9 Kings is a strategy RPG with roguelike elements, currently in Early Access on PC. In this kingdom builder, you start with a humble village and expand it into a massive citadel by strategically placing buildings, recruiting units, and deploying spells. The game emphasizes endless combinations of cards representing buildings, troops, and abilities, allowing you to create overpowered armies through chaotic synergies and perks. As a single-player experience, it challenges you to outlast rival kings in battles that grow increasingly intense, blending deckbuilding mechanics with real-time strategy decisions.
Gameplay
The core gameplay loop in 9 Kings revolves around growing your kingdom while defending against waves of enemies. You begin by selecting one of nine starting kings, each equipped with a unique deck of cards that include buildings for resource generation, troops like knights, warlocks, wizards, bombers, imps, and sentient mushrooms, and spells for combat advantages. Positioning matters, as you place structures and units on a grid to optimize defenses and attacks. Stockpiling gold lets you hire mercenaries, while dark magic can raise the dead or harness nature to overpower foes.
Mechanics focus on combining cards in creative ways to stack buffs and modifiers, leading to invincible armies. Looting defeated rival kings grants access to their unique decks, expanding your options for hybrid builds. The game encourages experimentation with insane combinations, where perks and synergies can break the balance, turning your forces into unstoppable hordes. Events add variety, presenting unique challenges that test your strategic preparations over decades of in-game time.
Game Modes
9 Kings features a primary roguelike mode where you build and manage your kingdom in procedurally generated runs. Each run starts with your chosen king and deck, and you progress by surviving against escalating threats from rival kings. The objective is to endure as long as possible, adapting to random events and enemy attacks through strategic expansion and card combinations.
There are no distinct multiplayer modes; the game is designed for solo play, with replayability coming from the variety of kings and build possibilities. Runs can end in defeat if your kingdom falls, prompting you to start anew with lessons learned from previous attempts.
Factions and Kings
The game includes nine distinct kings, each representing a faction with specialized decks, decrees, and perks. For example, some kings favor sturdy defensive units like knights, while others rely on aggressive, high-damage options such as bombers or hordes of imps. Decrees provide ongoing bonuses, and perks enhance specific strategies, encouraging players to mix and match elements from different kings after looting their cards.
This faction system promotes diverse playstyles, from defensive fortification to offensive swarms or magical dominance. By declaring war on certain kings and making peace with others, you tailor your deck to fit preferred tactics, unlocking countless synergies across runs.
Is It Worth Playing?
Player reception for 9 Kings has been positive, with reviews highlighting its replayability and the depth of build synergies, even in Early Access. Gamers appreciate the fast-paced battles and the satisfaction of creating broken combinations that dominate enemies.
If you enjoy strategy RPGs with roguelike progression and deckbuilding, 9 Kings offers a compelling experience for those who like experimenting with mechanics to achieve overpowered states. It's particularly suited for players seeking quick, chaotic sessions rather than long campaigns. Given its Early Access status, expect ongoing updates that could add more content, making it a solid choice for fans of kingdom management games looking for fresh ideas.
