What are the best games where you can play as royalty or nobility?
A common theme throughout gaming, royalty and nobility is often seen in fantasy and medieval settings. There are some games where you can start out as royalty, such as the Prince of Persia series, but others where royal characters are a central part of the story, such as The Lost Crown and its new protagonist, neither of whom is actually a prince.
We’ve added Xenoblade Chronicles’ Melia, from the sequel to one of the best RPGs of all time, to the list. She’s the future queen of the High Entia and is an example of how a character’s background may not be quite what you’d expect. In addition to that, we’ve brought you ten other games where you can either play as royalty or their family members, allies, or subjects.
Here are ten games where you can play as royalty:
The Lost Crown: The Lost Crown has a new protagonist who is not actually a prince, but he’s a nobleman who discovers a secret that threatens the crown. While the game is a point-and-click adventure, there are also some Action sequences, such as riding a horse and swordfighting.
Yes, Your Grace: Yes, Your Grace is a game where you play as a king and must manage the needs of your people to keep them happy. It’s a unique concept that has you building and defending your kingdom.
Hades: Hades is a game set in the Greek underworld, where you play as Prince Zagreus, son of Lord Hades. Your goal is to overthrow Zeus and take over Mount Olympus.
Odin Sphere: Odin Sphere tells the tales of various kings and queens through the perspective of one character: Alice. She meets many rulers and nobles on her journey, and each character has a role in the story.
Fire Emblem: The Fire Emblem series often features characters of royal blood. Some of the more recent examples include Marth, the Prince of Altea, Chrom, the King of Ylisse, and Corrin, the future King of Nohr, who played prominent roles in their respective Fire Emblem games.
Kingdom: Kingdom is a 2D side-scrolling game in which you build and defend your kingdom. As the king or queen, you work with your subjects to grow your land by sending them out on various missions, or you can build up your city alone.
Fable: The Fable series allows you to start as a prince or princess. You build a revolution against the king or queen, who is usually corrupt or evil in some way. In Fable 2, you can seduce your spouse and have children, who may then carry on your legacy when you die.
Final Fantasy 15: Final Fantasy 15 follows the journey of Noctis, a prince who becomes king. He sacrifices himself for his people, and then the game continues with a new cast of characters.
Crusader Kings 2, 3: Crusader Kings 2 and 3 give you the opportunity to strive for the highest station in life: being king or queen. Build vast kingdoms, forge diplomatic alliances, and wage war on your enemies. The series is a popular strategy game, and the third installment is even more so, with an expanded world and better graphics.
Reigns: Reigns simulates ruling a kingdom by swiping to balance four pillars of rule: the nobility, the church, the people, and the military. As you progress through the game, your kingdom will grow and more factions will emerge.
Civilization: As you’d expect from a strategy game series, many of the leaders in Civilization are historical figures. Some of them were royalty or nobility, like Cleopatra and Tsar Peter of Russia.
Dishonored: In Dishonored, you can play as Corvo Attano, bodyguard to the empress, who is framed for her murder. Dishonored 2 sees Corvo and Emily Kaldwin, the new empress, fight against the corrupt aristocracy. One of the ways you can take out your targets is by using supernatural powers, like possession.
Ni No Kuni 2: In Ni No Kuni 2, you play as King Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, who has lost his kingdom. He and his new friends must travel to other lands to find the legendary Wizard and help Evan reclaim his throne.
That’s our guide to ten games where you can play as royalty. If you’re looking for something more unique, take a look at our best indie games, our favorite free PC games, or the best RPGs. We’ve also got plenty of new games on the horizon, which you can read about in our monthly game preview series.
