Let Them Trade is a charming board game-style city builder that’s more relaxing than it looks.
Mashups are common in the city-building genre and contribute to the unique character of each game. Classics like Cities: Skylines II remain true to their management sim roots, while Dawnfolk and Frostpunk 2 incorporate survival elements, and Against the Storm combines roguelike mechanics.
Let Them Trade, a more laid-back version of the genre that is cozier and more board game-like in tone and execution, now makes its debut from developer Spaceflower.
Fans of strategy and city-building games will find Let Them Trade to be a welcome change of pace. It takes a kinder approach rather than putting you in a harsh survival scenario or overburdening you with micromanagement.
You are tasked with ruling a kingdom, establishing trading routes, managing resources, and establishing towns in Let Them Trade. Although there are still obstacles to overcome, like resource constraints and roving bandits, the emphasis here is obviously on chill progression rather than penalizing failures.
The serene and stress-free ambiance of the game is its primary draw. Seeing your cities develop and trade on their own has a calming effect, regardless of your level of experience with the genre.
Although the system lets individual cities take care of themselves, you will still be in charge of tying cities together via trade routes and making sure they connect back to your castle. This automated balance keeps you involved in strategic decision-making while lessening the strain of continual micromanagement.
Your knight is one of the most engaging features. By controlling this guy, you may deal with hazards like bandits and scout more tiles on the map. The only major problem is having enough infantry to prevent casualties or theft; combat is simple and efficient, and the dice roll is automatic. This minimalism highlights the game’s relaxed vibe by giving exploration and progress precedence over strategic combat.
The learning curve is mild in the beginning. Whether you’re brand-new or simply need a refresher, Let Them Trade has a few lessons to get you started. Additionally, you may jump right into the campaign, which offers a number of situations that serve as instructional resources.
These examples are diverse and demonstrate mechanics in a methodical and easy-to-understand manner. For instance, a scenario could expose you to bandits or demonstrate how various resources can be collected and utilized.
Every mission builds on the one before it, letting you use what you’ve learned to tackle new problems in Let Them Trade. There are a few ambiguous goals that could confuse you, even if the campaign does a decent job of explaining mechanics overall.
The obligation to accumulate fifty loaves of bread, only to discover later that the map only shows potato fields and that you will need to conduct a study and construct a bakery, is a noteworthy example. Even if these instances are fleeting, they emphasize how crucial precise, unbiased explanations are.
Let Them Trade is tolerant when you make mistakes, notwithstanding the occasional misunderstanding. It is best to develop close to the limited resource reserves seen on maps, such as coal, stone, and wood. When a city reaches its maximum, you have two choices: look into ways to make it bigger or destroy an existing one.
You will still receive some coins if you go for the latter option, but you won’t receive all of your resources back. The ability to fix errors without facing harsh consequences is a nice element that contributes to the calm atmosphere.
In Let Them Trade, research is crucial because it’s the primary way to upgrade buildings and unlock new features. The research tree is long, and before the benefits of some advancements materialize, further branching research is needed.
While certain additions, like the bar, are more complicated, most upgrades, like adding another knight for defense or reconnaissance, are simple. You’re left wondering whether the tavern makes people happier or less productive. To prevent confusion and guarantee better strategic planning, descriptions could be improved.
Nevertheless, the pace is ideal and the essential systems function flawlessly. You never get the impression that you’re scurrying through menus or fighting to avoid catastrophes. Rather, you concentrate on maintaining trade routes, balancing resource production, and gradually improving your kingdom through deliberate advancement.
Advancement is linked to growing your cities, accessing research, and accomplishing scenario goals—all of which help you get stronger over time—even though there isn’t a standard XP system.
Let Them Trade has amazing visuals. It has a delightful and distinctive medieval board game aesthetic. With a visible game box and a comfortable backdrop with a chair and a cat, the entire game is designed to resemble a real board game.
You can see the grain in the intricate wooden texture of each tile, figure, and resource. Natural elements like mountains, buildings, and figurines all appear to have been hand-carved. This design decision really supports the cozy vibe the game is going for and distinguishes it from other city builders.
Although it leans more toward the ambient side, the sound design works well with the pictures. It never overpowers you with dramatic music or powerful effects, which is appropriate given the game’s general tone.
Without being overbearing, the soft musical cues and effects add to the relaxed atmosphere. When it does occur, dialogue is typically lighthearted and gives the situations more personality to Let Them Trade, particularly when it is in campaign mode.
One of Let Them Trade‘s unspoken advantages is its sense of humor. Occasionally, the writing deviates into scathing satire, particularly when discussing politics and resource exploitation. In one scenario, you are building a golden statue for the king, and as you go along, the town’s happiness gradually declines.
The joke that goes, “No one likes the gaudy, wasteful statue,” is humorous and partially socially critical. In a different scenario, the king makes fun of deforestation and settler colonialism. Let Them Trade‘s straightforward design belies a layer of serious content beneath its tongue-in-cheek humor.
However, nothing is flawless. Keybinding and difficulty settings are the only accessibility options available in sandbox mode. The experience is also periodically disrupted by a few technological problems. Campaign progress unexpectedly reset during testing, necessitating a complete restart.
This was annoying, even if the assignments were brief enough that it wasn’t disastrous. Mismatched character images in dialogue boxes and disappearing user interface elements that could only be resolved by entering a new menu were among the other problems. A dialogue with the king, for example, might instead display the bandit’s portrait.
Despite their existence, these problems do not detract from the experience. These are tiny hiccups in a steady and entertaining game. However, they highlight areas where the experience could be improved and polished with future updates.
The campaign offers diversity without being overly long, and its unique charm comes from the way humor and board game aesthetics are combined. Although there is a need for development in several areas, such as accessibility and upgrading clarity, the base is strong and entertaining.
Let Them Trade is a good addition to your library if you’re searching for a city builder that allows you to unwind, try new things, and have fun while doing it. It’s successful in providing a calm and friendly city-building experience. Its forgiving mechanics and helpful tutorials make it especially welcoming to beginners.
