Becastled: Crafting a Realm Between Sun and Siege
Tactical fortifications and endearing aesthetics, plagued by AI missteps and technical gremlins.
Early Access Review
last updated Jan 14, 2024
Ultimately, Becastled is a highly ambitious indie offering with a foundation as strong as stone, though currently struggling with the wooden scaffolds of bugs and AI snafus.
A Tale of Walls and Woes
Aspiring castle lords, welcome to Becastled—an engaging experience of constructing a fantasy stronghold and fending off nocturnal nuisances. Right from the get-go, you're planting the seeds of your burgeoning settlement amidst a dynamic day-night cycle, where mornings are for manic building and evenings are for edge-of-your-seat defending. The core gameplay loop is as addictive as they come, with the challenge ramping up each night, stirring a delightful mix of strategy and panic into your building bliss. Balancing resource management, strategic layouts, and bracing for assaults becomes an enjoyable juggling act. However, don't let the whimsy fool you—AI pathfinding can sometimes resemble a confused squirrel navigating a maze, casting a shadow of frustration on an otherwise sunny experience.
Symphonies and Laments
Now, every kingdom needs its anthems, and in this department, Becastled offers an enchanting score that sets the stage for your medieval escapades. There's something distinctly nostalgic in the tunes, with the occasional nod to classics like Rise of Nations. Uncork a fine cask of wine, and let the melodies transport you to a land of chivalry and conquest. But brace yourselves, fellow audiophiles--the game's sound effects are still in the minstrel's apprentice stage. The soundscape could use more depth; the clinks of swords and roars of beasts would go a long way in eliminating that eerie battlefield silence.
A Visage Fit for a Squire
Graphically, Becastled boasts a certain charm akin to an artist rendering a child's crayon drawing into a masterpiece. The colorful, stylized aesthetic is easy on the eyes and inspires the joy of creation. Performance, on the other hand, is like a moody dragon—it mostly breathes fine, but when it belches fire, things get dicey. While most of the time the game runs as smoothly as a freshly oiled portcullis, there are instances of crashes that abruptly end your ruler's reverie, particularly as winter draws near. Moreover, the visual allure can be marred by construction quirks, like archers performing a disappearing act on walls not yet graced by completion.
The Siege Workshop of Updates
If there's one thing unanimous among the lords and ladies of the gaming realm, it's that the developers behind Becastled are no slouches. They’ve been twinkling their development wands with every update. However, it's akin to repairing castle walls during a siege—progressive, but not quite at the pace one might hope for, considering the game's age. Still, with great potential lingering in the air like the promise of a royal wedding, it's hard not to keep an eye on the future of this quaint fortress fable.
EARLY ACCESS RATING
Developer & Publisher
Mana Potion Studios
Early Accesss Release Date
February 08, 2021
The Royal Decree
Ultimately, Becastled is a highly ambitious indie offering with a foundation as strong as stone, though currently struggling with the wooden scaffolds of bugs and AI snafus. For those with a penchant for build-and-defend strategies featuring sun-soaked fields and moonlit battles, and a tolerance for the game's sporadic hiccups, it's an adventure worth the coin. In time, with further refinement and bolstered by its developers' dedication, Becastled could very well evolve from a humble hamlet into a mighty kingdom worthy of its bold vision.
