Sometimes you just need to have a good clear out and go back to basics. It’s as true in games as it is in real life and that’s the core idea at the beating strategic heart of Thronefall. Instead of being bloated by the ideas and weight of a million titles released over the decades, it’s a stripped-back, minimalist affair that dumps anything unnecessary straight in the trashcan, giving you a lean, mean, pure strategy game.
Currently in Steam Early Access, Thronefall is making its mark as one of the most highly-rated strategy games seen on the platform, with a whopping 97% of all reviews coming in positively. Now, developer GrizzlyGames has just released a big update for the game which will add new challenges for Thronefall players looking to try something new. 15 new game modes have been introduced, each with their own variations on the game’s core rules, and each has been inspired by a request from the community.
In Thronefall you abide by the game’s day/night cycle, building up your town and shoring up defenses by day, then when night falls waves of foes emerge to test what you’ve built and try to destroy your town. Survive the night and it’s back to construction, with extra rewards provided for each building that survived.
In order to achieve success, the canny Thronefaller has to balance defense with looking after your economy, as without income from farms and the like you’ll have little cash to spend on your walls and defensive towers. There’s a hint of hack-and-slash too as you control your town’s ruler directly, able to head out into the field and give the enemy a good thrashing.
Now, when you complete the main level in each area, you’ll unlock new challenges that have all come direct from suggestions made by the community. These upend the game in varying ways, such as a map titled The Great Wall where you start with (appropriately) a huge wall which promises to keep you safe, but will be chipped away each night, while you can only make limited repairs. One Man Army is another new mode, where you’ll be all alone with no defensive structures, but with the helpful ability to buff your character’s offensive power to the moon. And then there’s Or Time Flies, where every day is reduced down to 20 seconds, meaning you’ll have to repair and rebuild fast if you want to make it through the night.
There are tons more modes available, ranging from the devilish to the outlandish. GrizzlyGames also gives a peek at what’s next for the game, with a brand new map being worked on that promises to be revealed soon. You can check out the full update notes on Steam, which also includes balance changes for many of the existing units and structures in-game.
If you’re looking to shore up your defenses and fend off some foes, our guide to the best tower defense games you can play in 2024 will get you where you need to be. Instead, should you want something a little more constructive and less destructive, our guide to the best city building games will have you living in your own metropolis in no time.
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