It’s a challenging endeavour to try and combine resource management of a strategy game with character development of an RPG. Many games have attempted to go this route, and few have accomplished the feat.
Lords Mobile manages to not only make this genre blend work, but skillfully combine the best of both worlds. The outcome: deep gameplay that is as engaging for those seeking a quick hero battle as it is for micromanagement fans who like to focus on levelling up their city.
Speaking of city: your survival in Lords Mobile is directly linked to how thriving your home base is. Things are pretty straightforward here: construct new buildings and upgrade your city level to get access to more powerful troops and technology. Another crucial part is being a part of a guild. Belonging to one lets you trade resources and participate in massive rally battles, where guilds go against each other competing for a large treasure.
The RPG layer shines in the game’s hero development route. While regular troops become stronger with city upgrades, your hero units work differently. Each of them has a separate arc, a side quest where they gain those unique abilities and special attacks that will be decisive in guild battles.
It may sound like too much action all at once, and it is, but you’re eased into it as each part of the game gets introduced gradually.
Some of the most memorable games defy the limits of established genres and create altogether new experiences. The long-lasting success of Lords Mobile could well be a sign that this game succeeded in what it asks its players to do: forge elements from different worlds into something beautiful and unique.