Norland Review: A Medieval Story Generator Like Crusader Kings Meets RimWorld
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Short answer: Norland is a medieval kingdom simulator that reviewers describe as Crusader Kings meets RimWorld. You guide a noble family, manage its people and watch dramatic stories grow out of the world’s systems. It is rated Very Positive on Steam (82% of 2,955 English reviews). It is still in Early Access and its combat and diplomacy are simple for now, but if you love games that create their own stories, it is a unique pick at $29.99.
What is Norland?
Norland is a story-driven medieval strategy game from Long Jaunt, published by Hooded Horse. You lead a noble family and build its estate. Lords and peasants have their own needs, beliefs and relationships, and the drama that follows (feuds, marriages, betrayals) comes from the simulation rather than a script.
| Developer | Long Jaunt |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Hooded Horse |
| Release | Early Access since 18 July 2024 |
| Platforms | Windows |
| Genre | Kingdom simulation, strategy |
| Steam rating | Very Positive (82% of 2,955 English reviews) |
| Price | $29.99 |
What players and critics love
Stories that write themselves
Reviewers love how memorable moments come from the simulation. Every family member and villager has their own motives, which leads to surprising and often funny events.
Crusader Kings meets RimWorld
Destructoid used exactly that comparison: the family drama of a grand strategy game with the close-up colony management of RimWorld.
Knowledge from old books
Technology is not a simple tree. Your people learn from ancient texts, which gives progress a medieval flavour.
What to know before you buy
- It is in Early Access. Recent Steam reviews are Mostly Positive (78%), so expect changes as development continues.
- Simple diplomacy and combat. Reviewers found these systems shallow for now.
- Lots of micromanagement. Running a large estate can mean a lot of clicking.
- Windows only.
Who should buy Norland?
Buy it if you enjoy emergent storytelling and like the mix of family politics and settlement management. If you want deep battles or diplomacy right now, you may want to wait. For another medieval builder, read our Manor Lords review.
Sources
- Steam store page and user reviews for Norland
- Destructoid: Norland coverage
- PC Games (DE): Norland review
- Nexus store page for Norland
Last checked against sources: 10 November 2026.
