The hole left after finishing Baldur’s Gate 3 can be tough to fill – my friends and I just this week wrapped up a near 100-hour campaign, and now we’re looking for the next RPG to take our attention. One worthy contender in that field is Wartales, the open-world, turn-based medieval strategy game from developer Shiro Games that sees you (and your friends, if you’d like) leading a band of mercenaries in search of adventure, fortune, and glory. Already boasting an impressive 91% Steam rating from over 21,000 reviews, a new DLC just dropped that transforms the epic into a management sim.
New Wartales DLC The Tavern Opens sees your merry band of adventurers opening their very own establishment for drinking, merriment, feasting, and revelry in the RPG game. After all, with so much time spent wandering the lands under your squad’s belt, you’ve probably got a pretty good idea what the average traveler is looking for from such a fine establishment.
Your tavern is run by your troop, and is a great way to earn money, earn experience for your companions, and boost the number of bounties you can take on at once. There are even some rewards exclusively available through this new feature. You’ll be able to lay out all the furniture and decorations using the same tools as you would for your camp, earning prestige and, in turn, more clients as you try to keep the customers satisfied.
With 14 different factions that can show up, each with their own requirements and preferences, you’ll have to decide how best to appeal to your target audience. You’ll learn new recipes, including specialty dishes, and can even engage in a little subterfuge to go undercover at rival establishments and learn their secret recipes – or even just outright steal their profits out of the pockets of their clients to create a sense of unrest.
As your tavern is upgraded, you’ll be able to serve more customers at once, stock your cellar with fancier barrels of alcohol, and even adjust your prices to match your ever-growing reputation. Grow large enough, and there’s the option to upgrade location, starting out from a humble shed in Tiltren and ultimately setting up shop as a major ale house in the city of Gosenberg.
Developer Shiro Games says this new expansion “is designed to be played both with your current playthrough as well as a new one. Although a long-term commitment will be rewarded, it is also possible to visit the tavern less frequently, or to focus solely on it if you’re already in the late game.” Personally I quite like the idea of my band hanging up their adventuring boots in favor of a roaring fire and a dishcloth over the arm. If you’re feeling the same way, there’s even a Steam sale right now, making it the perfect time to jump in.
Wartales DLC The Tavern Opens is out now, with a launch discount of 10% meaning you’ll pay just $11.69/£9.89 if you buy it by Thursday May 2. Alongside this new addition, you can also get 25% off the base game through Wednesday April 24, meaning you’ll pay just $26.24/£22.49 for that if you’re quick to pick it up.
If the establishment of establishments is something that really speaks to you, here are the best management games to live out that fantasy in all manner of ways. Or if strategy is your true calling, the best turn-based RPGs have plenty of that to offer.
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