The greatest generals know that you can defend a city’s walls from attack, but, behind those walls, hunger can create new enemies. Mandate Order, a thoughtful yet dynamic war city builder game now in early access, is a full-spectrum experience where both swords and ploughshares have their part to play. Game producer Niko from developers Chengdu Digital Sky met with Intel Gaming Access to talk logistics, mechanics, and the Hundred Schools of Thought.
Mandate Order is set in ancient China, and takes its inspiration from both the Spring and Autumn era and the Warring States era, but also, as Niko says, “from the way we understand war itself”. “In many games,” Niko explains, “city management and warfare are treated as separate experiences: players build a city, accumulate resources, and then enter a distinct combat phase. We see war differently. A war does not begin only when two armies meet on the battlefield.”
Mandate Order runs with this concept—how war shapes and displaces ordinary life, and how many resources are required to sustain war. “From the beginning,” Niko continues, “we wanted management simulation and military strategy to exist within the same interconnected system. Recruiting soldiers removes workers from the economy. Expanding the army adds pressure on equipment and logistics. For us, management is not simply the preparation phase before a war. Management is part of the war itself. “
Ancient China makes for a dazzling setting, with vividly imagined scenes of domestic life as well as authentically costumed armies. But it’s not just about the aesthetics. “We do not want Chinese culture to exist only as a visual style,” Niko confirms. “We make sure the mechanics and gameplay work, and then allow culture to give them a distinctive strategic meaning. Mandate Order is designed for players who enjoy city-building, management simulation, and resource-management games, as well as strategy players who want military systems to play a more substantial role within a city-builder. We want players to experience the complete transformation of a city-state—from disorder to stability, and becoming stronger.”
And those one hundred schools of thought? The eras inspiring Mandate Order saw an explosion of moral and military philosophy. “As the city develops, players can recruit retainers associated with different schools of thought, including Confucianism, Mohism, Legalism, military thought, and agricultural thought,” Niko continues. “Different retainers influence governance, production, and military development, allowing each playthrough to follow a different path. Players will also experience large-scale real-time tactical battles. They can command formations through line-drawing controls and organize the battlefield using chariot charges, troops stationed on walls, and a range of offensive and defensive equipment. Every expansion creates new needs and new decisions.”
This is more, then, than a fight for survival. “As a playthrough progresses, the player’s focus shifts from immediate problems to long-term ambitions,” Niko explains. “As the city develops, the player can advance through the nobility system and eventually claim the title of king—an open challenge to the existing political order.” Once a state becomes powerful, those around it respond to the new threat. “This marks the point at which late-game pressure truly escalates, and everything the player has built is tested again.”
With this complexity come PC requirements that, as Niko says, are not “particularly light”. “If a player’s GPU supports technologies such as XeSS or DLSS,” Niko adds, “they can achieve a smoother and more stable experience while more fully enjoying the scale of Mandate Order.” City states are not built in a day and it’s understandable that a game of this scale takes resources. It’s also understandable that game development may not always be a smooth process. “Because of some of Mandate Order’s distinctive interaction systems, we encountered a conflict with the frame-generation component of XeSS,” Niko recalls. “The Intel team proposed constructive technical solutions and worked with us to validate different approaches, helping us overcome the issue within a short period of time. This experience showed us that the value of a technical partnership is not limited to access to a particular feature. It also lies in having timely, professional, and highly practical support.”
As Niko says, the problem was short-lived, but the team’s appreciation of XeSS continues. “XeSS gives laptop users—particularly those using systems equipped with Intel Arc graphics—an opportunity to achieve a mainstream gaming experience that can approach desktop-class performance. We are deeply impressed by XeSS, both its real-world performance and the efficiency of its integration and debugging process.”
Mandate Order has entered early access, so what’s next for the team at Chengdu Digital Sky? “We will maintain regular development updates, and players can see how their feedback is translated into concrete changes,” Niko says. Mandate Order officially launched on August 12, so sign up for the early access game now, and start building the foundations of your city, ready for war….
Buy Mandate Order Early Access on Steam.