Let me first state that I am a stand-alone gamer, and I am naturally disgusted with online games that require money to draw cards and force social interaction. I had this game pre-installed on my mobile phone back then. I clicked on it and played it for half an hour, and then I realized - this is not a game. It is clearly a "krypton gold mining + regular part-time job" simulator dressed in medieval skin. Civilian players serve as backgrounds for the bosses. You work hard all day to hold back resources, and they recharge to upgrade to a top-level barracks in an instant. Then they treat you like a wild monster. 😒
Let's talk about socializing, such as alliances, countries, world hegemony... It sounds very lively, but in fact it just requires you to check in online at a fixed time every day. If you don't play, you will fall behind, which is more tiring than going to work. For single-player hunters, games are supposed to be a haven to escape reality, but online games bring all the comparisons and social pressures in reality into it. What's the point?
Standalone games are different. You can pause at any time while playing "The Witcher 3", play cards when you want, and push the main line if you want. No one is shouting in your ear, "Go online soon, the war is about to begin." One game of "Civilization 6" can last half a month, and the save can last for several months. You can continue playing when you come back. Degree of freedom? This is true freedom. Games should be tools that serve me, not me serving their ancestors. 👌
"Clash of Kings" is still alive after six years, not because of its gameplay, but because of human weakness and sunk costs. If you really want to experience strategy, go out and play "Shogun: Total War" or "XCOM 2". That's the decision-making and battlefield pressure, not just clicking on a building and waiting for three hours.
Anyway, I will never touch this kind of game in my life, and the money saved is enough for me to buy ten independent games. Finally, I would like to say: The atmosphere in the gaming industry has been corrupted by this kind of "free to play, fraudulent charges" thing. A stand-alone machine is your forever home. 💪