Manor Lords is a strategy game set in the medieval era.
The game is developed by Slavic Magic studio, specifically by the Polish video game creator Grzegorz Styczeń. On April 26th, 2024, the title was made available in early access on the Steam. The release date of the final version is not yet known.
Manor Lords is an incredibly engaging game that combines elements of strategy, management, and city-building. Its additional advantage lies in its incredible realism, not only in terms of graphics but also historically.
It faithfully captures the atmosphere of medieval times, and its captivating details are attracting an increasing number of players.
Unfortunately, early access may leave some dissatisfaction, and waiting for the official release can be agonizingly long. Fortunately, there are some alternatives that provide similar atmospheres or mechanics to the previously mentioned title. We have specially selected 10 of the best games like Manor Lords.
And if you particularly enjoy or want to play any of them, be sure to check out our Marketplace, where you can easily find most of them for just… a few coins!
Game list
| Game | Release | Genre | Developer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Manor Lords | 2024-04-26 | Medieval Builder | Slavic Magic |
 | Songs Of Syx | 2020-09-21 | Strategy | Gamatron AB |
 | Farthest Frontier | 2022-08-09 | Strategy | Crate Entertainment |
 | Ostriv | 2020-03-19 | Strategy | yevhen8 |
 | Kingdoms Reborn | 2020-11-03 | Strategy | Earthshine |
 | Patron | 2021-08-10 | Strategy | Overseer Games |
 | Foundation | 2025-01-31 | Indie | Polymorph Games |
 | Timberborn | 2021-09-15 | Indie | Mechanistry |
 | Clanfolk | 2022-07-14 | Colony Sim | MinMax Games Ltd. |
 | Going Medieval | 2021-06-01 | Medieval | Gramophone Games |
 | Kingdoms And Castles | 2017-07-20 | Indie | Lion Shield, LLC |
 | Stronghold Crusader 2 | 2014-09-22 | Simulation | FireFly Studios |
Banished
| Release date: | 2014-02-18 |
| Genre: | Economy |
| Developer: | Shining Rock Software LLC |
Banished is a real-time economic strategy game. In this title, players control a group of exiles whose dream is to start an entirely new life. However, it’s not an easy task, as all they have is a cart and some supplies.
Although graphically Banished leaves much to be desired, it couldn’t be excluded from our list of games like Manor Lords. It’s a demanding city-builder set in the Middle Ages, just like ML.
Managing resources, strategic planning of building placement, creating production chains… all of these aspects together make this game still offer a lot to new players despite the passing years.
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Anno 1404 (Dawn of Discovery)
| Release date: | 2020-06-25 |
| Genre: | Strategy |
| Developer: | Ubisoft Blue Byte |
Anno 1404 is the fourth installment in the Anno series of games.
This time we are transported to the eastern shores of Asia during Medieval Times, where our task is to colonize territories and later develop villages and cities.
Not only the medieval setting but also its authenticity in the game connects Anno 1404 with Manor Lords. Dawn of Discovery is a city-builder that places equal emphasis on building construction, trade, and exploration.
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Stronghold Crusader
| Release date: | 2002-07-31 |
| Genre: | Simulation |
| Developer: | FireFly Studios |
Stronghold Crusader is a sequel to the excellent game Stronghold, which was released just a year earlier (2001).
It is a real-time strategy game that transports players to the time of the Crusades. The main task is to build a fortress, manage it, and defend it.
Although Stronghold Crusader is quite old, it shares with Manor Lords an incredible attention to detail in terms of medieval castle-building mechanics and military actions. It’s a captivating journey where strategy and tactics have a huge impact on the fate of empires.
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Total War: Medieval II
| Release date: | 2006-11-15 |
| Genre: | Strategy |
| Developer: | The Creative Assembly |
Total War: Medieval II is the fourth installment in the Total War series released since 2000.
It’s a splendid strategy game set in Europe between 1080 and 1530. The player’s task is to manage a kingdom and lead battles (in real-time).
Total War: Medieval II requires strategic thinking and leadership skills from players. In return, it provides top-notch entertainment and hours of fun in the well-known medieval times, just like Manor Lords.
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Cities: Skylines
| Release date: | 2015-03-10 |
| Genre: | Economy |
| Developer: | Colossal Order Ltd. |
Cities: Skylines is an economic strategy game with a strong focus on city-building. The player’s task is to build and develop a city while maintaining its financial stability.
In Cities: Skylines, we leave the Middle Ages behind for modern times. Our main task is to build a modern and functional metropolis. However, don’t be fooled!
This seemingly simple task requires players, just like in Manor Lords, to have an excellent sense of strategy; otherwise, troubles will arise in your metropolis.
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Foundation
| Release date: | 2018-11-30 |
| Genre: | Simulation |
| Developer: | Egosoft |
Foundation is a strategic game released in early access. Players’ task is to build and later expand a medieval town.
Foundation offers unlimited fun in medieval times. The era in which it is played and the emphasis on city-building connect it with Manor Lords, but what sets it apart is the lack of a grid and the freedom of creation.
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Northgard
| Release date: | 2017-02-22 |
| Genre: | Indie |
| Developer: | Shiro Games |
Northgard is a strategy game inspired by Norse mythology. In this title, players take on the role of brave Vikings who, after years of searching, discover the rich land of Northgard.
Their new goal is to take control of the continent and build a settlement. The task is complicated by the fact that the discovered land hides many secrets and dangers.
Settlement building and RTS elements are common denominators for Northgard and Manor Lords. What sets Northgard apart are its two game modes, an engaging story, and survival elements. It’s definitely a title worth considering!
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Tropico 6
| Release date: | 2018 |
| Genre: | Simulation |
| Developer: | Limbic Entertainment |
Tropico 6 is another instalment of the Tropico series, which started in 2001.
In the game, players take on the role of the leader of the Caribbean state of Tropico – “El Presidente”. Our task is to maintain power as the leader of the banana republic for as long as possible.
Tropico 6, just like Manor Lords, puts a strong emphasis on city-building. The gameplay unfolds in real-time, and our task is not only to expand cities but also to manage the economy, alliances, and the favour of the local population. In other words, there’s plenty to keep you busy.
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The Settlers (series)
| Release date: | 2001-02-15 |
| Genre: | Strategy |
| Developer: | Blue Byte Software |
The Settlers is a series of strategy games released for PC since 1993.
The goal of each instalment in the series is simple. As the ruler of an ancient or medieval kingdom (depending on the part), the player’s task is to ensure its development and conquer neighbouring kingdoms (usually belonging to other players).
City-building and strategy elements are, of course, common features connecting The Settlers series with Manor Lords. However, what sets The Settlers apart from other games of this genre is the autonomy of units.
In the game, we don’t issue orders to settlers; instead, we can encourage them to take specific actions. This approach was very well received by players, so when the creators decided to depart from it in the fifth instalment of the series, they faced sharp criticism, and autonomy returned in subsequent parts.
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Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
| Release date: | 2019-11-14 |
| Genre: | Strategy |
| Developer: | Forgotten Empires LLC |
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is a remaster of the 1999 game Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings.
As befitting a solid RTS, the gameplay focuses on city-building, resource gathering, and army creation to stand a chance in battles against opponents during conquests.
Of course, city expansion and strategy are the main common elements between Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition and Manor Lords. However, it’s worth noting that the refreshed version of Age of Empires has been enhanced with technical improvements, allowing players to enjoy Ultra HD graphics during gameplay.
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Conclusion
City-building strategy games are a genre that you either love or hate. Despite Manor Lords being available in early access only, its popularity shows that this genre has quite a significant fan base.
If you’ve enjoyed it, you should definitely check out the titles suggested above. You’ll surely find something for yourself among them. Have a great time gaming!