I’ve always had an interest in the Middle Ages and medieval timelines. And while I don’t hark back wishing I was around at the time of the Bubonic Plague or being at constant risk of being burnt at the stake by religious zealots for not kneeling at the right times, I do like the idea of there being no TikTok or Snapchat.
Step forward Going Medieval, the colony sim by Foxy Voxel that has just come out of Early Access after a five year period incubating, and spoiler alert, it is as amazing as I expected it to be. My background with the game is non-existant. I have literally never played it during Early Access and have been playing the review build for just a few days, so this is in no way a full review, merely impressions and observations from my time spent so far with it.
I have however spent more than enough time in Rimworld to see the similarities that work and the different mechanics that improve in many ways upon that classic. Let’s dig in.
Starting in the year 1353 – which I really hope is deliberate and a nod to the classic Flight of the Conchords comedy track ‘Summer of 1353’, the video of which is below, you are welcome if you have not heard it, rather than a happy accident.
It matters not, because I would never have thought I would be able to pop that YouTube vid on The Escapist. Anyway, I began with the tutorial and then the easiest settlement setting, being aware from Rimworld how things can escalate quickly if you aren’t careful.
I remember leaving my Rimworld colony for half an hour thinking it was paused while I went for a coffee and came back to the entire place being burnt to the ground and everyone dead or dying from third-degree burns. I never played it again. Hours of work lost.
The GM tutorial has been upgraded for the v1 release and consists of 25 pages of actions to complete before it’s done. These range from stuff like pressing WASD to learn movement to later digging mines and being shown how to go up and down levels.
It was useful but not that quick to complete. On my first playthrough I got to part 23 and had to go out. I quit out expecting to come back to it continuing on but I needed to do the whole thing again, which was slightly annoying. Just something to be aware of. Leave enough time.
Once into the game proper I could at least put what I had learned in the tutorial to instant use with my new three settlers. I set them off building their first semi-detached hovel and somewhere to pop all their starter cabbages and, using my knowledge from Rimworld, concentrated on setting up their daily routines and job priorities. This system is nigh on identical to RW, so if you have played that you will be at home from the off. If not, the bank of numbers facing you may, initially, be a little overwhelming.
Thankfully, helpful explainer pop-ups appear so, as long as you hit pause and stay calm, you can get through it.
Starting in Spring you have enough time to get set up for the harshness of winter, certainly in terms of shelter and food. You will quickly progress to planting your cabbage seeds so you can get your five a day and keep rickets at bay. Simply assign your best gardener to the job, zone out some crop fields when they become available and get started immediately and you should be just fine. Cabbage soup for everyone. Hurrah.
Over the course of the coming weeks and months a trader appeared, which I was not really ready for as I didn’t have much to trade, but really wanted some of the things he had. Trades are completed by bartering items that add up to a value with items from your stash of a similar value. I could have easily handed over my lovely goat but decided she would come in more useful further down the line. This was a solid choice.
Next up a chap called Athelstane (having just finally got round to watching all six series of Vikings, I appreciated that one) limped up telling us he was to be burned at the stake by his people and hoped we’d take him in.
We were warned that would come at a cost as we would face an attack if we harboured his satanic-worshipping ass, but well, I’m a nice bloke who fights for common folk so we patched him up and took him in. In honesty, I knew the extra pair of grubby hands would come in useful.
An ominous counter appeared telling me I had but a few days to prepare for an attack on my two huts and a campfire, so I better get ready.
Using knowledge from the end of the tutorial I basically whipped my clan into day and night defensive work before a negotiator appeared on the scene. There wasn’t much chat to be had though as the only thing they wanted was to me to hand over old Athelstane so they could light him up. Not gonna happen pal, not on my watch, so the attack commenced.
My well fortified camp and worthy villagers won the day and we even caught a prisoner. Much like Rimworld to keep a prisoner you need a prison. I hadn’t built one as I had neither the time to build one, nor expected to need one so soon, so he escaped and I let him drag his wounded carcass into the woods and hoped the foxes would get him. Still one less mouth to feed with winter approaching.
You can see how the game goes here, like Rimworld, it is as much a generator of individual stories as it is a game, and I am hooked once more. After only a few hours gameplay relatively speaking I can already tell you tales of our struggles.
Already I know in Going Medieval there will never be enough hours in the day, I will never have enough colonists to perform anywhere close to what I need doing. I will constantly be trying to force extra hours work from them to build more stuff, prepare more food and gathering enough resources to get through the next winter. They will get annoyed, they might get ill, and they might die.
The pressure continues to crank up until the lid blows off but that is the fun of it. How long can you actually survive? It might not be as long as you expected.
I haven’t even scratched the surface of Going Medieval V1 before the embargo lifts so I offer you this so far with the promise of a fuller review in the future.
For now though know I am working my way towards building some gallows, because well, the next one isn’t gonna get away so lightly. I am a kind ruler, but don’t try and take my Athelstane away.
Going Medieval is now out of Early Access and is available on Steam.
Everything you need to know about Going Medieval but were afraid to ask
Going Medieval is a medieval colony simulation game where players guide a group of settlers trying to survive in a harsh post-plague world. You build shelters, farm crops, manage resources, defend your settlement, and expand your colony while dealing with events, traders, and hostile attacks.
Yes, Going Medieval shares several similarities with RimWorld. Both games focus on colony management, assigning jobs and priorities to settlers, surviving seasonal challenges, and reacting to random story events that shape how your settlement develops over time.
Players manage a small group of settlers who must build shelters, gather resources, grow food, craft equipment, and defend themselves against raids. Over time your settlement expands into a larger fortress with more colonists, complex production chains, and stronger defenses.
Going Medieval can feel overwhelming at first because of the many management systems involved. However, the updated tutorial and helpful in-game tooltips guide new players through the basics of building, farming, job priorities, and colony survival.
To survive winter in Going Medieval you need to prepare food stores during spring and summer, build proper shelters for settlers, and keep supplies of fuel and resources ready. Farming crops like cabbage early on and turning them into meals such as cabbage soup helps ensure your colony has enough food when the growing season ends.
Some useful Going Medieval pages to help you get started:
- Going Medieval Beginner’s Guide: how to get off to a good start
- How to build a Great Hall
- How to get hay in Going Medieval
- How to tame animals in Going Medieval
Last Updated On: Mar 17, 2026 4:04 pm CET