gameplay, “Hypnospace Outlaw” shares the idea of decision-making with consequences. It’s a surreal detective adventure game set in an alternate reality internet in the late 1990s, where you need to enforce the law by making choices and investigating various online communities.
In conclusion, “Reigns: Her Majesty” is a unique and engaging game that offers a blend of decision-making, storytelling, and resource management. While it has its pros and cons, its charming art style, rich storytelling, and replayability make it a must-try for fans of narrative-driven games. Additionally, there are several other games with similar gameplay styles that you might find enjoyable if you’re a fan of “Reigns: Her Majesty.”