The reading room behind Spruceharbourgames

Spruceharbourgames is a small editorial site for people who play medieval kingdom and castle strategy games for months at a time. We write about six realms that have been running for years, from Goodgame Studios, Imperia Online JSC, XS Software, Xyrality, Plarium and Gameforge, and we write about them as the serious, long-haul games they are.

Our reviews come from playing. Every review starts with a new keep on a public world and runs through a full month of ordinary upkeep, alliance chat and the occasional siege. We play in desktop browsers and, where they exist, in the companion apps, because that is how most rulers actually live with these games across a week.

We are based in Canada, which shapes some of our advice. Alliances that span the Atlantic, operations planned for European evenings, and long winter nights at the desk all show up in what we recommend. Where a game’s pace or scheduling makes life harder for North American players, we say so plainly.

Bannock, the big Newfoundland dog who greets you on the home page, is our guide through the site. Like the breed, the job is steady and patient: carry the maps, keep the reviews warm and point newcomers toward a realm that suits them.