Charming but Flawed: Why Monarchy Struggles to Wear the Crown

by Luis January 4, 2025

Monarchy by Brain Seal Ltd. delivers a hybrid experience of base-building, exploration, and combat, blending strategic resource management with cooperative gameplay in a charming 2D side-scrolling world. While the game’s ambition is evident, it doesn’t always succeed in execution, leading to a solid but uneven experience.

Charming but Flawed: Why Monarchy Struggles to Wear the Crown

A Kingdom to Build

The core gameplay revolves around constructing and managing your kingdom. Players must gather resources, train armies, and fortify their base against waves of enemies. The dynamic building mechanics, combined with seasonal environmental effects, add depth to the gameplay loop. For example, winter brings challenges like reduced resource yields, forcing players to adapt their strategies. These elements provide a satisfying sense of progression and accomplishment as your kingdom evolves.

The game’s cooperative multiplayer mode is a standout feature, allowing players to team up to tackle challenges together. Coordination with teammates in resource management and defense planning adds a layer of strategic depth that is particularly rewarding. However, for those playing solo, the experience can feel less dynamic, with AI allies often failing to provide meaningful assistance.

Aesthetic Charm with Flaws

Visually, Monarchy is delightful. The vibrant hand-drawn art style and detailed environments capture the whimsical yet perilous essence of ruling a medieval kingdom. Seasonal transitions, such as lush spring foliage giving way to the stark desolation of winter, create a visually engaging experience. The soundtrack complements the visuals beautifully, with atmospheric music that enhances the immersion.

However, the game’s UI and controls can feel clunky, especially during combat. Managing units or issuing commands sometimes requires more precision than the controls allow, leading to frustrating moments when quick decisions are needed.

Challenges for New Rulers

One of Monarchy’s significant drawbacks is its steep learning curve. The game offers little in the way of a tutorial, leaving players to discover mechanics through trial and error. While this approach may appeal to hardcore strategy enthusiasts, newcomers to the genre might find it off-putting. A more structured introduction to the game’s systems would greatly improve accessibility.

Additionally, the gameplay loop can become repetitive over time. While the initial thrill of building and defending your kingdom is engaging, the lack of varied objectives or unique enemy types can make later stages feel like a grind. Players seeking long-term replayability may find the experience wearing thin after a few sessions.

Technical Hiccups

Technical issues further hinder the game’s potential. Reports of bugs, including crashes during critical moments and units failing to respond to commands, are prevalent. While patches may resolve these problems over time, they currently detract from the overall polish.

Conclusion

Monarchy has the foundation of a great strategy game, with its cooperative mechanics, engaging resource management, and beautiful art style. However, its lack of accessibility, repetitive gameplay, and technical shortcomings hold it back from achieving true greatness.

For fans of 2D strategy games and cooperative play, Monarchy offers a unique and entertaining experience, albeit one that requires patience and tolerance for its flaws. It’s a game with potential that doesn’t fully realize its ambitions. At its best, Monarchy is a charming diversion; at its worst, it can feel frustratingly incomplete.

Final Verdict: A promising but flawed experience, Monarchy earns a respectable 3 out of 5 stars.