Platforms: PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One
Initial release date: May 9, 2024
Developers: GameChanger Studio, Neon Doctrine, Another Indie
Series:Â My Lovely
Genres: Indie game, Adventure game, Strategy video game, Strategy
Publishers: Neon Doctrine, Another Indie
Engine:Â Unity
You can please certain people all of the time, and you can please all of the people at times, but not all of the time.
That has never been truer for me than while I was playing My Lovely Empress, an empire management game. It’s the third installment in the ‘My Lovely’ series by GameChanger Studio, which collaborated with Neon Doctrine on this release.
Don’t worry if you haven’t played the others; it doesn’t matter, but let’s see if you should prepare for a wonderful reign in My Lovely Empress, or delegate the responsibility to someone else!
How will you handle the pressure?
The Crimson Empire is ruled by Emperor Hong, who rose to the throne through terrible circumstances. His father, the former Emperor Khan, died years ago as a result of a treachery by the Yaoguai, strong mythological monsters. Empress Dowager took over the duty until Hong was mature enough to take it on, and she mentored him until her death from a mystery illness. This ill-fated family experienced another loss when the Emperor’s wife Xiang became ill and died. Distraught and inconsolable, Hong determined to resuscitate Xiang at any cost, including making a bargain with the Yaoguai.
That’s the crux of what’s going on in My Lovely Empress’s incredibly gloomy beginning, but it’s vital to set the tone because the Crimson Empire’s darkest days are still ahead. Politics is also prominent in the narrative, with advisors and neighboring monarchs responding to Hong’s actions, which is fine. However, the Yaoguai infusion results in significantly more intriguing encounters because each creature has a distinct personality. Getting to know them through a visual novel-style setup is a wonderful respite from the extremely tough gameplay.
The final goal is to keep Xiang’s soul alive long enough to figure out how to raise her from the grave. The soul requires essence to survive, and if the overall amount reaches zero at any point, it is ‘game over’. Everything you accomplish occurs in seasonal cycles, which are divided into turn stages, and it is at the climax of each cycle that the soul’s vitality is further depleted. To satisfy this demand, you’ll need to build a prosperous empire that focuses on a variety of factors.
As the monarch of the kingdom, it is critical that you control the purse strings and maintain peace with the people of the nation. The latter must retain a reasonable level of trust with commoners, traders, aristocrats, and troops. This stimulates the economy, causes a natural growth in the population, and reaps benefits. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done.
A kingdom awaits.
During a cycle, several problems arise, and you must use a limited number of action points to resolve them. It could be as simple as a land ownership dispute between two of the aforementioned organizations, or it could be a complex issue involving multiple parties. While you can roughly predict which conclusion will benefit each side, the quantity of trust gained or lost remains uncertain. Your decision may also have passive effects, both favorable and negative, such as a higher percentage of currency rewarded for so many turns and a greater trust deficit toward one party.
Much like those in genuine positions of power, you will feel the consequences of every decision and will frequently consider what is best for everyone. It’s also helpful to have objectives show up to keep you focused on the appropriate things and to bring your attention to other regions at times. However, the death of your wife takes precedence over everything else, necessitating the summoning of the Yaoguai.
The Yaoguai are ten Asian mythology-inspired entities who give My Lovely Empress new life while also causing her death. If you collect the right objects to summon each one, you’ll encounter Gumiho, the seductive fox; Lady Emei, the snake-like mermaid; Picsis, the adorable mermaid; Shabah, the unorthodox genie, and others. They all have unique characteristics, helpful traits, and can be ‘awakened’ into a better form.
Their purpose is determined by your strategy, with one option being the power to cause calamities and exterminate the population. It’s a risky yet worthwhile endeavor to harness human essence for the fading soul. On the contrary, a creature can be sacrificed in exchange for essence and a special boost, but you will lose the ability to employ them for other purposes. Activities such as searching for objects, resolving issues that only Yaoguai can solve, assigning them investigation responsibilities on ordinary concerns, and meditating to regain stamina – legendary creatures, too, grow fatigued.
The Yaoguai awake.
Another thing to consider is your relationship with other rulers in the area, as this might lead to more prospects for your empire. Romance is even on the cards, but juggling all of the aforementioned factors while also attempting to please everyone is difficult. You see, there are a couple reasons why you can’t just breeze through the campaign.
Given the volume of issues that develop, problems may timeout before being resolved, simply due to a shortage of action points. Some Yaoguai-specific chores also required more stamina than their maximum limit, requiring you to awaken them, something you are unlikely to be able to do. Before long, everyone who is still living despises you, and there is a figurative empty pot where the money used to be. That was certainly the case for me, and the Crimson Empire had a worse future than the UK following Brexit.
Even with a detailed tutorial that explains every new function, the difficulty curve is quite high, and your first attempt is sure to be a disaster. Smart decisions about unleashing disasters, sacrificing Yaoguai, noting seasonal exclusive activities, and making the most of neighboring rulers can all be valuable in future attempts. Still, it’s difficult to reach the many endpoints in position. It’s possible that the depleting soul essence forces severe judgments to be made quickly, destabilising everything that has come before. Perhaps there are too many temptations, and it appears impossible to engage in all of the varied aspects.
Moving on, the amazing images are presented in a Chinese ink-brush style. As a result, the characters are beautifully crafted, with the people exuding grace and the beasts appearing fascinating. The overworld layouts for each empire provide uniqueness to the surroundings, and the cutscenes, albeit sporadic, are adequate to convey essential plot themes. In terms of audio, while the BGM is well-suited, the sound effects during discussions are really unpleasant. There are only so many moans, shrieks, groans, and so on that one can take before it becomes overwhelming. I understand that it’s not a voiceover, but it would be nicer without these sounds.
Step up!
Finally, My Lovely Empress is an entertaining management simulation that nearly perfectly replicates the extremely difficult task of running an empire. That is not to suggest you should not try your hand at it; the storyline is fantastic, and the difficult decisions are well implemented, so even the tiniest success is enjoyable. Furthermore, the Asian inspiration for the location, the Yaoguai, and the gorgeous artwork all work together to create a well-crafted environment. Unfortunately, the complexity is rather off-putting, with too many flames to put out and the continual overhanging threat of resurrection.
Review Overview
Gameplay – 88%
Controls – 85%
Aesthetics – 90%
Content – 86%
Accessibility – 82%
Value – 87%
Overall Rating – 86%
EXCELLENT!
Summary: “My Lovely Empress” stands out as a beautifully crafted experience, offering a compelling blend of narrative depth and engaging gameplay. The visuals are stunning, with intricate details and a captivating art style that truly bring the game’s world to life. Controls are responsive and intuitive, making for a smooth gaming experience. The content is rich, providing plenty of hours of enjoyment with a well-paced story and diverse challenges. Accessibility features are decent, catering to a wide range of players. Overall, this game is an impressive achievement and a must-play for fans of the genre.