Your Own Medieval Dynasty – The Guild 3 E3 Demo

We had the chance to check out the new The Guild 3 Demo at E3, and it has every indication of being a welcome addition to a series that has been without a standalone entry in 11 years.

The Guild 2 came out in 2006, and was a fun medieval life simulator in which you start off as a merchant and create your own dynasty. The Guild 3 has the same general concept, but with much more polish and creativity thrown in. While there wasn’t a playable demo, we were able to get a taste for The Guild 3 as we watched a hands-on presentation of the game.

The story is simple—you start off as a commoner and work to build your wealth and prestige to dominate this medieval world. There isn’t one route to domination; you can go about it anyway you like, whether you enjoy creating alliances or destroying your opponents. The game goes on until you die without an heir to continue your legacy. Time will pass, but the game stays in medieval times—you may reach the year 1800, but you will not be met with the industrial revolution.

Historical accuracy is huge in The Guild 3 though, as you play in real historical settings such as London, Paris, and more. Everything is built to be as accurate as possible, but the game designers have taken creative liberties in two ways—first, by raising the age of marriage to 16, and second, by giving women a larger role in medieval times. Both of these are welcome changes.

One of the most intelligent and fun features within the game is the AI, as the NPCs in this game take on a life of their own. While our character was busy, we explored other parts of the town and discovered random village women engaged in fisticuffs over their own disagreements. Each villager has their own relationships and decisions apart from any choices that the player makes, creating a much more engaging world.

In addition, the Guild 3 adds on the option of playing the game in first person mode at times; you can literally see through your character’s eyes as you walk around town. While I doubt many people will choose to play the majority of the game in this mode, it’s a fun (though slightly unnecessary) feature that will definitely offer you a new perspective on the game.

Overall, this game looks like an exciting new addition to the series. The Guild 3 is expected to be released on PC sometime this year. In the meantime, you can check out the game on Steam and on the game’s website.

See below for our list of partners and affiliates: