The Elder Scrolls: Castles review - "An enchanting kingdom sim"

• Try to keep the peace or become a despised tyrant by making royal decisions
• Manage resources and expand your castle
• Equip subjects with gear and send them on quests

Finally, Bethesda has introduced an Elder Scrolls version of its beloved resource management sim, Fallout Shelter. While many gameplay mechanics will be immediately familiar to anyone who dabbled with Fallout Shelter, The Elder Scrolls: Castles replaces building an underground bunker with managing your very own little kingdom.

The Elder Scrolls: Castles: Long May You Reign

The gameplay begins with the assassination of the King, allowing you to choose a new ruler from a handful of nobles. This little bit of autonomy at the start of the game makes your journey with your King or Queen and their blossoming kingdom feel much more immersive. Of course, if you don’t choose the King’s heir to rule, he may have some spitting words for your new monarch.

You’ll begin with little more to your castle than a throne room. However, you’ll quickly need to set up a Kitchen and an Oil Press to keep your people fed and the fires burning. After constructing a new room, you'll need to assign some workers. 

Keep an Eye on Your Resources

If you’re running low on a resource or just want to stock up, you can use a speed potion to increase production speed. However, be sure to use these wisely, as potions aren't as plentiful as other resources. 

As you progress, you’ll unlock more interesting workstations, like the workshop, where you can build tools that aid in the production of food and other resources, or the sewing table, where your subjects can sew new outfits. Managing your resources takes some strategy, but it's fairly easy to master even if you’re not a seasoned strategist. 

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Each day you play is equal to one year in-game. Your subjects age, so you’ll actually get to watch the kingdom’s children grow up. You can also speed up a child’s transition into adulthood by using an Elixir of Growth. Similarly, using an Arcane Hourglass moves your kingdom forward one year.

Every Subject Serves the Kingdom in The Elder Scrolls: Castles

As you’d expect from an Elder Scrolls title, the game world isn't just populated by humans but also High, Dark, and Wood Elves, Khajiit, Orcs, and Argonians. The game’s adorable cartoon-esque aesthetic has the lizard-like Argonians and feline Khajiit looking cuter than ever.

Each subject has a primary trait, such as volatile, emotional, or pyromaniac, which can dictate which jobs they’re best suited for. For instance, a pyromaniac is most efficient when working at the forge or in the kitchen, where they can scratch their itch. 
You can also marry subjects by assigning them to the Shrine of Mara. You'll need a growing population to build your kingdom, and that's where the bedroom comes in.

Assign a male and female to the bed chamber to, ahem, bring a new babe into the world. Parenthood is a taxing job, so each subject will only agree to have one child per year. Remember that if you assign a subject to the bed with someone other than their spouse, you’ll stir up some in-castle drama.

The Elder Scrolls: Castles - Complete Quests at the War Table

Once you unlock the War Table, you can send your subjects or even your King out on quests. To begin a quest, you’ll need to assign at least one character to it. Make sure your adventurers are well-equipped, as they'll be facing off against treacherous foes. Your adventurers attack automatically, but you can manually use their weapon’s special ability once per quest. 

You can also drag a specific adventurer to a selected enemy, which is a good way to ensure you take out the toughest foes first. I do wish combat were a little more interactive, but since Castles is a simulation game, the automated combat is not surprising.

Completing a quest unlocks the next quest and nets you some rewards. You'll earn more rewards by fulfilling the quest's optional goals, which include equipping certain weapons, using abilities, and avoiding using healing items in battle. After returning from a quest, be sure to send all your wounded adventurers to the buffet so they can regain their health.

Royal Decrees

One thing that makes The Elder Scrolls: Castles particularly intriguing is the many royal decisions you’ll need to make. Such decisions vary in importance, from supporting the empire with supplies to complaints about noisy hauntings and rulings on infidelity. If your ruler isn’t faithful, they may even be confronted by their spouse.

If a subject is accused of infidelity, you can banish them from the kingdom. Alternatively, if the ruler's spouse complains of infidelity, they can be banished for "nagging all the time", which is a perfect example of the power of kings.

Some decisions will please commoners while disgruntling nobles and vice versa, while other decisions can alienate a specific race. It's up to you to balance the happiness and well-being of all your subjects lest you risk making enemies.
 

You can also banish subjects at any time by dragging them to the kingdom’s left border. This is an easy way to deal with enemies of the King, as disgruntled subjects may eventually assassinate your ruler. Of course, you can always try to improve the relationship through your royal decrees or by assigning them to the Music Stage or Bookcase to increase their happiness.

The Elder Scrolls: Castles is an epic kingdom sim 

The Elder Scrolls: Castles is an engaging kingdom management sim that clearly takes inspiration from Fallout Shelter. The title features many of the beloved species featured in Skyrim and Oblivion. You’ll manage your resources and balance the happiness of nobles and commoners to create a thriving kingdom.  

You’ll find yourself charmed by your dynamic’s subjects each with their own personality traits and lineage. If you love Fallout Shelter and are looking for something to hold you while you wait (and wait) for Elder Scrolls VI, this game is for you.