Northmen - Rise of the Vikings

Calling it a strategy game is generous, so if you like to think through tactics, equipment, etc, it’s not the game for you. Combat takes place on a hex board but it’s not a hex board strategy game, your characters auto fight and you don’t make any decisions apart from tapping the screen to trigger special skills that aren’t super interesting. It’s not an outright cash grab or anything like that, you can buy stuff but it doesn’t seem like you have to in order to progress. I made it to the point where I just got bored with it but never felt like the app was trying to fleece me, so there’s that. Choosing to watch ads instead to get perks/rewards isn’t that annoying compared to some other apps. Ultimately, if you’re into Vikings and you want a simple game that you can play while you wait for your plane to show up or your carry out to be ready, this is it. Easy to put down and pick up and not mentally draining if that’s what you’re looking for.

This is excellent for what it is: a smartphone game that allows you to play at being a Viking. The music is perfect, the gameplay is quick and fun (as it should be for a smartphone game), and it’s atmospheric enough to draw you in. My only suggestion is that the travel map should be as vibrant visually as the home encampment. Other than that, a great pocket Viking game.

Lamesauce