King of the World

King of the World is a real-time strategy game developed by Contec Games, released in 2017 for Windows. Set in a dynamic, immersive world, players engage in tactical gameplay with a diagonal-down perspective, commanding forces and resources to dominate their rivals. The game emphasizes strategic decision-making and real-time combat, offering a blend of classic RTS mechanics with modern design. Built on the Unity engine, it challenges players to outmaneuver opponents and claim supremacy in a richly crafted environment.

King of the World: A Comprehensive Retrospective

Introduction: The Enigma of a Forgotten Strategy Gem

King of the World (2017) is a real-time strategy (RTS) game that emerged from the indie scene with ambitious promises but ultimately faded into obscurity. Developed and published by Contec Games, a small Danish studio, the game attempted to carve a niche in the competitive RTS landscape by blending classic RISK-inspired territorial control with modern multiplayer mechanics. However, its journey from Early Access to full release was fraught with technical shortcomings, design oversights, and a lack of cohesive vision. This review dissects King of the World in its entirety—its development, gameplay, narrative (or lack thereof), reception, and legacy—to understand where it succeeded, where it faltered, and why it remains a cautionary tale in indie game development.

---

Development History & Context: The Birth of an Ambitious Underdog

The Studio and Vision

Contec Games, a relatively unknown developer, set out to create a multiplayer-focused RTS that emphasized accessibility and large-scale battles. The game was initially conceived as a spiritual successor to tabletop strategy games like RISK, adapted into a digital format with real-time mechanics. The studio’s goal was to create a game that was easy to pick up but offered depth in its territorial control and army customization systems.

Technological Constraints and Early Access Struggles

King of the World was built using the Unity engine, a common choice for indie developers due to its flexibility and cost-effectiveness. However, the game’s Early Access phase, which began in 2016, revealed significant technical issues:
– Multiplayer Instability: The game was designed as a multiplayer-first experience, but server issues and matchmaking problems plagued its early life. Players reported frequent disconnections, lag, and an inability to find matches.
– Single-Player as an Afterthought: The single-player campaign, added later in development, was criticized for its lack of depth, repetitive missions, and uninspired storytelling. As noted by Indie Game Reviewer, the campaign felt “tacked on” and failed to provide a compelling reason to engage with the game outside of multiplayer.
– AI and Pathfinding Flaws: The AI controlling enemy units was often described as “scattered and irritating,” with units failing to respond to threats or behaving unpredictably during battles.

The Gaming Landscape in 2017

The RTS genre in 2017 was dominated by established franchises like StarCraft II and Company of Heroes, as well as newer entries like Halo Wars 2. King of the World entered this competitive space with a unique selling point: a focus on large-scale, 12-player free-for-all battles. However, its lack of polish and innovative mechanics made it difficult to stand out. The game’s shift to a free-to-play model in 2019, with the introduction of cosmetic microtransactions, was an attempt to revitalize its player base, but by then, the damage was already done.

---

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive: A Story Lost in the Fog of War

The Premise and Setting

King of the World is set in a fictional world where players command armies from three distinct eras, each with unique units and playstyles. The game’s official description hints at a world of “skillful commanders, cunning tacticians, and backstabbing schemers,” but the narrative is barely explored beyond this vague premise. The single-player campaign, such as it is, revolves around generic conquest objectives with little to no character development or world-building.

Characters and Dialogue

The game features no memorable characters or dialogue. The “Baron,” mentioned in Indie Game Reviewer’s critique, serves as the closest thing to a protagonist, but his role is purely functional—players must protect him during battles, yet his presence is so poorly communicated that he often gets lost in the chaos of combat. The lack of voice acting, cutscenes, or even text-based storytelling leaves the game feeling hollow and devoid of personality.

Themes: Power, Conquest, and Missed Opportunities

At its core, King of the World explores themes of territorial dominance and strategic warfare. However, these themes are never developed beyond their most basic interpretations. The game could have delved into the moral complexities of conquest, the politics of ruling a kingdom, or the personal stories of its commanders. Instead, it reduces its narrative to a series of repetitive skirmishes with no overarching purpose.

Comparison to Other Strategy Games

Games like Crusader Kings III and Total War excel in blending deep strategy with rich storytelling, offering players a sense of immersion and investment in their campaigns. King of the World, by contrast, feels like a skeletal framework of an RTS, lacking the narrative depth or thematic resonance that could have elevated it above its competitors.

---

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems: A Study in Simplicity and Frustration

Core Gameplay Loop

King of the World’s gameplay revolves around capturing and holding territories to generate resources, which are then used to spawn units and upgrade technologies. The loop is straightforward:
1. Capture Points: Players must seize control points scattered across the map to increase their income.
2. Unit Spawning: Resources are spent to deploy units, ranging from basic infantry to specialized troops.
3. Combat: Units engage in real-time battles, with victory determined by sheer numbers, positioning, and occasional tactical maneuvers.

Combat and Unit Variety

The combat system is simplistic, with no unit stats, experience points, or customization options. Units are differentiated primarily by their era (e.g., medieval, Renaissance, industrial) and cost, but their abilities are not clearly communicated. As noted by Indie Game Reviewer, “There are no catapults, no ogres, no dragons; hell, there’s barely any real physical difference between the characters from any faction.” This lack of variety makes battles feel repetitive and visually uninteresting.

Multiplayer and Matchmaking

The game’s multiplayer mode supports up to 12 players in free-for-all or team-based matches. However, the matchmaking system is flawed, often resulting in imbalanced games where one faction overwhelms the others through sheer numbers. The absence of a tutorial (which was initially only available in multiplayer) further exacerbates the learning curve for new players.

Single-Player Campaign

The single-player campaign is a series of disconnected skirmishes with minimal context. Missions are uninspired, often boiling down to “capture this territory” or “defend this point.” The lack of a compelling narrative or varied objectives makes the campaign feel like a chore rather than an engaging experience.

UI and Controls

The user interface is functional but unpolished. The game’s diagonal-down perspective and point-and-select controls are reminiscent of classic RTS games, but the execution is clunky. Selecting units can be frustrating, as the selection box often fails to highlight all intended units, leading to wasted time and tactical disadvantages.

Innovative or Flawed Systems?

King of the World introduces a few unique mechanics, such as:
– Technology Tree: Each faction has its own tech tree, allowing players to unlock upgrades and new units as they progress. However, the system is underutilized, with few meaningful choices or strategic depth.
– Leveling System: Players earn experience points after matches, unlocking cosmetic rewards and in-game currency. While this adds a sense of progression, it does little to enhance the core gameplay.
– Map Editor: The inclusion of a map editor is a welcome feature, allowing players to create and share custom maps. However, the tool is basic and lacks the depth of editors found in games like StarCraft II or Age of Empires.

---

World-Building, Art & Sound: A Forgotten Kingdom

Setting and Atmosphere

King of the World’s setting is a generic fantasy world with no distinct identity. The game’s art style is functional but uninspired, with bland landscapes, repetitive structures, and forgettable unit designs. The lack of environmental variety—green fields, stone castles, and generic towns—fails to create a sense of place or immersion.

Visual Direction

The game’s visuals are adequate for an indie RTS but lack the polish and detail of its competitors. Unit models are simplistic, with little animation variety, and the game’s color palette is muted and unremarkable. The diagonal-down perspective, while nostalgic, feels outdated in an era where RTS games like StarCraft II and Company of Heroes offer dynamic camera angles and detailed environments.

Sound Design and Music

The sound design is serviceable but forgettable. Unit commands, combat sounds, and ambient noise are functional but lack the impact and immersion found in other RTS games. The soundtrack, composed of generic orchestral and battle themes, fails to leave a lasting impression. As noted by Indie Game Reviewer, the audio is “weak and tinny,” with frequent dropouts during missions.

Contribution to the Overall Experience

The game’s world-building, art, and sound design do little to enhance the overall experience. The lack of a distinct visual or auditory identity makes King of the World feel like a generic RTS, devoid of the personality and charm that could have set it apart.

---

Reception & Legacy: A Game That Failed to Conquer

Critical Reception at Launch

King of the World received mixed reviews upon its full release in 2017. Critics praised its ambitious multiplayer focus and the potential of its large-scale battles but criticized its technical issues, lack of polish, and shallow gameplay. Indie Game Reviewer gave the game a 2/5, citing its “constant bugs, terrible spelling errors, and persistent irritants” as major detractors. The game’s Early Access phase, which lasted over a year, failed to address many of these issues, leaving players frustrated and disillusioned.

Commercial Performance

The game’s commercial performance was underwhelming. Despite its shift to a free-to-play model in 2019, King of the World struggled to attract a significant player base. The lack of marketing, combined with its technical shortcomings, made it difficult for the game to compete in the crowded RTS market.

Evolution of Reputation

Over time, King of the World has been largely forgotten, overshadowed by more successful indie RTS games like Northgard and Age of Darkness: Final Stand. Its legacy is one of missed potential—a game that could have offered a unique take on large-scale strategy but ultimately failed due to poor execution and a lack of vision.

Influence on Subsequent Games

King of the World’s influence on the RTS genre is minimal. While its attempt to blend RISK-style territorial control with real-time mechanics was ambitious, the game’s flaws prevented it from making a lasting impact. Later games like Conquest of Elysium 5 and Ultimate General: Civil War have explored similar concepts with greater success, leaving King of the World as a footnote in the genre’s history.

---

Conclusion: A Kingdom That Never Was

King of the World is a game that aspired to greatness but ultimately fell short of its ambitions. Its development was plagued by technical issues, its gameplay lacked depth and polish, and its narrative and world-building were virtually nonexistent. While the game’s shift to a free-to-play model and the addition of cosmetic microtransactions were attempts to revitalize its player base, they came too late to save it from obscurity.

In the pantheon of RTS games, King of the World occupies a humble place—a reminder of the challenges faced by indie developers in a genre dominated by industry giants. It is neither a masterpiece nor a complete failure but rather a cautionary tale of what happens when ambition outpaces execution. For those willing to look past its flaws, King of the World offers a glimpse of what could have been—a unique blend of territorial strategy and large-scale warfare. But as it stands, it remains a forgotten kingdom, lost in the annals of gaming history.

Final Verdict: 5/10 – A Flawed but Ambitious Experiment