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Simulation titles are two a penny these days. As such, the quality can be a bit hit-and-miss. However, as I found with Ship Graveyard Simulator, there are often pleasant surprises to be had. Consequently, when I was given Castle Renovator to look at, I went into it with an open mind. Sadly, though, I was met with an unpleasant issue. In its current build, there is a visual fault that taints the screen with a red hue. Accordingly, there is a workaround where the HDR option must be switched off. Now, you may think it’s weird that I open with this information. Yet, I wanted to get it out of the way before I dissected the action.
Developed by Pyramid Games and published by Ultimate Games SA, this is a medieval building simulation title. What’s more, it has some entrepreneurial elements and some minor resource management layers. As such, it has some depth to its repetitive and basic gameplay. Therefore, if you enjoy a casual and rudimentary simulation experience, and you love the idea of owning a castle, this is probably the game for you.
Castle Renovator has a gentle learning curve and a simple story.
Like all great sim games, you have somehow inherited a massive patch of land from a dead relative. However, you have no idea what to do with it, and you don’t know how to use your tools. Accordingly, you must undertake an array of missions that’ll teach you the basics and reward you with cash and resources. As you work through each mission, you’ll unlock building blueprints and new furniture. Alongside this, you’ll become a landlord, earn buckets of cash, and become the Lord of the Manor.
What was great about Castle Renovator was its gentle learning curve. Thanks to the volume of missions on offer, none of the fundamentals were overwhelming. Instead, the slower approach breaks you in and lets your creative juices flow. While you undertake each quest, you must focus on a range of objectives. Normally, you are expected to clean rubbish, scrub stains, remove trees, rebuild structures, and repair furniture. On top of this, you can search for chests and find notes for extra rewards.
The missions vary in style and length, and occasionally, you’ll be asked to smash furniture and damage walls. Alternatively, you may have to build a rental property, fix a castle, or replace every item of furniture. However, if this isn’t enough, you will be asked to redecorate and replant the garden. Consequently, there is plenty to do, even if the approach is understated.
King of the Castle.
Completing the missions was all well and good. However, I wanted to build a castle to call my own. Fortunately, Castle Renovator allows you to build freely. The aforementioned inherited land is yours to do with as you please. What’s more, you can spend your hard-earned cash on expanding your grounds to make your property as grand as you wish. Alongside this, you may unlock new pieces of furniture by purchasing blueprints and completing a simple puzzle mini-game. This wasn’t entirely in keeping with the action, but it was a fun break from the norm, nonetheless.
Building your castle is the best part of this game. I adored the building mechanics and the simplicity of laying foundations, walls, windows, doors, and roofs. Furthermore, changing the appearance and placing furniture was equally good. Moreover, creating a decorative garden allowed you all the creative freedom you could ever desire. It was just a shame that the missions weren’t as expansive or creative as the free-play area.
Castle Renovator doesn’t look great, but it matters not.
The visual issues will put many gamers off. However, the workaround works perfectly, and the team is working on a fix. Yet, you can’t avoid the dated and rough finished product. Sadly, the screenshots make the game look much more polished than it is. Furthermore, the animation and climbing mechanics are pretty awful. On top of this, the day/night cycle was unnecessary. Because of the lighting issues, the night elements were too dark, and this made playing the game much harder. If you can put these problems to one side, you get a varied game with some nice medieval backdrops. What’s more, building a grand house was an amazing and rewarding experience.
Though the graphics weren’t great, I adored the folksy and dramatic soundtrack. The upbeat music distracted you from the repetitive tasks while transporting you to each medieval setting. Alongside this, the sound effects were great. I liked the noise of each tool and the crashing and banging of every constructed and deconstructed wall, foundation, and ceiling.
The controls were serviceable.
Whenever I tackle a sim game, I want to be able to adjust the control sensitivity. I despise it when cursor speeds are too fast, and Castle Renovator doesn’t have this option. Subsequently, it is tough to get used to as both the player and the cursor move at lightning speeds. Luckily, though, the inputs are responsive and the layout and UI are user-friendly.
The freedom to create the castle of your dreams will keep you playing. However, the missions are repetitive and this was disappointing. Had the developer’s incorporated creative freedom into the main body of the game, it would be vastly improved. Moreover, if a sandbox option had been included, it would have made for a much more enjoyable experience.
Castle Renovator was good, but it could be better.
I enjoy this genre of games, but even with rose-tinted spectacles, I couldn’t overlook the flaws. I appreciated the easy workaround to the visual issues, but the rest of the game was repetitive and understated compared to its peers. With such potential, this could have been an amazing game. Instead, Castle Renovator is good, but it won’t blow you away. Accordingly, I’m on the fence, but I still recommend that you buy it here! Can you make the castle of your dreams? Complete the missions, gather your resources, and be as creative as you like.
