Machiavelli

Very cool to see the game design program that I studied under continue to improve, grow, and cultivate killer talent! I was definitely not expecting anything close to this level of production quality and I was very impressed. The sound design, the animations and art style, everything is very clean and stylized, and not only coherent but professional and high quality! I was impressed most by the visually appealing cutscenes and the quality of the audio and voiceovers. The tutorial is great, the prospect of one day beating Velli after the scripted loss, improving run after run and unlocking upgrades, creates a great psychological reward system to keep players invested and engaged. Every loss is temporary, and every run is progress. But the player is also rewarded for smart gameplay and thinking ahead - the more souls they can collect, the faster they can upgrade and get closer to winning. For people that like city-builders or even just strategy games, this is a knockout experience. Very well done!

Machiavelli offers an unusual interpretation of the city-building genre, combining kingdom management, roguelite progression, and morally questionable leadership into a strategy experience built around the inevitable downfall of civilizations. Developed by Soul Citadel and published by Bradley University, the game casts players as an immortal ruler who has made a dangerous agreement with a demon. Eternal life comes at a terrible price, requiring the sacrifice of human souls while repeatedly establishing new kingdoms. This premise transforms ordinary settlement management into a continuous struggle between prosperity, political stability, and supernatural obligations. Rather than focusing on building one permanent empire, the experience encourages players to accept destruction as part of their journey toward becoming a more capable ruler. The gameplay centers on constructing settlements using a grid-based building system, managing available resources, and maintaining the delicate balance necessary for a functioning civilization. Every structure contributes to the development of a kingdom, making thoughtful placement and resource allocation essential considerations. Unlike tradition…

Machiavelli is a really interesting mix of city building and roguelite strategy, and I liked the idea behind it almost immediately. I take control of a monarch who has made a deal with a demon in exchange for immortality, but there is obviously a catch. I have to build kingdoms, make difficult decisions and keep providing souls to the demon. Every kingdom eventually falls, so the real goal is to learn from each attempt and do better the next time. The city building is the part I enjoyed most. I have to plan where buildings go on a grid while making sure my population has what it needs. There are several civilization statistics that I need to keep balanced, so I cannot simply build whatever makes the most money. Keeping the kingdom stable while also dealing with the demands placed on me gives the building side a nice amount of pressure. I also liked the resource management because it makes every decision feel like it has a consequence. Random objectives and events can change what I need to focus on during a run, and I have to react instead of following exactly the same plan every time. Royal Decrees and Royal Scales give me more ways to influence the kingdom too. Some decisions ar…

A nice little game. A bit jank and buggy, but hey- it's free and fun.

9/10 Mechanics are good, art is good, sound is good. Feel like could be fleshed out a little more. If you enjoy resource games give it a go!

Just PICK, one of the top 300 games on Steam with ease