[Find Your Indie] Nova Roma is promising city-builder, brought to you by Hooded Horse

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Nova Roma is an upcoming city-building and strategy game from Lion Shield, the studio behind Kingdoms and Castles, and publisher Hooded Horse. Set to launch in 2025 on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, this RTS game drops you into 324 AD. Emperor Constantine tasks you with building a new capital, Nova Roma (modern-day Constantinople), as the Roman Empire begins to decline.

Nova Roma puts you in charge of a new settlement on the Bosphorus and your goal is turn it into a city that can rival old Rome. As the head of a Roman house, you’ll manage resources, build structures, please the gods, and keep your citizens happy. The game mixes city-building, resource management, and strategy, while focusing on historical accuracy and features like dynamic water and mixed-use buildings.

Here are the core features of Nova Roma

• Dynamic Water and Weather Systems: Nova Roma features physically simulated water system where terrain directly affects water flow. You can build dams and aqueducts to create reservoirs, which then impact soil fertility and how you plan your city.
• Mixed-Use Buildings: Inspired by Roman urban design, apartment buildings feature ground-floor shops (tabernae) like food courts or barbers, independent of the residents above.
• Complex Supply Chains: You can develop logistics to transport resources like stone, wood, and food across territories. Managing these chains is critical to meeting citizens’ needs, from basic necessities like bread to luxuries like wine or gladiatorial games.
• Citizen Needs and Growth: As your population grows, so do their demands: pottery, wine, entertainment, and more. Citizens evolve into roles like scholars, gladiators, or thespians, requiring you to balance their work and leisure.
• Divine Intervention: Building temples to appease gods is crucial to avoid their wrath, which can manifest as environmental disasters. Divine blessings can boost your city’s prosperity.

Aims to fill a gap in Roman-themed city-builders

Lion Shield, made up of Pete, Michael, and Samuel, draws clear inspiration from their own game, Kingdoms and Castles, building on its success with a similar style. Originally slated for a 2024 release, the game has been delayed. In fact, the developers have stayed quiet about updates, continuing to work on Kingdoms and Castles.

Nova Roma aims to fill a gap in Roman-themed city-builders, a genre underserved since Caesar. Its dynamic water system, mixed-use buildings, and emphasis on daily Roman life distinguish it from competitors like Pax Augusta. Don’t forget to take a look at the trailer down below.