The Elder Scrolls: Castles review

The Elder Scrolls: Castles review

  • Try to keep the peace or become a despised tyrant by making royal decisions
  • Manage resources and expand your castle
  • Equip subjects with gear and send them on quests

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades under my belt, I must say that The Elder Scrolls: Castles has truly captured my attention and imagination. This simulated kingdom management game is reminiscent of Fallout Shelter, but with the added charm of Skyrim and Oblivion’s beloved species.


Ultimately, Bethesda has debuted a version of their popular resource management sim, Fallout Shelter, under the Elder Scrolls banner. Although players will notice similar gameplay elements to those who have previously played Fallout Shelter, The Elder Scrolls: Castles swaps the concept of constructing an underground bunker for overseeing your very own small realm.

The Elder Scrolls: Castles: Long May You Reign

The gameplay begins with the assassination of the King, allowing you to choose a new ruler from a handful of nobles. This little bit of autonomy at the start of the game makes your journey with your King or Queen and their blossoming kingdom feel much more immersive. Of course, if you don’t choose the King’s heir to rule, he may have some spitting words for your new monarch.

Initially, your castle will only have a throne room. But soon, it becomes essential to establish a kitchen and an oil press to ensure food is prepared for your subjects and fires are kept lit. Following the addition of another room, it’s necessary to allocate some workers.

The Elder Scrolls: Castles review

Keep an Eye on Your Resources

If you’re running low on a resource or just want to stock up, you can use a speed potion to increase production speed. However, be sure to use these wisely, as potions aren’t as plentiful as other resources.

As I advance, I uncover more intriguing workspaces, such as the workshop, where I can craft tools that boost food and resource production, or the sewing station, where my people can stitch new outfits. Resource management involves some strategic thinking, but it’s surprisingly straightforward, even for those who aren’t battle-hardened strategists.

Each day you play is equal to one year in-game. Your subjects age, so you’ll actually get to watch the kingdom’s children grow up. You can also speed up a child’s transition into adulthood by using an Elixir of Growth. Similarly, using an Arcane Hourglass moves your kingdom forward one year.
The Elder Scrolls: Castles review

Every Subject Serves the Kingdom in The Elder Scrolls: Castles

As you’d expect from an Elder Scrolls title, the game world isn’t just populated by humans but also High, Dark, and Wood Elves, Khajiit, Orcs, and Argonians. The game’s adorable cartoon-esque aesthetic has the lizard-like Argonians and feline Khajiit looking cuter than ever.

Each subject possesses a dominant characteristic, like being volatile, emotional, or having a fascination with fire, which can influence the careers they excel in. For example, someone with a pyromaniac trait thrives in roles such as blacksmithing or cooking, where they can fulfill their desire.

Appoint a man and a woman as attendants for the delivery room, where they will help bring forth a newborn baby. Being parents is a demanding task, so each character should only be given the responsibility of one child per year to avoid overexertion. It’s also crucial to ensure that you don’t assign a character to the delivery room with someone other than their spouse to prevent internal castle conflicts.

The Elder Scrolls: Castles review

The Elder Scrolls: Castles – Complete Quests at the War Table

Once you unlock the War Table, you can send your subjects or even your King out on quests. To begin a quest, you’ll need to assign at least one character to it. Make sure your adventurers are well-equipped, as they’ll be facing off against treacherous foes. Your adventurers attack automatically, but you can manually use their weapon’s special ability once per quest.

Additionally, you have the option to move a particular character, your adventurer, directly onto an chosen adversary. This strategy helps in eliminating the most formidable enemies first. Although I would prefer a bit more interactivity in combat, given that Castles is a simulation game, it’s understandable that combat is automated.

Finishing a mission advances you to the next one and grants you some perks. You can amass additional benefits by accomplishing the optional objectives, such as wielding specific weapons, activating skills, and abstaining from using healing items during combat. Upon returning from a mission, remember to take your injured comrades to the dining area for them to recuperate their health.

The Elder Scrolls: Castles review

Royal Decrees

One thing that makes
The Elder Scrolls: Castles
particularly intriguing is the many royal decisions you’ll need to make. Such decisions vary in importance, from supporting the empire with supplies to complaints about noisy hauntings and rulings on infidelity. If your ruler isn’t faithful, they may even be confronted by their spouse.

Should someone within the realm be suspected of unfaithfulness, it may be appropriate to exile them from the kingdom. Likewise, if the king’s partner expresses concerns about infidelity, they could be dismissed under the guise of being overly troublesome or persistent, thus demonstrating the monarch’s authority effectively.

Making choices that satisfy the masses might upset the nobility, and some decisions could even alienate particular races. Your task is to ensure the contentment and prosperity of all your people to avoid creating adversaries.

The Elder Scrolls: Castles review

You’re free to remove any subject at will by moving it towards the left edge of the kingdom. This method is convenient for handling the King’s adversaries, as unhappy subjects might eventually plot against your monarch. However, you can always strive to enhance the relationship by issuing royal decrees or assigning them to the Music Stage or Library to boost their contentment.

The Elder Scrolls: Castles is an epic kingdom sim

The Elder Scrolls: Castles is an engaging
kingdom management sim
that clearly
takes inspiration from Fallout Shelter
. The title features many of the beloved species
featured in Skyrim
and Oblivion. You’ll manage your resources and balance the happiness of nobles and commoners to create a thriving kingdom.

Immerse yourself in a captivating world where every subject showcases unique character traits and ancestry. If you’re a fan of Fallout Shelter and can’t get enough until Elder Scrolls VI arrives, this game caters to your needs perfectly.

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2024-09-16 13:18