Top 10 Medieval Themed Video Games

City management is rarely so complex – or enthralling. In this instalment of the ongoing Anno series, you play as the newly elected administrator of a fiefdom, coordinating its trade and overseeing its survival. As the game is set in 1404, it delves into the ongoing struggles of the era – including a crusade into the Orient and a conspiracy against an established Empire. This kind of political intrigue, combined with the game's easy-to-manage learning curve and breadth of micromanagement options, makes for a one-of-a-kind experience.

The land is yours, to conquer and to rule. Taking on the role of a budding ruler, players are tasked with taking control of all of the surrounding territory – while also managing the production of crops, defence from invading armies, and the happiness of citizens. The game's main draw lies in how expertly it has players transition from turn-based resource management to real-time strategy combat, nicely illustrating the stress that comes with being a medieval lord.

The Crusades were a complex affair, to say the least. “Crusader Kings 2” is a strategy game whose campaign lasts from 1066 to 1453, with a twist: you aren't controlling an empire – but rather, a family dynasty whose legacy you must preserve. Whether that means having dozens of descendants, forming alliances, or simply accumulating all the gold in Europe, that's up to you. Its open-ended nature gives the player a lot of agency, while random events and bickering family members keep them on their toes.

Raise your blades for the coming war. You are a nameless wanderer in the land of Calradia, with no distinct goals and countless possibilities ahead. Freedom is the name of the game, and “Warband” does well to provide for that – permitting you to conquer castles, serve or overthrow lords, marry into royal families, and stampede across the land at your own discretion. In addition, the game supports massive 250-player multiplayer battles, and the sight of two grand player-controlled armies clashing is something to behold.

Brutal though it is, War of the Roses is nonetheless rewarding. The game portrays the famed conflict between the houses of York and Lancaster as 64-player multiplayer death-matches, a novel approach that allows for absurd amounts of violence. It displays a breadth of research on the time period, given the era-accurate uniforms and weapons, and offers fun cathartic action to those who take the time to master the precise combat system.

The setup is simple: There's a civil war, and you're a participant. From there, the focus is on setting up close-quarters sword-and-mace battles where heads are crushed, limbs are severed, and blood is most definitely spilt. The brutal combat is part of the fun – seeing what a well-placed crossbow bolt, or swipe of an axe will do to your foe's body. “Chivalry” manages to avoid feeling shallow, though, thanks to a balanced selection of weapons and armor that require you to earn that gratifying final blow.

The Creed lives on, even in the harshest of times. “Assassin's Creed” is notable for being set during the Third Crusade, a time when the Holy Land was under siege by European invaders. Altair, our protagonist and member of the Assassin's Order, is tasked with eliminating nine particularly troublesome leaders of the invading Knights Templar. What's most striking is the tone, as the game is filled with disgruntled citizens and general despair – a powerful motivation to stop the Templars at all costs.

It's the best of both worlds: empire management and large-scale battles. “Medieval II”, an update of the original game “Medieval: Total War”, casts you as the ruler of a kingdom struggling to compete with rival lords. Lasting five hundred years, the experience stands out thanks to the opportunity to explore and conquer a large map – including the undiscovered Americas, countless features such as economics and religion to play around with, and an astounding attention to detail on every soldier when in combat.

Dark and fictionalized, this is still quite the medieval-themed game. “The Dark Project” stars Garrett, a master thief whose decision to take on a simple contract draws him further down the rabbit hole. Garrett inhabits The City, a dingy realm of cobblestone streets and lantern-lit homesteads. It takes cues from gothic and steampunk imagery, while still retaining its roots in the simplicity of the Middle Ages. And it's not every day that we get a stealth game in such a setting, or the excuse to sneak around and explore.


Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

“King's Quest” (1983)


“Risen” (2009)


“The Sims Medieval” (2011)

Brought back for the high-definition age, this beloved title still holds true. This Middle Age-set game operates on the basic real-time strategy formula of “collect basic resources, build up an army, defeat your enemies”, but it's the details that make the difference. There's market prices to consider when selling resources, technologies need to be researched to make significant headway, and each of the 13 playable civilizations has distinct strengths and weaknesses. And yet it never overwhelms, feeding into your progress naturally and subtly. It's never dull and always gratifyin

Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite medieval video game? For more grand Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.