To the mountains in the early dew – fm4.ORF.at

What an authentic setting: The strategy building game “Laysara – Summit Kingdom” allows us to settle on the highest mountain peaks, inspired by Himalayan cultures.

Written by Rainer Siegel

A mysterious fog spreads in the valleys and says: To the mountains. In a construction strategy game “Lisara – Summit Kingdom” Let us build a thriving city on the steep slopes of huge mountains, with all the trimmings, with houses, yak farms, handicraft workshops, beekeeping and of course, to please the gods, a majestic temple on the top of the mountain. It sounds difficult – and it is.

Below and above the tree line

The difficult task of planning is made even more difficult by special circumstances. On the one hand, there is generally less space here than in the green meadows on which we build our cities in other games, and on the other hand, there are dangers, such as dangerous avalanches, which, if I don't take precautions and plan wisely, could bury entire settlements.

Altitude is also a decisive factor in construction: at the bottom of the mountain it is easy to grow grains, in the central areas cultivation is actually limited, and at the top only meditating monks have anything to do with it.

Beautiful and innovative

The aesthetics and specific architectural solutions with which I approach my circumstances here are inspired by the real cultures of the Himalayan peoples of Nepal, Tibet and China. For example, suspension bridges and freight elevators ensure movement between parts of the settlement spread across the mountain.

However, it is not easy to create complex economic cycles including logistics here; Due to the limited area of ​​the settlement, the construction strategy game turns into a difficult puzzle in some game situations. Fortunately, the game looks very impressive thanks to its mountainous setting, which will keep you highly motivated to keep improving.

“Laysara – Summit Kingdom” finally brings something new to its somewhat crowded genre, the mountainous challenge and new Himalayan setting make the game interesting. It's currently still in Early Access, but it already offers more new ideas and fun than many off-the-shelf strategy games.