Expeditions: Viking

Recommended: Like shouting "Skål!" with tears in your mead—absolutely
They told me this was a turn-based strategy RPG.
What they didn’t tell me was that I’d form a bond so deep with my warband that I’d cry into my keyboard when one of them died trying to save a settlement I barely cared about until that exact moment.
You don’t just play Expeditions: Viking.
You lead.
You suffer.
You micromanage inventory weight like it’s your actual back pain.
Let me tell you about Runi One-Eye.
He wasn’t the strongest. He wasn’t the smartest.
He just had this stupid lopsided smile and a habit of singing off-key when he sharpened his axe.
Said he wanted to go west to “see if the sun’s warmer on the other side of the sea.”
He wasn’t even supposed to be in the front line.
But when the Saxons ambushed our camp, he was the first to charge.
Blocked two javelins with his shield. Took a third in the leg.
I told him to fall back.
He told me, “You said we make our own fate. Let mine count.”
He held that chokepoint long enough for me to flank around and save the village.
We won.
Barely.
When I got to him, he handed me his father’s dagger and said,
“Give this to someone worth leading. If that’s you, keep it.”
He didn’t make it through the night.
And yeah, I reloaded.
Four times.
Tried every combo of tactics, turns, healing, and prayers.
But the game said: no.
Runi’s time had come.
That’s when I knew.
This wasn’t just tactical combat.
This was storytelling through survival.
This was history, but bleeding—on a snow-covered hill, under a sky that never cared who lived or died.
Other games ask you to min-max.
This one asks you what kind of leader you are when the choices aren't clean, the consequences are real, and your friends don't respawn.
Final Verdict:
Expeditions: Viking is one part strategy, one part survival, and one giant Viking-sized serving of feels.
The combat? Sharp.
The decisions? Heavy.
The memories? Carved into my soul like Runi's name on that warband roster I can’t bring myself to delete.
10/10. Would raid, trade, and weep again. Skål, old friend.

I was pleasantly surprised by this game. The strong storyline really drew me in, and had me role playing as the son of a dead thegn trying to restore his father's territory to greatness. That sounds trite, but, not all game stories are compelling. Some are just a bland pretext to play the mechanics of the game. In this case, the game is the pretext to tell the story, I appreciate that.

Sure, there were a few warts, such as clunky UI components, trying to find the right pixel to loot objects, poor buff and debuff tooltips, quests that can be unintentionally blocked from completion if you discover them in the wrong order, consequences that weren't fully explained before a choice, etc.

But overall, I felt this turn-based tactical combat game really explored the culture and morality of being a viking during their heyday. The story was rich, the choices felt consequential, and the politics felt well thought out.

This wasn't groundbreaking new territory, but the subject matter was fresh, and the story hooked me well enough to get me to put down my other games and play through it, once I got started. That tells me something about how good it was.

I just finished this game and I thoroughly enjoyed it. That being said, there are gameplay mechanics and small issues that could lead to some frustration for the unprepared or unwilling.
Bad stuff first. The most annoying thing in this entire game is trying to get the little hand cursor to appear to pick up loot. You will find yourself messing with the camera to poke through barrels and chests constantly.
This game has a time limit. I strongly dislike time limits in my games, but the good news is that I had more than enough time and that was with me going back and forth to Denmark a bunch and generally goofing off. Don’t overdo it with the camping, and you can really stretch the time limit quite a bit.
As for the camera, it simply does not zoom out enough, but other than that, it’s easy enough to move it to your liking.

This is just a minor gripe but one more bit of jank. Sometimes you won’t be able to equip items and you have to leave the inventory menu and come back to resolve it. Not a gamebreaker by any means, but irritating, nonetheless.

The gameplay itself is very good, but I did have to restart as I didn’t quite understand the systems at work with SP and resource management. You want each of your hirdmen to only specialize in one or two weapons. This rule goes for most skills (1 or 2 support skills, etc.) If you attempt to make a jack of all trades, you are going to struggle on medium difficulty or above. When you start acquiring extra hirdmen, make sure you pick one to heal, one to tinker and craft, etc. You will have enough party members to pimp out camp. One more thing I wish I knew when I started, without the use of thralls, you will have a difficult time doing everything you want in your homestead, so it is good to focus on either power or prosperity as opposed to both (I used no thralls for the entire game).

Dialogue options in this game are many and meaningful. You have characters with personality, everything is well written, and the number of dialogue options can be dizzying for somebody who locks up at A or B style questions. The hirdmen’s dialogue is well written and the story is interesting. There are even a few mysteries left that I didn’t uncover…
Now for the meat and potatoes, the battle system. In short, it’s excellent. You will be killed and probably more than once, but once you learn how to use the battlefield and when to deploy traps or use skills, the game becomes a thrill ride. There is an excellent cover system at work here as well, and you can hide units behind hirdmen with shields, as well as obstacles. You are going to want to do this, as archers are DEADLY and can wipe out a party quickly.
In general, you want to utilize cover and deploy skills to limit the accuracy of ranged units. While doing this, you want your sword (or axe) and boards to block access to your archers, healers, etc. utilizing unit placement to also force archers to waste turns on tactical moves. It is all really well done, and once you get the hang of it, it is really fun.
So, yeah, Expeditions: Viking, it’s really good. I’m jumping back into Conquistadors next!

IN A NUTSHELL: a very decent turn-based strategy game with an amiable story. Buy if you like choice-making games and turn-based strategy. Rating is 8,8/10.

This game is the first game of its genre I've played, so keep it in mind that I don't have much experience of other similar games.

But darn if it isn't good, I love this game. Played it through a few times, there's nothing bad I could REALLY say about it, since I feel like I would be nitpicking at that point. Turn based combat is good, and I like how in-depth the character skill trees are. Characters are decent and the story is simple, but it works well. Also it was rather beginner friendly for a goblin like me who only has two functional brain cells when playing strategy games.

Overall I would give this game a 8,8/10

Best of the expeditions historical CRPG trilogy in my opinion. The most customisation in regards to what your character can do, and while there is time limit everything you do doesn't feel time-wasting and adds to the overall narrative while giving you just enough time to get everything you want to do done. Enjoyable companions and a historically realistic setting of Charlemagne era Viking exploration of the northern British isles. Nice touches such as unique looking designs for upgrading your companions armour. One complaint is wolves are horrifically over-powered and pack swarms will give me nightmares for the rest of my life.

I play offline and I finish the game. So the hours are not correct. I have many more.
It is an old game, but it seems new.
Great game. Even if I am not into invader-game, here, the story is great and no one is fully good or fully bad. It has sarcstic humor too wich I like a lot.
It had a time-line but it is okay to manage. You can choose super difficult to super easy.
You can cheat at the time-line but the sucess will be blocked.
Sometimes the remark's lines on the top-left are too quick to read.
What's else ? Great companions, great choices, super fun combat, many languages available.
I will look at the for expeditions rome since I really like expeditions viking.
I will replay this game for sure.

Expeditions: Viking, developed by Logic Artists and published by THQ Nordic, is a turn-based tactical role-playing game set in 790 AD. It immerses players in the role of a newly appointed Viking chieftain leading a modest clan on a quest for wealth and glory in the British Isles. The game combines strategic combat with rich storytelling, offering a narrative-driven experience that emphasizes player choice and consequence.
The game's narrative unfolds as the player navigates the complexities of Viking society, forging alliances, engaging in raids, and making decisions that impact the fate of their clan. The story is deeply rooted in Norse mythology and history, providing a backdrop that is both educational and engaging. Players encounter various factions, each with their own agendas and cultures, allowing for a dynamic and immersive world.
Combat in Expeditions: Viking is turn-based, requiring strategic planning and tactical execution. The system is reminiscent of classic RPGs, offering depth and complexity. Players must consider terrain, unit positioning, and the unique abilities of their party members to succeed in battles. The game also incorporates a morale system, where the emotional state of characters can influence their performance in combat.
One of the standout features of the game is its emphasis on choice and consequence. Decisions made throughout the game can lead to different outcomes, affecting relationships with other characters and the overall direction of the story. This aspect adds replayability, as players can explore various paths and scenarios.
The game's world is richly detailed, with diverse environments ranging from lush forests to desolate battlefields. The art direction captures the harsh beauty of the Viking age, and the attention to detail in the environments enhances the immersive experience. The soundtrack complements the setting, with a score that evokes the spirit of Norse legends.
However, the game is not without its flaws. Some players have reported technical issues, such as crashes and problems with the autosave system. These issues can disrupt the gameplay experience, especially during lengthy battles. While patches have been released to address some of these concerns, they may still impact the overall enjoyment for certain players.
In conclusion, Expeditions: Viking offers a compelling blend of strategic combat, rich storytelling, and meaningful player choices. Its deep narrative and immersive world make it a standout title for fans of tactical RPGs. Despite some technical issues, the game's strengths shine through, providing an engaging and memorable experience for those willing to embark on its journey.
Rating: 8/10