Across the land, a sickly shadow spreads. The king is plagued with corruption and the clans he once united are left in confusion. Now, with darkness seeping into the heart of the kingdom. The people must decide how to respond, and who will replace their now deceased king. This is the kingdom of Armello, and it is this premise that begins the player’s journey. That being said, it was one that I found quite enjoyable through my many playthroughs.
The game Armello is one that shares much of the same components as Sid Meier’s Civilization in that it is a faction based game in which your goal is to overcome each of your opponents. Furthermore, it is also available for playing online or singleplayer. Much like how in Civilization there are different rulers throughout history available for play, within the game of Armello there are four clans. These clans include the rabbit clan, the bear clan, the rat clan, and the wolf clan. Among each of these clans, there are two representatives, or heroes, as they are called in the game. At the start of each game, the player has the choice of selecting one of these heroes to play as for that match. Each hero comes equipped with certain inherent bonuses that give them an edge in a particular play style and each has the potential to unlock more abilities the more they are played. These abilities take form in the various rings and cards that have the opportunity to be unlocked through continuous play or other qualifications.
As a whole, Armello plays like a far less complicated version of Civilization, that takes place in a fantastical world of animals instead of reality. A single playthrough takes only about 45 minutes, as opposed to the several days a game of Civilization can often take. The game starts with the king losing health points as he descends into madness, and increasing in corruption during the night cycle. The king only has 9 hit points, so there are only 18 rounds per game; 9 during the day and 9 at night. This timeline forces players to strategically plan each movement they make, as they are only allotted a limited amount. Additionally, Armello is far less challenging for a new player to pick up, even if they have never played this kind of game before. There is a short tutorial which takes roughly 20 minutes and contains all of the knowledge needed to start. This aspect is most certainly a boon for the game, as it not only distinguishes it from Civilization, but also provides a solution to my biggest complaint with Civilization. Often there is not enough time for me to finish an entire game of Civ but with Armello I am able to enjoy similar mechanics within an hour, before continuing through my day.
Within the game, there are four characteristics that each hero possesses: wit, body, fight, and spirit. Additionally, there are four different ways that you can win the game, much like Civilization. One way to beat it is through becoming more corrupt than the king, thus becoming the new corrupt king. Another is to purge the king with your powerful spirit. Or you can gain the most prestige so that the king passes his crown to you when he passes. Finally, you can also just assassinate the king and take the throne. I personally have only managed to beat the game in two different ways. However, I rather like the fact there is more than one way to win. It gives the player the option to be flexible and decide based off what the game hurls at them.
However, the most notable aspect of this title is its feeling. Both the art and music combine wonderfully to give the overall experience a spectacular mood. The art style is reminiscent of a crossover between the “Redwall” book series and the work of Studio Ghibli, while the music gives a vaguely hollowed hall kind of feel. This all works nicely together to create a very friendly and tranquil setting, which is in part why I enjoy playing Armello as much as I do.
However, despite the simplistic gameplay that it brings to the playstyle of Civilization, it is almost too simple. Despite the fact that there are a number of characters and different ways to win it all becomes rather trivial and boorish after a while.
I think that this game could become infinitely better if more content is added. For example, after about the third game, the map starts to become predictable and loses the wonder of exploration. A way to fix this would be to add new maps or to include downloadable content the allows access to new characters and new lands. While the game does have DLC for a few new characters it would be nice to see more. Maybe the rot has spread to other kingdoms as well? Or maybe the king of Armello moves outside of his castle? Both of these narratives offer solutions to patching in new maps to the existing story created with Armello.
Overall, Armello is a wonderful game for those looking for the feel of Civilization without the time commitment. It beautifully meshes board game mechanics with the thrill that comes from playing video games, all with an element of luck that ties it together and combined with the delicate art style and enchanting music, Armello is definitely a game worth checking out.
For more information on Armell, check out their official website.
