Love Civilization VI? Rise of Kingdoms Lets You Lead a Civ Against Thousands of Real Players

“One more turn.” If you have played Civilization VI, you know how dangerous those words are. Picking a civilization, growing a city, sending great leaders into battle: it’s one of the best fantasies in strategy gaming.

Rise of Kingdoms takes that fantasy and makes it massively multiplayer. You still choose a civilization and grow a city, but now the map is shared with thousands of real players, the “AI” next door is a person, and diplomacy means real alliances. It is free, and Lilith Games runs a dedicated PC version.

What is Rise of Kingdoms?

A real-time 4X strategy MMO from Lilith Games. You start with a small settlement and grow it into a capital, while:

• choosing one of several historical civilizations, each with its own bonuses and unique unit;
• recruiting historical commanders (famous generals and rulers) and leveling them up;
• gathering resources and fighting barbarians on a huge open map, where marches move in real time;
• joining an alliance to claim territory, take holy sites and fight in large server-wide wars.

Famous commanders from history lead your armies. (Rise of Kingdoms key art)

Why Civilization players will feel at home

Choosing your civilization matters. As in Civ, your pick shapes your early game. Some civs boost the economy, others combat or building speed.

Great people lead the way. Civ’s Great Generals become playable commanders here, with skills and talent trees you develop over time.

Grow a city, expand an empire. Building, research and growth form the same “always something to improve” loop that makes Civ so hard to put down.

What is different

• Real time, real people. There are no turns: armies march across a live map, and the players around you can attack, trade or ally while you sleep.
• Diplomacy is human. No AI denouncing you for no reason. Alliances are real communities with leaders, strategies and group chats.
• It lasts months, not a weekend. A Rise of Kingdoms kingdom evolves over a long season, with events and wars along the way.

The honest part: our Rise of Kingdoms review gave it 6.6/10. It is polished and deep, but it runs on timers and rewards daily check-ins and spending. Go in knowing that it’s a long-term, free-to-play game, not a Civ campaign you finish in an evening.

Your first evening: how to start well

1. Install the PC version with the button below. It’s free.
2. Pick an economy or build-speed civilization for your first month. You get one free civ change if you regret it.
3. Focus on two or three commanders. Spreading XP across everyone is the classic beginner trap.
4. Never leave a builder or research queue idle.
5. Join an active alliance on day one. It is the single biggest boost a new player can get.

For the full start, read our Rise of Kingdoms beginner guide.

Who it is for, and who should skip it

Try it if you love Civ’s “lead a nation” fantasy, you enjoy long-term planning, and you like the idea of real alliances and rivalries.

Skip it if you want a strategy game you can pause, finish and replay on your own terms, or if daily timers stress you out. Civ VI (or Age of Empires IV) will serve you better.

Our take

Rise of Kingdoms is Civilization’s fantasy, rebuilt as a living world full of real people. It won’t replace your Civ campaigns, but it gives you something Civ never could: rivals and allies who think, plan and remember. Your first evening costs nothing.

Founded your city? Tell us in the comments which civilization you picked and how it compares to Civ for you.