Bellwright

Bellwright (2024) is an adventure role-play where you play a renegade medieval soldier as you construct a settlement, recruit people to your cause, and attempt to reclaim your honour. Viewed from an over-the-shoulder perspective, you traverse a vast world to gather resources and bring people into your faction, build a settlement and fend off invaders. It stands out for the depth of every action you take, from strategically assigning followers to suitable roles to choosing the best places and tactics to defeat your enemies.

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You play a soldier in hiding after the crown ordered your death for a crime you didn't commit. Fueled by a desire to know the truth, you set about leading a rebellion against the kingdom by constructing a settlement, raising an army, and defeating those who would stand in your way.

Play involves exploring the land to gather resources to construct a settlement, recruiting villagers to your cause, and winning battles against opposing forces. As you play, you must work to keep your followers happy and content by expanding your outposts and settlements and resolving conflicts. Each follower is skilled in different crafts, and ensuring each person is working in a discipline they're good at ensures that your settlements operate smoothly. In battle, you must choose the best locations and troop formations to use against the enemy and can join in the fighting with long-range weapons as well as swords and knives.

The result is a deeply strategic role-play experience where you must make choices for your whole faction as well as for individuals within it. The tactical fights - where a good strategy is essential, the establishment of towns and settlements, and the exploration of the vast world for resources and new followers, make for a uniquely immersive experience.

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Our examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Bellwright 13 months ago. It was re-examined by Ellen Robertson and updated 5 months ago.