I dive deep into every corner of a game, chasing side quests, collectibles, and every achievement. The King is Watching, a roguelite kingdom builder from Hypnohead and published by tinyBuild, grabbed my attention the moment I learned I could “rule by the power of my royal gaze.” In my nearly thirty hours of play across multiple runs, I found a bold concept wrapped in a solid core—but not without a few rough edges.
Overall Impressions
The King is Watching stands out for its blend of resource management, army training, and random events that change each run. It sits comfortably between a traditional kingdom builder and a roguelite like Slay the Spire, yet it carves its own niche. Every decision—from investing in farms to drafting new troops—carries weight. When it works, it feels thrilling to see my realm thrive under careful stewardship. When it falls flat, it’s usually during those marathon runs with no mid-run save. If you’re anything like me, who plans to zip through events, clear every challenge, and snap up all achievements, that absence of a save system is a sore point. The developers have pledged a patch soon, prioritizing this feature. If you can wait a few weeks, you should—but right now, prepare for longer sessions or risk losing progress.
Gameplay Mechanics
At the heart of the game lies a simple but effective loop: allocate resources, upgrade your realm’s buildings, train an army, and face events. The “royal gaze” mechanic lets you personally choose which building or unit to empower each turn. That touch gives you a sense of direct control I rarely see in kingdom builders. I had standout moments when a rampaging wyvern threatened my borders. I diverted food production to recruit wyvern hunters, and that choice saved my realm.
The game shines with its dynamic event system, ensuring every run feels unique and engaging. Players benefit from a clear, responsive UI that makes resource management and stat tracking intuitive. Hidden achievements tied to secret events add another layer of replayability, rewarding curiosity and thorough exploration. These strengths make each playthrough feel fresh while motivating players to dive deeper into the experience.
However, the absence of a DPS meter leaves combat feedback lacking, making it hard to track which unit types underperform. While some players joke about “executing” weaker troops, a proper data display would offer real insight. The lack of a mid-run save system also creates frustration, as long, demanding sessions risk being undone if you need to stop early. These missing features highlight areas where future updates could significantly improve player satisfaction.
Story and Characters
The narrative framework is light but engaging. You are the unseen monarch; your advisors—such as Lady Mirabel, the treasurer, and Captain Torren, head of the guard—offer dry commentary on your choices. They’re not fully fleshed-out heroes or villains, but their banter and occasional personality flashes enrich the experience. I found myself chuckling when Lady Mirabel groaned at my decision to funnel gold into training over taxes. World-building is delivered mostly through event cards: you learn of peasant revolts, monster sightings, and political plots as they happen. It’s a clever method, though I’d love to see more voiced lines or deeper advisor backstories in future updates.
Visuals and Graphics
Visually, The King is Watching opts for a clean, stylized 2D look with vivid colors and simple animations. Buildings glow when upgraded; troops march in neat pixel-art formations. Maps are drawn like storybook illustrations, with textured backgrounds and neat iconography. The game’s tone—medieval but playful—shines through every menu and cutscene. I appreciated the clear readability: resource counters, army strength, and event text stand out crisply even after long hours at my monitor.
Sound and Music
The soundtrack balances regal fanfare with ambient medieval tunes. Tracks swell when you conquer an enemy or complete a major upgrade, then drop to a gentle harpsichord melody as you plan your next turn. Sound effects—hammering at the blacksmith, marching drums, creaking castle doors—add subtle immersion. There’s no full voice acting, but occasional advisor lines are voiced in a pleasant, if minimal, style. Overall, the audio design never overshadows gameplay; it supports the mood without growing repetitive.
Difficulty and Replayability
Difficulty scales smoothly. Early runs feel forgiving, allowing you to learn resource ratios and army compositions. By mid-game, you’ll face calamities like drought or rebellion that demand tough trade-offs. As a completionist, I reveled in challenging runs, especially after unlocking harder tiers. Replayability is strong, thanks to procedural events, unlockable portraits, and achievement-driven content. Yet that missing save feature can hamper mid-run restarts if life intervenes—an issue the developers are addressing. Once patched, I expect The King is Watching to become a roguelite daily habit for many.
Trivia and Developer Notes
Hypnohead, a small indie studio, has teamed up with tinyBuild to ensure thorough quality checks for its latest title. The developers confirmed that mid-run saving—the community’s top request—will arrive in a public update within the next few weeks. Looking further ahead, the community roadmap teases exciting additions, including a DPS meter for units and expanded advisor storylines, signaling a strong commitment to ongoing player-driven improvements.
Final Thoughts
The King is Watching delivers a fresh twist on kingdom-building roguelites. Its engaging resource-army balance and unpredictable events kept me glued to the throne. The missing mid-run save and a lack of detailed combat stats are the main drawbacks—but both are on the developers’ radar. For completionists like me, this game offers dozens of hours of content, layered challenges, and a steady stream of achievements. I look forward to revisiting it after the next updates.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
