Veil of Crows (2017)

Veil of Crows is an expansive sandbox-style real-time strategy game set in a tumultuous medieval universe. Players are immersed in a world where brutal battles, fully destructible fortifications, and in-depth hero progression shape the path to power. Every interaction with other factions carries weight, allowing for trading, bribery, extortion, or outright destruction as players strive for ultimate domination.

Persistent World

The environment in Veil of Crows is persistent and evolves even after the player’s death. Actions taken in the world leave long-term effects, ensuring that each attempt at conquest alters the landscape and the political dynamics, regardless of whether the player succeeds or fails. Even starting over does not erase the impact of previous campaigns, with former kingdoms still standing amid the aftermath of conflict.

Epic Battles

• Command vast armies in intense and bloody confrontations.
• Lay siege to formidable castles using siege engines and tactical planning.
• Take advantage of fully destructible buildings and defensive walls.
• Deploy units with unique strengths and weaknesses strategically.
• Adapt to changing weather conditions, geographical features, and battle environments.

Sandbox Gameplay

• Explore a massive campaign map featuring over 75 towns and villages available for conquest.
• Complete quests for local lords and village leaders to earn bounties and improve relations.
• Encounter dynamic events and random challenges while traversing the world.
• Pursue bandits who raid settlements to reclaim resources or eliminate their camps to prevent future attacks.
• Even if the player character dies, the world remains alive, with previous kingdoms intact, though the player resumes as a new character within the same environment.

Game Modes

• Prologue: A tutorial mode that provides guidance for new players.
• Veil of Crows: The primary campaign where players start with a hero and a small contingent. Protecting the hero is crucial, as their death ends the game while leaving the world persistent for future attempts.
• Sandbox Mode: A flexible mode that allows selection of starting conditions and encourages free exploration and experimentation.
• Custom Battle: Players can configure battles with specific units, locations, time of day, weather, and other settings for a personalized combat experience.

Faction Management

• Manage six types of resources obtainable from controlled villages, which can be traded or used to improve castles and strengthen armies.
• Forge alliances or manipulate rival factions through threats, backstabbing, and diplomacy, affecting their perception of the player.
• Extort or bribe enemy forces to encourage desertion, cooperation, or withdrawal from conflicts.

Hero Development

• Train powerful heroes and generals to lead troops and provide bonuses when granting vassal control over towns.
• Customize hero equipment in the armory and deploy them to dominate enemy forces effectively.
• The ultimate goal is to place the main hero on the throne, asserting dominance over the medieval world.

Main Campaign Mechanics

Players begin by creating a customized hero who leads a small group of units. Success in the game requires keeping this character alive while navigating battles, diplomacy, and resource management to ultimately seize the throne. The death of the hero results in a game-over scenario, although the world continues evolving, offering a persistent setting for subsequent characters and campaigns.