Going Medieval stole my heart with a large, cursed hole

Going Medieval has finally left early access after five years, and it’s grown from a RimWorld-like into something that can feel as devilishly complex as Dwarf Fortress. One of its cleverest touches is how research works: scholars produce physical chronicles, textbooks and theses that must be stored and protected, so knowledge can be lost to fire or rebuilt through fresh writing.

I set out to dig a huge cellar but quickly realised I’d overreached. My colony numbered just four people, one of whom—Redmund—was consigned to research duties, while the others split time between digging and routine chores. After ten days of effort I scaled back the design and converted the finished pit into both storage and a makeshift infirmary.

Problems multiplied. Redmund’s strange obsession with convalescence meant he lingered in the infirmary until I destroyed the bed to snap him out of it. Then rats poured in, stripping my food stocks and even killing a baby goat; I had to draft everyone and fight the swarm across multiple levels.

going medieval, early access, rimworld, dwarf fortress, research, scholars, chronicles, cellar, infirmary, rats