Roguelike Strategy Game Crown Must Hold Announced

The game is being developed by the creators of There is No Light.

Publisher HypeTrain Digital and developer Zelart have announced Crown Must Hold, a roguelike tower defense strategy game where players build their own empires, develop their economies, and hold off waves of the undead. The project is in development for PC, though an exact release date has not yet been announced.

The main feature of Crown Must Hold is a fresh take on the genre. Instead of placing individual defense towers, players combine entire empires, each with unique buildings and traits.

Items play an important role in gameplay by influencing empire development. Some items boost the economy, others improve defense capabilities, and others can radically alter how specific buildings function.

Capturing additional lands grants access to resources and new building opportunities, but it simultaneously stretches the defensive line.

Progression is not limited to individual runs. Experience earned during campaigns and repeat playthroughs can be invested in permanent upgrades for unlocked empires. Strengthening them makes it possible to conquer more dangerous regions and complete longer runs. In addition, special points can be spent on increasing castle durability and expanding available slots for items and relics.