Majesty: The Northern Expansion Review

An expansion pack to last year's, Majesty: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim, Majesty: The Northern Expansion is easily summed up as "if you liked the original, you'll like this." It's possible to play Majesty: The Northern Expansion entirely separate from its bigger sibling, though. Certainly, for any strategy fan, it's worth a play. Don't expect it to be a gentle introduction, though!

Majesty: The Northern Expansion is from Paradox Interactive, a well known publisher amongst the strategy gaming field. Frequently, their titles are slightly obtuse to get into but very satisfying once fully understood. Amongst an App Store of more casual fodder, it might seem a little frustrating at first, but it's worth taking the time until it "clicks."

Like its predecessor, Majesty: The Northern Expansion doesn't allow for direct control over the people of one's Kingdom. Instead, players must focus on building up their Kingdom and creating the right environment for the people to flourish. Then, watch as the knights and warriors go about their business taking out enemies and exploring the region. It's possible to give them a friendly nudge, but it's not as direct as conventional strategy titles.

Players can build facilities such as marketplaces and temples, as well as barracks, in order to encourage such development. In every case, it's possible to upgrade buildings, thereby unlocking more abilities. It's these moments that make Majesty: The Northern Expansion seem much more conventional in its approach.

There are issues, though. For one thing, Majesty: The Northern Expansion is both quite tough to get into and genuinely quite difficult once progressing through missions. Adapted from the PC version, the controls and UI don't quite work on the iPhone's screen. It's not a deal breaker but it can make things a little fiddly.

Get past that, however, and Majesty: The Northern Expansion shines, especially for strategy gaming fans. It's a satisfyingly enjoyable ride, providing players have the patience to learn its ways.