Expeditions: Viking

Viking isn't the most refined game, with limited camera control, repetitive graphics that lack detail, and a lack of high-production presentation. It nevertheless succeeds in immersing the player in its world through an intriguing main story focused on local politics and motivations and driven by realistic struggles and constraints. Viking effectively impresses upon the player its main themes about the illusion of choice and the binding chains of circumstance, and also offers a multitude of poignant side-stories and strong character development. To top it off, the game features a unique combination of combat mechanics and abilities that allow creativity and enable some very interesting and satisfying strategies, as well as a novel take in timed and deliberate progress and out-of-combat party maintenance. Players looking to take part in a realistic and historically-inspired world with an engaging politically-driven story should look past the game's lack of technical polish and definitely pick up Expeditions: Viking.

Expeditions: Viking could have been wonderful. I love its strategic combat layered atop a real world setting that hints at the fantastical without ever crossing the line. It has intriguing moral choices that aren’t afraid to shy away from making the player pick between equally terrible outcomes, and it flirts with making the player both warrior and politician. I could have overlooked the timer and the lack of information, but what I couldn’t overlook is that in its current state, the game is outright unplayable.

Solid and funny RPG with great turn based combat, and above all, great freedom in choices. And you can plunder monasteries too!