1
Squirrel's Pick Squirrel's PickThe best game on this page. If you only try one, try this. Budget Pick Budget PickThe best game here for the least money.
Real-Time with PauseResource ManagementTactical
$11.99 ~36.9 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 85.5% of 12k
The Squirrel's verdictScripted defense missions against mass enemy waves define Diplomacy is Not an Option — closer to tower defense and micro-RTS than MKW's open kingdom campaigns. Released 2024, rated Very Positive at 85.5%, with a median playtime of 36.9 hours. Players who want a finished, polished medieval strategy experience will find the production quality consistent, though several reviewers flag brutal mid-campaign difficulty spikes requiring precise repeated execution.
Not for you if you want open-ended kingdom expansion and faction politics rather than scripted wave-defense missions.
2
Closest Match Closest MatchThe most similar game to the anchor, by what players say.
MedievalGrand StrategyRTS
$44.99 ~39.5 hr median co-op complexity: moderate 77.2% of 7k
The Squirrel's verdictBoth blend kingdom management with real-time medieval warfare and auto-battle options. KoH2 adds deeper diplomacy, lineage mechanics, and trading akin to Crusader Kings and Europa Universalis, with real-time-with-pause rather than pure RTS combat. Rated Mostly Positive at 77.2% across a player base logging a median of 39.5 hours, it suits players who want a more fully realized grand-strategy layer around lighter battlefield action.
Not for you if you want RTS-focused battles as the main event rather than diplomacy and kingdom-building wrapped around lighter combat.
3
FPSTacticalRTS
$29.99 ~28.6 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 74.3% of 5k
The Squirrel's verdictPlayers drawn to tactical battlefield command over strategic map management are the core audience for Total Conflict: Resistance. Reviewers single out the infantry AI in the battle simulator as a genuine strength — comparable to Men of War — while consistently describing the Mount & Blade-style campaign layer as poorly designed. Released 2023, Mostly Positive at 74.3%, median playtime 28.6 hours. Note: paid DLC was released during Early Access, which reviewers flag as a concern.
Not for you if you want a campaign layer that holds up alongside the battle simulator, or object to paid DLC released before a game leaves Early Access.
4
RTSWargameStylized
$14.99 ~2.5 hr median co-op complexity: light 78.3% of 327
The Squirrel's verdictEyes of War shares Medieval Kingdom Wars' core loop: build a kingdom, raise armies, and fight RTS battles against AI. The difference is control — you can drop into third-person and fight as a single unit mid-battle, with co-op support. Released 2025 at $14.99, Mostly Positive (78.3%), median playtime 2.5 hours.
Not for you if you want deep faction and siege systems rather than a shallower Age of Empires/Stronghold/Mount & Blade blend, with reviewers reporting pathfinding and audio bugs.
5
Kingdom, Dungeon, and Hero
PC
WargameGrand StrategyFantasy
Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
$29.99 ~21.2 hr median co-op complexity: moderate 77.8% of 176
The Squirrel's verdictTurn-based hex combat and a dungeon-crawling hero layer are what separate Kingdom, Dungeon, and Hero from MKW's real-time battles and campaign map. Conquest, economy, and hero adventuring feed into each other — reviewers who engage with the systems describe them as genuinely integrated rather than bolted on. Released 2024, Mostly Positive at 77.8%, median playtime 21.2 hours, with co-op supported.
Not for you if you want real-time battles, or find managing seven resource types and hero-party micromanagement across a hex grid more tedious than engaging.
6
Renaissance Kingdom Wars
PC
Grand StrategyRTSWargame
$13.99 ~3.2 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 72.6% of 168
The Squirrel's verdictRenaissance Kingdom Wars moves the timeline forward to the pike-and-shot era, adding firearms and cannons while keeping the same settlement management and real-time battle structure. Reviewers note that melee units, cavalry, and most assets are carried over from earlier Kingdom Wars titles with minimal visual changes, and core mechanical issues remain. At $13.99 with a median playtime of 3.2 hours, it suits history fans specifically interested in the Renaissance period.
Not for you if you were hoping for improved AI, new mechanics, or original assets rather than the same engine reused with a new setting.
7
MedievalTurn-Based TacticsTurn-Based Strategy
$19.99 ~19.6 hr median co-op 70.8% of 970
The Squirrel's verdictPlayers who want turn-based structure over real-time chaos are the target audience for Rising Lords. Province conquest and lord management carry over from MKW, but battles are resolved through a card-driven tactical system and co-op is supported. Reviewers flag shallow resource chains, AI governors that mismanage regions, and slow turn processing as the main friction points. Released 2024, Mostly Positive at 70.8%, median playtime 19.6 hours.
Not for you if you want real-time battles, deep resource chains, or large-scale RTS combat rather than turn-based province management with card-based fights.
8
Knights of the Crusades
PC
Grand StrategyRTSCity Builder
$13.99 ~6.6 hr median no co-op 70.7% of 174
The Squirrel's verdictKnights of the Crusades opens with a mercenary start: you begin as a broke knight plundering settlements to survive before joining a crusade, with historically narrated footnotes as you progress. Reviewers confirm the interface, sound, and battle mechanics are unchanged from MKW, so this is specifically for players drawn to the crusader campaign framing rather than any mechanical evolution. Released 2025, Mostly Positive at 70.7%, median playtime 6.6 hours.
Not for you if you were hoping for improved AI or new systems rather than the same mechanics reframed around a crusades setting.