Knights of Honor

 PC
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 26
  3. Negative: 0 out of 26
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  1. Warcry
    95
    An absolute must for RTS players.
  2. PC Format
    86
    Strategically sound, with great replay value, but weak multiplayer. [Dec 2004, p.93]
  3. eToychest
    85
    The depth of the game encourages players to try all kinds of different playing styles. Perhaps the biggest disappointment is that once you’ve beaten the game, you’ve pretty much seen everything there is to see, and the only incentive to go back would be besting a high score or attempting a higher difficulty.
  5. Gaming Nexus
    84
    It’s a lot of fun, and I found myself falling victim to the “just one more minute” tendency frighteningly often.
  6. netjak
    84
    The gameplay is simple enough for casual gamers to like and filled with enough options for more serious strategy gamers to enjoy.
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  7. PC Gamer
    83
    It may not look like much with its dated 2D graphics, but beneath the surface is one of the richest empire-builders around. [July 2005, p.85]
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  8. Gamer's Hell
    81
    It may not be as pretty and as rich sounding as Rome: Total War, but if you want one very extensive game with lots and lots of replay value then give Knights of Honor a try. It doesn’t redefine the genre, but I firmly believe that strategy connoisseurs will enjoy it.
  9. Adrenaline Vault
    80
    A strategic tour de force. The graphics fit the theme and setting, the gameplay is deep, challenging and rewarding, and there’s enough variation between warfare, economics, and diplomacy to suit most players’ personal styles. The replay potential is mammoth.
  10. GameSpy
    80
    Multiplayer options notwithstanding, Knights of Honor is a triumph of play balance, attention to detail, and a wealth of elements coming together to present a challenging and authentic-feeling simulation of medieval politics.
  11. Game Over Online
    80
    If only the battle portion were better and the management section more accommodating of large empires, Knights of Honor would give the "Total War" folks a serious run for their money.
  12. Game Chronicles
    80
    With the wealth of nations and three different time periods, you should have oodles to do just with that- month’s worth in fact.
  13. PC Gameworld
    80
    Loads of replay value and gameplay that will appeal perhaps a little more to strategy buffs than to casual gamers.
  14. GameSpot
    80
    This is an incredibly deep medieval kingdom simulation, and it's the closest to actually being able to put you in the ruling seat of a feudal land.
  15. Computer Gaming World
    80
    An epic strategy game for conquerors who want more than just the standard RTS. [Aug 2005, p.86]
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  16. Worth Playing
    79
    With a vibrant historical backdrop, involving gameplay, powerful diplomacy and interesting strategy, Knights of Honor will have a home on my hard drive for months to come.
  17. GameZone
    78
    Though the complete control might be a little much for most gamers, the ones that learn the game will enjoy it very much. Creating a dynasty, signing peace treaties, and declaring wars really makes you feel like you’re in control.
  18. IGN
    77
    By mixing the real-time empire management of games like "Europa Universalis" with a tactical battle system that seems drawn from Impression's city-building games, Knights of Honor tries to offer a wide variety of experiences. Sadly this breadth causes the game to lose some of its focus.
  19. FiringSquad
    77
    There is an abundance of strategic options, so there is depth in that way, but not all of them work as well as they should.
  20. Armchair Empire
    76
    It has a few areas where the whole package could be tightened up, but the strategy is deep, delicious and crispy like bacon, which is what you want in a strategy sandwi-- I mean, game.
  21. GamerFeed
    70
    An insanely deep RTS game that requires a little more brain power to complete than some of its competitors. With that being said, prepare to be yanked in a billion different ways as there are all sorts of problems that need attending to, but then again, who said that ruling all of Europe would be easy?
  22. GameShark
    70
    The only real downside to Knights of Honor is that the tech is totally lackluster. The graphics are adequate and certainly not the massive three dimensional scale of the Total Annihilation series.
  23. Computer Games Magazine
    70
    A good, if slow, game. [July 2005, p.62]
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  24. Computer and Video Games
    66
    In all, KOH is a studious and elegant RTS that benefits from a smooth interface and a balanced system of game mechanics. But sadly there's only one way to play the game: slowly. It's really quite a sedate experience, in fact too sedate, and after a few plays, only the committed will want to stay with it.
  25. 1UP
    65
    Knights of Honor is never slow and offers plenty of things to occupy your time in each game, but none of it is particularly deep or challenging. Once you've mastered the basic mechanisms of the game, it's just a matter of time before Europe is yours.
  26. Gaming Age
    58
    Overall, if you can get passed the stale visuals and ho-hum same old, same old feeling, and you just love storming the castles, then by all means pick this one up.
  27. My Gamer
    56
    Variety of play and replay value is not enough to make us overlook the aspects that are problematic, like the difficulties in locating and defending some of your cities.

Awards & Rankings

60
#60 Best PC Game of 2005
46
#46 Most Discussed PC Game of 2005
36
#36 Most Shared PC Game of 2005

User Reviews

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User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 136 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 122 out of 136
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 136
  3. Negative: 6 out of 136
  1. JonathanT
    Feb 24, 2008
    10
    Amazing how they can make a game with such low quality graphics into the most addicitve game ever made. Warning: Stay AWAY from this game if Amazing how they can make a game with such low quality graphics into the most addicitve game ever made. Warning: Stay AWAY from this game if you have an addictive personality, you would play this nonstop. The other thing I will say is that the music is brilliant.… Full Review »
  2. jamesensor
    Oct 30, 2011
    9
    I love this game for the following aspects:

    Strategy in real time, no turn based, with high replay value and it's easy to play for initiates.    I love this game for the following aspects:

    Strategy in real time, no turn based, with high replay value and it's easy to play for initiates. No big fancy graphics but they're absolutely on the level. There's developing, recruiting, espionage, coups to take other countries by inheritance with a carefully planned marriage, family to keep your dynasty living on, generals and other vassals to upgrade. There's the pope's crusades to rant about, and another interesting aspect about this is that when you pick a country to start with, you'll also get its religion. Later you can change it too. Other great aspects of the game is the RTS battles with all units in battles or sieges, with the possibility, if you have a nearby army in the world map, to call for aid. But you can either do these battles by a probability factor or as I said, by controlling the army yourself. There's so much more I could say about this game, but it all resumes to this: worth buying, totally.    … Full Review »
  3. tech-noir
    Oct 12, 2011
    9
    As with most strategy games, Knights of Honor is a little difficult to learn, if one is not accustomed to the genre. The developers thought itAs with most strategy games, Knights of Honor is a little difficult to learn, if one is not accustomed to the genre. The developers thought it was a good idea to prevent players from skipping through three different introductions from gaming companies and an intro that is almost three minutes long. This is absolutely unacceptable. To stop this, you are forced to hold down the left Ctrl key while clicking repeatedly the left mouse button (this took some Google searching to discover). What kind of idiotic idea is that? The tutorial is adequate, and the text is accompanied by an ideal voice actor. Voice acting as a whole is excellent. The in-game help system is also very good. There are some issues with crashing from time to time. The user reviewers here were spot on about this game. It is extremely addictive to grow, expand, rule Europe and its surrounding areas. Knights of Honor sucks you in and doesn't want to let you go. The hunger for more power, territory expansion, and blood grows each and every minute. The fun, tension, and excitement increases in strength after every battle, and every province won. You will not notice at all how the hours pass while playing this game. Easily, six our eight hours will expire before you notice. Restroom breaks will also become nonexistent. You will not want to stop! Nothing else will matter! Your eyes will be glued to the monitor! When you are not playing, you will be thinking about strategies to improve your kingdom and to win the game. The game is so good, I even lose sleep thinking about it. I want it all! The entire continent! There is near infinite re-playability, as each of the many kingdoms to choose from will play differently than the next. In addition, each game will also differ from each other, as near limitless alternative history scenarios will evolve and transpire. I would have liked for the game to have the in-game date for perspective. I would have also liked for the player to have access to more than just three religions from the period, with a choice to convert to atheism or at the very least paganism. It would have also been nice if the game included information on what language each kingdom spoke as well. What is also nice is that you can choose to not micromanage the battles. You are allowed to utilize the knights' AI to battle for you. This is one of the most engrossing and absorbing games I have ever played. I admit, that towards the very end, I had grown a bit tired of fighting all the time, but winning the game brought on a natural smile to my face. It took me about 33 hours to take Europe.… Full Review »
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