City builder enthusiasts have an exciting lineup with games like Frostpunk 2 and Cities Skylines 2 on the horizon. While popular strategy games like Civilization and Command and Conquer focus on efficiency and productivity, sometimes neglecting the personal touch, Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles aims to bridge this gap. Developed by solo creator Tomas Sala, Bulwark is a spiritual successor to The Falconeer, offering a unique city-building experience.
Unlike traditional city builders where you repetitively place predefined structures, Bulwark takes a kitbash approach, emphasizing the creation of an infrastructure and involving other factions and individuals in your project. The result is a city filled with diverse settlements, towers, and industrial complexes, each reflecting the unique character and culture of its creators.
Gary Marshall, product manager for Bulwark’s publisher Wired Productions, explains that Tomas Sala wanted to break away from the typical format of city builders, where cities often become impersonal numbers or menus on the side. Bulwark takes an organic approach to building, allowing players to create shapes and structures that fit the environment and culture, embracing the idea that there’s no wrong way to build.
In Bulwark, you’re tasked with building impressive settlements and fortifications to defend against aerial attacks from dragons and airships belonging to enemy factions. Your success depends on recruiting the right captains, leaders, and settlers who can help create a city capable of withstanding these threats.
The game’s minimalist user interface and intuitive mechanics make it easy to dive into the world of Bulwark. Despite the beautiful yet harsh setting, the game emphasizes positivity and resilience, conveying the idea of forging something meaningful from seemingly bleak circumstances.
What sets Bulwark apart is its focus on bringing back the personal connection that players feel toward their creations. The kitbash building system ensures that every building is unique, reflecting the culture and style of its creators. Players become deeply attached to these distinctive structures, fostering a sense of protectiveness and pride.
Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles is offering a free demo on Steam, giving players a taste of its unique city-building experience. While multiplayer isn’t planned, the developer’s organic and maverick approach leaves room for unexpected developments down the road.
As we anticipate the official release of Bulwark, strategy game enthusiasts can explore some of the best titles in the genre or dive into the world of building games on PC.