Top 5 things I wish were in Manor Lords Early Access

By playing Manor Lords I relived the joy of playing medieval city-building strategies like Stronghold, Settlers, and Total War. Comparing those titles inspired me to make up five things I wish were in Manor Lords early access.

Top 5 things I would love to see in Manor Lords Early Access

Before I present you with my Manor Lords' ideas for future updates, I must mention that developer Slavic Magic was very clear about what this game is about—a primarily city-builder game with battles as an added value. Having said that, I still expect more from Manor Lords.

5. Family ties in Manor Lords

Families are a big part of the game, as villagers are organized into households that work the same jobs. While that's very realistic, it made me long for similar options for my avatar. I wish I had an opportunity to arrange marriage (as long as it's true love, of course) and thus expand my land. The marriage would give me options of having children and using them to govern regions or to become generals to fight instead of me (auto-combat). Also, it would allow a dynamic sandbox scenario where children continue my avatar's rule.

4. Less micromanagement

I understand that micromanagement is part of the city-building experience, but checking everything quickly becomes a chore. This issue can be easily fixed with special orders that would automate work. For example, I would love to issue orders to workers in buildings like "don't work in (months)" or "stop when (number of items)."

For example, picking barriers is seasonal, and having villagers twiddling their thumbs during winter is not a good idea. Instead, I must double-check all important buildings for each season and move workers. A drop-down menu with orders for each type of structure would make governing much easier.

Related: Best ways to improve influence in Manor Lords - 5 Tips & Tricks

3. Trade needs an overhaul

Trading in Manor Lords early access is broken. I imagined trade as a way of buying things I can't create on my own while selling select products that are interesting to the buyers. Instead, trade is a way to avoid producing large amounts of goods as it's easier to buy them. I found it easier to spam traders with several items to get enough wealth to buy everything you need.

I understand that the developer wanted to allow players to differentiate production between territories, but it broke the game concept. For example, I'll import clay cheaply and export rooftops for more money than I ever need. For that, I'll buy mercenaries, weapons, beer, clothes—you name it. Having trade work as a de facto cheat discourages players from building most structures. Why would I invest in crop fields and mills when I can buy flour for cheap? In fact, I don't even need flour, as I can buy bread!

2. Castle design

Castle design is coming to Manor Lords, but at the moment, it's not available in the early access version. I expect to have options that are more than just cosmetic. As a big fan of Stronghold, I have expectations for building my castle. I want to create luxurious rooms, castle defenses, and moats. This brings me to the thing I yearn for the most—siege!

1. Castle siege

With good castle design comes an excellent combat experience. Instead of sending soldiers to rush opponents, I want the game to force them to think about the best combat strategies. I would like an option to evade direct conflict by placing a siege to starve the opponent and force him to counterattack. Diplomacy would be essential here, where I wish to have an option to negotiate with enemies (especially if multiplayer is introduced). If combat is inevitable, I need siege machines to counter everything the enemy throws at me.

For more Manor Lords information, read our Manor Lords Early Access Review on Pro Game Guides.