Overview
During play, the goal is to establish and grow a village successfully in the wilderness of a fantasy kingdom, clearing out all nearby threats. Set in a world roughly based on the lore of both the Norse and the Celts, the game features characters and creatures of fantasy which inhabit the lands surrounding the village.
The player controls an adventurer acting as the leader of the settlement, required both to defend it from attacks and to provide funding for its expansion. While the player's profession is chosen from among a number that specializes in combat, city management, or resource gathering, other non-player characters with more menial professions also periodically visit the village. These peasants and tradesmen can be persuaded to settle in the village if their requirements are met and a home is constructed for them (at the player's expense). Once resident, they can either perform their designated job function (e.g., growing food or smithing weapons), or be conscripted to join the player on expeditions into the unknown.
From an adventuring perspective, the player (and up to three followers drafted from the village) must clear out small zones of enemy resistance in order to claim these for the kingdom. Each zone is populated by less than a dozen enemies, and is denoted with an icon indicating how difficult the zone is expected to be to conquer. Once a zone is cleared, the player gains access to any resources located within, and may also be rewarded with bonus treasure. The number of zones depends on the game length (size) selected when starting the game.
The primary challenge of the game is keeping the village safe while adventuring to find much needed resources for its expansion. Choices must also be made into how to spend funds, in terms of upgrading existing dwellings or adding new ones.
Read more about this topic: Hinterland (video Game)