Last month, Long Jaunt Studio released the beta for the latest update to its hit medieval kingdom simulation, Norland, allowing players to test out patch 39 and its features before it launched. Today, patches 39 and 40 are officially live, bringing plenty of new features and quality of life improvements alongside the updates.
Norland Patch 39 introduces 90 new enhancements to the simulator, with each improvement serving to make gameplay noticeably more pleasant, logical, and engaging. Spouses now sleep together to save house space (including the king and queen in the castle), affairs only have consequences when caught in the act, and characters will only cheat under stricter and more logical rulesets.
You’ll also see a specific reason for refusal when trying to date certain characters, and the loyalty mechanic has also been removed after the introduction of politicians. These characters now have followers, meaning they are defined through relationships. Politicians also have special desires, known as political demands, each of which has certain consequences for completing or ignoring.
Norland Patch 40 is also a significant update, as it allows players to continue playing, even after defeating the Inquisition and proclaiming their monarch Emperor. The power system gets another improvement, too, as the crown can now be passed to the Bishop, and the talent system has been restored to its previous state.
Other important changes include:
- Dog speeds up walking for blind characters – One of the most heartfelt requests ever received, so it was impossible to ignore.
- Improved auto-battle simulation – Auto-battle on the world map is now significantly more accurate, taking into account the presence of walls, watchtowers, and archers firing at the advancing enemy army.
- General alcohol ban reinstated – Based on feedback, developers brought back the overall alcohol ban in the dynasty menu, as it remains the best way to deal with alcoholism.
You can see the full list of patch notes for updates 39 and 40 right here.
Norland is available on PC via Steam Early Access for a typical price of $29.99. For more information on this and all of the other updates the medieval kingdom simulator has received since its release, be sure to check the rest of Simulation Daily.
