🎯 Rating: 7.5/10 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆☆

📜 Overview
Knights and Merchants is a real-time strategy (RTS) game released in 1998 by Joymania Entertainment. Set in a medieval world, it blends city-building, economy management, and tactical combat. Players must gather resources, construct buildings, train troops, and manage supply chains while leading their kingdom to victory. The game is known for its deep economic system and large-scale battles, but it also has a high learning curve.

🌟 Pros
✅ Deep Economic System – A complex resource chain that requires careful management.
✅ Challenging Gameplay – The game demands strategic thinking and patience.
✅ Large-Scale Battles – Can feature hundreds of units on the battlefield.
✅ Classic Medieval Aesthetic – Pixel-art graphics hold nostalgic value.
✅ Long Campaign – Features many missions with increasing difficulty.

⚠️ Cons
❌ Steep Learning Curve – The lack of tutorials can make the game hard for newcomers.
❌ Slow-Paced Gameplay – Building an economy takes time, which may not appeal to everyone.
❌ Clunky AI & Pathfinding – Units often get stuck or move inefficiently.
❌ Dated UI & Controls – The interface feels outdated compared to modern RTS games.
❌ No Multiplayer (Original Version) – The original lacked online multiplayer, but later versions added it.

💬 Player Sentiment

Positive: Fans appreciate its detailed economy, strategic depth, and nostalgic charm.
Negative: Criticisms focus on its slow pace, unit pathfinding issues, and difficulty spikes.
🏆 Rating Breakdown
🏗 City-Building & Economy: 9/10 (Highly detailed but requires patience)
⚔ Combat & Strategy: 7/10 (Engaging but hindered by AI issues)
🎨 Graphics & Atmosphere: 8/10 (Charming, though dated by modern standards)
🕹 Controls & UI: 6.5/10 (Clunky and could be more intuitive)
📖 Replayability: 7.5/10 (Campaign is long, but the slow pace may deter some players)

🎯 Final Verdict
Knights and Merchants is a solid medieval RTS that stands out for its deep economy management and large-scale battles. While it has aging mechanics and frustrating AI, it remains a cult classic for fans of old-school strategy games. Recommended for hardcore strategy lovers but may be too slow or complex for casual players.