NecroCity

NecroCity is a fantasy real-time strategy game that blends city-building and tower defense mechanics. Set in a dark fantasy realm ruled by the bureaucratic Lich King, players take on the role of his younger brother, tasked with proving their worth by constructing undead cities, raising armies of skeletons, ghosts, and ghouls, and defending against relentless enemy invasions. The game features resource gathering, strategic upgrades, and a mod system that allows for customizable combat effects, all presented in a visually appealing, slightly cartoonish 3D art style.

NecroCity: A Darkly Whimsical Fusion of Strategy and Survival

Introduction: The Undead’s Bureaucratic Gambit

NecroCity is a game that dares to ask: What if the undead had paperwork? Released in 2023 by Polish developer Shift Games and published by Gameparic and Games Incubator, this real-time strategy (RTS) and tower defense hybrid thrusts players into the skeletal shoes of Prince Benjamin, the younger brother of the Lich King, as he seeks to prove his worth by expanding the Undead Kingdom’s bureaucratic empire. At its core, NecroCity is a city-builder with a macabre twist, blending resource management, base defense, and dark humor into a uniquely charming—if occasionally flawed—experience.

The game’s premise is as absurd as it is intriguing: a fantasy realm where the undead are not mindless horrors but organized, tax-filing civil servants. The Lich King’s rule is one of order, structure, and red tape, and Prince Benjamin must navigate this world by establishing outposts, summoning skeletal workers, and fending off waves of “heroic” invaders who dare to challenge the undead’s right to exist. The result is a game that subverts expectations, offering a refreshing take on the RTS genre while struggling with repetitive gameplay and technical rough edges.

This review will dissect NecroCity in exhaustive detail, examining its development history, narrative depth, gameplay mechanics, artistic direction, and legacy to determine whether it stands as a cult classic in the making or a noble but flawed experiment.

---

Development History & Context: The Birth of a Necrotic Empire

The Studio Behind the Skeletons

NecroCity was developed by Shift Games, a Polish studio with a modest portfolio, including Project Wunderwaffe. The game was published by Gameparic and Games Incubator, with additional support from PlayWay S.A., a publisher known for its simulation and management titles. The collaboration suggests an intent to merge strategy depth with accessible gameplay, a balance that NecroCity strives for—with mixed success.

The game entered Steam Early Access on April 5, 2023, before its full release on October 26, 2023. This development cycle allowed for player feedback to shape its final form, though some of the game’s persistent issues (such as clunky unit AI and repetitive mission design) suggest that not all feedback was fully addressed.

Technological Constraints & Design Philosophy

Built in Unity, NecroCity adopts a diagonal-down isometric perspective, a classic choice for RTS and city-building games. The 3D visuals are cartoonish yet atmospheric, striking a balance between whimsy and gothic horror. The game’s grid-based construction system ensures precision in base-building, while the active pause mechanic allows players to strategize mid-battle—a feature that elevates the tower defense elements beyond mere reflex-based gameplay.

However, the game’s technical limitations are evident in its small, confined maps and limited unit variety. The resource system (bones, ore, and souls) is innovative in theme but restrictive in execution, as players are often boxed into repetitive loops of gathering, building, and defending without enough strategic depth to keep the experience fresh.

The Gaming Landscape in 2023: A Crowded Graveyard

NecroCity arrived in a year saturated with strategy and city-building games, from Cities: Skylines II to Dune: Spice Wars. Its niche appeal—undead bureaucracy meets tower defense—set it apart, but it also meant that it lacked the polish and scale of bigger-budget competitors.

The game’s Steam reception has been mixed, with a 52/100 Player Score and 38% positive reviews at the time of writing. Many players praised its unique premise and charming art style, while others criticized its repetitive gameplay and technical shortcomings. This polarization reflects a broader trend in indie strategy games, where innovation often comes at the cost of refinement.

---

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive: The Undead’s Paper Trail

Plot: A Tale of Sibling Rivalry and Bureaucratic Ambition

NecroCity’s story is delivered through text-based dialogues between missions, a minimalist but effective approach that keeps the narrative lighthearted yet engaging. Players assume the role of Prince Benjamin, the younger, less respected brother of the Lich King, who rules the Undead Kingdom with iron-fisted efficiency.

Benjamin’s journey is one of proving himself—not through brute force, but through administrative prowess. The game’s satirical tone shines in its bureaucratic humor:
– “File your taxes!” is a recurring motif.
– Ghouls, skeletons, and ghosts are treated as civil servants rather than monsters.
– The Ziggurat (the player’s central structure) is both a fortress and a government building.

The villains are the “forces of good”—self-righteous heroes who invade the undead’s territory, forcing Benjamin to defend his outposts while expanding his influence. The role reversal (where the undead are the protagonists) is a refreshing subversion of fantasy tropes.

Characters: A Cast of Macabre Miscreants

The game’s supporting cast is one of its strongest assets:
– The Lich King: A stern, bureaucratic ruler who dismisses Benjamin’s efforts with dry humor.
– Advisors & Heroes: A mix of ghostly bureaucrats, skeletal warriors, and ghoulish allies, each with unique abilities and witty dialogue.
– The “Heroes” (Enemies): Generic fantasy warriors who serve as cannon fodder, reinforcing the game’s satirical edge.

The writing is sharp, blending dark humor with genuine charm. The 2D character portraits (used in dialogues) are expressive and stylish, adding personality to the undead cast.

Themes: Death, Duty, and the Absurdity of Governance

NecroCity explores several unexpected themes for an undead strategy game:
1. The Banality of Evil (or Undeath):
– The undead are not mindless monsters but functioning civil servants.
– Taxation, resource management, and infrastructure are treated with the same gravity as combat.
2. Sibling Rivalry & Self-Worth:
– Benjamin’s struggle to earn his brother’s respect drives the narrative.
– The game satirizes nepotism and office politics in a fantasy setting.
3. Subverting Fantasy Tropes:
– The “heroes” are the invaders, while the undead are the defenders of order.
– The game mocks the idea of “good vs. evil” by making the undead the sympathetic underdogs.

Dialogue & Presentation: A Darkly Comic Masterstroke

The text-based storytelling is economical but effective, avoiding the bloat of cutscenes while still delivering strong character moments. The humor is consistently on-point, with lines like:
– “The living just don’t understand proper paperwork.”
– “We don’t need more soldiers—we need more clerks!”

The art direction reinforces this tone:
– Cartoonish 3D models for gameplay.
– Detailed 2D portraits for dialogues.
– A colorful yet gothic aesthetic that avoids being overly grim.

---

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems: Building an Empire of Bones

Core Gameplay Loop: Gather, Build, Defend, Repeat

NecroCity blends city-building, RTS, and tower defense into a hybrid experience that is both engaging and repetitive. The core loop follows this structure:
1. Establish an Outpost:
– Start with a Ziggurat (your central building).
– Summon skeletal workers to gather bones, ore, and souls.
2. Expand Infrastructure:
– Build houses, obelisks (for territory expansion), and NecroGenerators (for power).
– Upgrade buildings to unlock new units and defenses.
3. Prepare for Invasion:
– Scout enemy attack paths (marked before waves begin).
– Construct walls, traps, and towers.
– Train soldiers (skeletons, ghosts, ghouls).
4. Defend the Ziggurat:
– Deploy heroes with unique abilities.
– Use mods to customize defenses (e.g., lightning-infused fireballs).
– Survive waves of increasingly difficult enemies.

Resource Management: The Undead’s Economy

The game’s three primary resources—bones, ore, and souls—are thematically fitting but mechanically limiting:
– Bones: Used for basic construction and skeleton units.
– Ore: Required for advanced buildings and traps.
– Souls: Needed for magic-based units and upgrades.

The problem? Maps are small, and resources are scarce, meaning players cannot expand indefinitely. This forces careful planning but also limits long-term strategy, as every mission feels constrained by the same resource bottlenecks.

Combat & Defense: Tower Defense with a Necromantic Twist

The tower defense elements are well-integrated, with:
– Automated defenses (towers, traps).
– Manual unit control (skeletons, ghosts, heroes).
– Mods that customize abilities (e.g., life-drain attacks, chain lightning).

However, unit AI is inconsistent:
– Soldiers sometimes ignore enemies.
– Pathfinding can be erratic.
– Hero abilities lack impact in later waves.

The active pause feature is a standout mechanic, allowing players to freeze time and issue orders, but it doesn’t fully compensate for the repetitive wave-based structure.

Progression & Upgrades: A Slow Crawl to Power

Players unlock:
– New building types (barracks, magic towers).
– Hero upgrades (enhanced abilities).
– Mod combinations (customizing defenses).

But progression feels slow, and mission variety is lacking. The small maps and limited enemy types make each playthrough feel similar, reducing long-term engagement.

UI & Controls: Functional but Flawed

• Mouse-driven controls work well for building and unit selection.
• Keyboard hotkeys are underutilized.
• The UI is cluttered, with unclear tooltips and inconsistent feedback.

---

World-Building, Art & Sound: A Gothic Cartoon Come to Life

Setting & Atmosphere: The Undead’s Bureaucratic Hell

NecroCity’s world is a delightful contradiction:
– Gothic architecture meets cartoonish charm.
– Spooky but not oppressive—the game avoids being too dark.
– The Undead Kingdom is a functioning society, complete with taxes, infrastructure, and red tape.

The grid-based maps are varied in layout but similar in function, reinforcing the repetitive nature of the gameplay.

Visual Design: Skeletons with Style

• 3D models are simple but expressive.
• 2D character portraits (used in dialogues) are highly detailed and humorous.
• The color palette is vibrant yet eerie, avoiding the monochrome gloom of typical undead settings.

Sound & Music: A Spooky Symphony

• Ambient tracks are slow and atmospheric during peacetime.
• Combat music shifts to fast-paced, almost comical tunes.
• Sound effects (bone clinks, ghostly wails) enhance immersion.

---

Reception & Legacy: A Cult Classic in the Making?

Critical & Commercial Reception: Mixed but Memorable

• Steam Reviews: 52/100 (Mixed), with 38% positive ratings.
• Praised for:
  • Unique premise (undead bureaucracy).
  • Charming art and humor.
  • Innovative mod system.
• Criticized for:
  • Repetitive gameplay.
  • Clunky AI and controls.
  • Lack of mission variety.

Influence & Future Potential

NecroCity is not a mainstream hit, but it carves a niche for strategy games with personality. Its successor (if any) could refine its mechanics while keeping its darkly comedic soul.

Comparisons to Other Games

• Similar to: Dungeons (series), Stronghold, They Are Billions.
• Standout Feature: Undead bureaucracy as a core theme.

---

Conclusion: A Flawed but Fascinating Undead Experiment

NecroCity is not a perfect game, but it is a memorable one. Its unique blend of strategy, tower defense, and dark humor sets it apart in a crowded genre, even if its repetitive gameplay and technical issues hold it back.

Final Verdict: 7/10 – A Cult Gem with Room to Grow

• Strengths:
  • Innovative premise (undead bureaucracy).
  • Charming art and writing.
  • Mod system adds depth.
• Weaknesses:
  • Repetitive mission structure.
  • Clunky AI and controls.
  • Limited long-term engagement.

Who Should Play It?
– Fans of niche strategy games.
– Players who enjoy dark humor and undead themes.
– Those looking for a *short but charming experience*.

Who Should Avoid It?
– Players seeking deep, complex RTS mechanics.
– Those frustrated by repetitive gameplay loops.

Legacy & Future

NecroCity may not be a blockbuster, but it deserves recognition for its bold creativity. With further refinement, a sequel could elevate the formula into something truly groundbreaking.

Final Thought:
“In a world where most strategy games play it safe, NecroCity dares to be different—even if it occasionally stumbles over its own bones.”

---

Would you like additional analysis on any specific aspect of the game?