Dinolords: Medieval Strategy Meets Dinosaur Mayhem in a Unique RTS/ARPG Hybrid

When you hear "medieval strategy game with dinosaurs," your mind might immediately jump to something like Age of Empires but with T-Rexes. The developers of Dinolords wouldn’t mind that comparison, but it doesn’t quite capture what their game is really about. Dinolords is less about commanding armies of dinosaurs and more about managing the intricacies of medieval lordship—albeit with the occasional dino rampage thrown in.

At its core, Dinolords blends real-time strategy (RTS) with action RPG (ARPG) elements, creating a unique gameplay experience. You don’t control entire armies from a god’s eye view as in traditional RTS games. Instead, you embody a single noble lord who’s tasked with defending the kingdom after some crafty Danes manage to thaw out a few dinosaurs from Greenland's ice fields. Your perspective is locked in an isometric view over this lord as you guide him through the battlefield, issuing commands, building defenses, and personally engaging in combat.

This might sound like a jarring shift for hardcore strategy veterans used to commanding armies from above. But the result is a more intimate, hands-on approach to warfare. When the Viking-saurus hordes appear, they’re already at your gates, and you’ll need to balance directing your troops with diving into the fray yourself, swinging swords and firing arrows. The strategy here isn’t just about grand tactics but about making split-second decisions in the heat of battle.

To make this closer perspective work, the game introduces streamlined controls for managing your units. Giving orders to multiple soldiers is as simple as holding down a key, free-mousing over them, and letting go. It’s intuitive and quick, keeping you in the action without bogging you down with complex menus. And while Dinolords might not offer massive army battles, there’s still room for clever maneuvers. For instance, I watched as one of the game’s designers had his lord leap over the enemy’s front line to take on a more dangerous dinosaur cavalry in the rear, showcasing the game’s emphasis on tactical decision-making.

One of the more intriguing elements of Dinolords is the ability to steal dinosaur eggs and hatch them yourself, eventually allowing you to ride these beasts into battle. While I didn’t get to see this in action, the concept adds another layer of strategy, as velociraptors can help you scout the battlefield more quickly, offsetting the limited vision of the hero-cam.

But the dinosaurs aren’t just for show—they pose genuine threats. Enemy raptors can scale your town’s walls, snacking on archers, while Danish T-Rexes are bred specifically to tear down static defenses. Each breed of dinosaur presents a unique tactical challenge that requires you to think on your feet. And while your lord is powerful, he’s not invincible, so you’ll still need to rely on traditional RTS units to hold the line.

Outside of battle, Dinolords offers a more familiar town-building experience, though with a twist. As the lord, you’ll start by gathering resources and constructing buildings yourself, sprinting around to transport goods or help with construction. Eventually, you’ll recruit enough villagers to automate these tasks, but the game still allows you to jump in whenever you want. This hands-on approach to managing your fief gives you a sense of direct involvement in your people’s prosperity—a feature I find particularly appealing.

For someone who’s never fully clicked with pure strategy games like Total War or Age of Empires, Dinolords might just bridge that gap. The combination of direct action and strategic oversight creates a unique experience that’s more engaging than simply watching tiny soldiers do the work for you. And while the dinosaurs add a fun sci-fi twist, the real charm of Dinolords lies in the way it blends genres to offer something truly different.

So if you’re looking for a strategy game that’s a bit outside the box, keep an eye on Dinolords. Whether you’re building a medieval town or fending off a T-Rex-led Viking invasion, this game promises a fresh take on the RTS genre that’s worth checking out.