Steam's "Games Made in Sweden" sale is currently offering significant discounts on a selection of titles, including three highly regarded microstrategy games: Bad North, Kingdom Two Crowns, and The Battle of Polytopia. These titles can be purchased together for just over $10 USD or under £10.
Bad North presents a minimalist yet challenging approach to island defense, tasking players with repelling Viking invasions across various diorama-like islands. The gameplay loop involves moving between islands each turn to manage troop placement, upgrade units, and unlock new abilities in an increasingly difficult series of encounters.
Kingdom Two Crowns offers a unique take on the "build a settlement, defend against nightly attacks" formula. Set to a tranquil soundtrack by Amos Roddy and featuring striking pixel art, the game allows players to explore their side-scrolling kingdom on horseback, reinforcing defenses, expanding their population, and discovering island mysteries. A notable mechanic involves a coin purse, which limits how many coins can be carried for upgrades and spills over when full. The game also supports split-screen and online co-op, with various thematic settings available, including Viking, ancient Greece, and feudal Japan.
The Battle of Polytopia is described as a streamlined 4X strategy game designed for faster-paced play. It allows players to complete campaigns against other players in approximately 30 minutes, a departure from the lengthy playtimes often associated with the genre. Despite its accessibility, Polytopia offers substantial depth with 16 distinct civilizations, three game modes, and even diplomatic mechanics, making it suitable for players seeking shorter, engaging strategy experiences.
While many other Swedish-developed games are also discounted, including Vermintide 2 for $3 and Townscaper, the sale notably excludes Arc Raiders.