- Noble Fates vs Going Medieval both deliver medieval colony sims, but differ in camera and depth.
- Noble Fates offers a fully 3D world with first-person control and deep character minds.
- Going Medieval plays as a top-down 2.5D builder focused on walled-village defense.
- Conquest update adds kingdom-versus-kingdom warfare unique to Noble Fates.
- Choose Noble Fates for simulation depth; Going Medieval for straightforward building.
Noble Fates vs Going Medieval: Core Overview
Both games sit in the RimWorld-inspired colony sim space, but they split on presentation and simulation philosophy. Noble Fates, available on Steam, builds a fully 3D kingdom where you can possess any character and manage minds individually. Going Medieval keeps a fixed isometric 2.5D view with layered terrain and emphasizes settlement defense and religion.
The Conquest update pushed Noble Fates further into large-scale kingdom warfare — raising armies, marching on rival mountains, and claiming territory — which Going Medieval does not replicate.
Noble Fates
- Full 3D world with zoom and first-person control
- Every character simulated with traits, moods, opinions
- Conquest update: kingdom-vs-kingdom warfare
- Noble hierarchy, succession, and dynasty planning
Going Medieval
- Isometric 2.5D with multi-level building
- Settler needs, schedules, and religious systems
- Focus on village defense against raids
- More accessible, building-centric loop
If you want to roleplay inside your colony — walking in a settler's shoes and managing noble politics — start with Noble Fates. If you want a cleaner, more traditional builder where defense is the star, Going Medieval fits better.
Gameplay Systems Compared
The systems gap is where the decision really happens. Combat, simulation depth, and progression differ significantly between the two.
| System | Noble Fates | Going Medieval |
|---|---|---|
| Camera | Full 3D, possess any character | Fixed isometric 2.5D |
| Character sim | Deep minds: traits, opinions, grudges | Needs, moods, skills |
| Combat | Raids, sieges, offensive conquest | Defensive raids only |
| Nobility | Thrones, titles, succession, marriages | Simple settler roles |
| Crafting | 100+ items, quality tiers to legendary | Broad but flatter tiers |
| Endgame | Conquer rival mountains | Survive and grow village |
Combat deserves special attention. In Noble Fates, weapon families matter: hammers incapacitate for prisoners and ransoms, spears hold chokepoints, and late-game firearms arm your war parties before sieges. Going Medieval combat stays reactive — building killboxes and walls against attackers.
Noble Fates asks more from the player early: mood management, noble opinions, and succession planning all matter from season one. Going Medieval ramps slower and is generally friendlier to genre newcomers.
Defense and Combat Depth
Defense philosophy separates the two experiences sharply.
In Going Medieval, your village is a castle-in-progress: multi-level walls, traps, and chokepoints turn raids into puzzles. In Noble Fates, defense is only half the equation — the Conquest update means rivals launch coordinated full sieges against you while your own war parties can march out and take enemy mountains.
Fortify
Reinforce walls, build layered defenses, and station crossbow guards on permanent wall duty in either game.
Equip
In Noble Fates, move from bows to crossbows and muskets; plate armor slows wearers, so assign it to static defenders.
Project Power (Noble Fates only)
Form a war party led by a martial noble, provision food, and march on enemy-held mountains.
Claim Territory
Conquered mountains join your kingdom — settle them, strip loot, or use them as forward bases, but mind supply lines back home.
Noble Fates rewards capture over killing: blunt weapons incapacitate, captured enemy nobles become ransom chips, and well-treated prisoners can become loyal subjects. Going Medieval offers captures too, but with less long-term political weight.
Character Simulation and Management
Noble Fates simulates every character's mind — this is its signature system and the biggest divergence from Going Medieval's settlers.
| Aspect | Noble Fates | Going Medieval |
|---|---|---|
| Memory | Characters remember treatment | Limited grudge tracking |
| Status | Throne holders, nobles, peasants | Flat settler hierarchy |
| Loyalty | Defections can take followers along | Settlers may leave |
| Dynasty | Marriages, children inherit traits and claims | Not simulated |
| Traits impact | Traits drive promotion and succession choices | Skill modifiers |
Practical management tips from the Noble Fates community: give nobles private rooms (shared quarters tank noble mood), check the mood tab daily, and assign jobs by traits rather than raw skill — an Industrious pessimist outperforms a skilled lazy worker over a season.
Fast Learner, Tough, and Great Memory top most tier lists in Noble Fates — they compound over a kingdom's lifetime. Avoid Pessimist and Sickly characters when recruiting.
Noble Fates Kingdom Milestones:
- Give every noble a private room with a door
- Promote two loyal subjects to noble status
- Arm wall guards with crossbows and plate armor
- Form and equip your first Conquest war party
- Arrange one dynastic marriage for alliance
Verdict and FAQ
Bottom line: Noble Fates vs Going Medieval comes down to ambition. Noble Fates is a deeper, more political, 3D simulation that now includes offensive kingdom warfare through the Conquest update. Going Medieval is a tighter, more accessible medieval builder where the village itself is the game. Many players own and enjoy both.
Q: Is Noble Fates harder than Going Medieval?
Generally yes. Noble Fates layers noble politics, succession, and offensive warfare on top of colony survival, while Going Medieval keeps the loop centered on building and defense.
Q: Does Going Medieval have anything like the Conquest update?
No. Conquest — kingdom-versus-kingdom warfare with sieges and territory capture — is unique to Noble Fates among the two. Going Medieval focuses on defending your settlement.
Q: Which game runs better on older PCs?
Going Medieval's 2.5D presentation is typically lighter. Noble Fates' full 3D world with deep character simulation is more demanding, though performance has improved across updates.
Q: Can old Noble Fates saves be used with the Conquest update?
Yes. Existing kingdoms carry over — you can raise armies from your established population and use stockpiled gear to launch your first offensive.