A promising new survival city builder claims to marry Frostpunk with Vikings, and it's available on Steam Early Access now.
If we were to go shouting about every new city builder coming out, we'd have to change our name to CityBuilderRadar, and that's just plain clunky. That said, Land of the Vikings seems to have a few things going for it that separate it from the pack. For one, it's low-key beautiful, with an understated art design and semi-muted color palette lending an uncanny realism to the visuals that really makes the snowy mountain ranges and shimmering bodies of water pop.
I also like that it doesn't use a grid-based system that restricts what and where you can build, which should make your village look a lot more like an actual lived-in, real-world place. It seems like there's a pretty robust decoration system too, allowing you to build monuments to Odin or Freya, customize the look of your Viking ships, and modify houses' exteriors. Decorating affects your villagers' happiness, so it's not just a cosmetic thing like in most city builders.
Looking at the scant supply of Steam reviews, a lot of folks are calling Land of the Vikings "chill," which is precisely what I want from a city builder. The description says you'll be chopping trees, planting and growing crops, hunting wildlife, mining, and fishing to sustain your burgeoning city and managing resources to survive the extremes of the seasons.
You'll also get to trade supplies with your neighbors and welcome in (or reject) villagers, of which there will be more than 20 types, from "powerfully-built strongmen and women" to "silver-tongued thespians." Finally, you'll be able to unlock new buildings and bonuses by spending "Fame" points at the Tree of Life. That'll allow you to build businesses like a beer brewery or invest in goat farming for better clothes. Taking time to tend to your villagers' quality of life will pay dividends by fueling a more productive settlement.
It's still way too early to tell whether Land of the Vikings will join the ranks of the best city building games out now.
