erman developer Funatics is continuing the Cultures franchise with Northland, a game that takes the art style, gameplay, and plot from (in particular) Cultures 2: The Gates of Asgard.

In Cultures 2, four heroes defeated a giant serpent capable of destroying the world of men. During their quest Hatschi, Sigurd, Bjami, and Cyra rejuvenated cities and civilizations they came upon during their quest using a Sims/god-game hybrid style of play. After the serpent was defeated, the friends went their separate ways, celebrated joyously, and this is where Northland starts.

Players have the choice of continuing the lives of Cultures 2’s heroes through the single-player campaign or opt for up to six gamers to join in on the included multi-player missions. There is also a free play option for those that just want to build and chill.

While the story is interesting and infused with Norse legend, it’s the multiple difficulty levels, whimsical art style (which is a good thing), and hands-on management of individuals that makes this more engaging to a wider audience of players. Somewhere between The Sims and Civilization, Northland fills a unique gap in the strategy genre.  

ADAM BIESSENER   7 Northland does a decent enough job of combining The Sims with resource management and town planning, but I can’t recommend this over the much better options within the PC simulation and strategy genres. Also, Viking women are apparently only good for cooking, cleaning, and popping out babies, which seems a bit archaic. I’d look elsewhere for your strategy fix.