The air is thick with the smell of burning torches- hushed and frantic voices cutting through the normally serene twilight. The night was young, and it would be long, as had been many nights before it. Wooden stairs creak under leather-soles, as you make your way up the tower and out onto the chemin de ronde. Soldiers bustle along the narrow path, preparing for the inevitable battle that lies ahead: Swords, explosives, hot oil- no expenses spared. Not now. Far too much is reliant on this. Your kingdom is reliant on this. Locking eyes with of one of the newer recruits, you move your gaze from a crate of explosives to the far end of the wall. He nodded, momentarily lowering his gaze before lifting the cargo. "Yes, Your Grace," he set into motion just as quickly as the words left his mouth.
Looking out to the distant fields, you can only make out faint clusters of soldiers, small fires alight within each, plotting and preparing for what is to come: The assault. Your glove squeaks in protest as you rest a hand along one of the lowered portions of the freshly reinforced parapet. You'd done well this season in pleasing your subjects, leaving your coffers full, allowing for the more advantageous renovations to the once-dilapidated wall. There had been worse seasons, but this one was in your favor, as difficult as some choices had been. The Crown was a heavy burden to bear.
 You can feel the tension begin to rise, making the beauty of the magenta and cerulean sky feel eerie; foreboding even. This would be the last sunset for many men: the final hymn. Some would not live to see tomorrow, all for the sake of defending the kingdom and all the lies within it. Your grip along the stone tightens, eliciting a small squeak of protest from the leather. It was all coming to a head now. In the distance, you see the clusters of men shift, slowly weaving into a battle formation. Any moment now. Your eyes graze the wall, and the men standing atop it- preparations were complete. With a heavy hand, you grasp the hilt of your sword, removing it from it's sheath, and pointing it skyward. The time was NOW.
"My brothers-!" you begin, chest swelling with determination. You look to meet the gaze of each soldier you can, knowing full well what is at stake.
The Crown is, indeed, a heavy burden to bear.
 

Easily one of the most beautiful views, demonstrating some rarely-seen skill in pixel art.

Yes, Your Grace is the brainchild of developer Brave at Night. Releasing in March of 2020, it's been out for a fair amount of time. However, with the up and coming release of the sequel, Yes, Your Grace: Snowfall, it's a game well worth experiencing before the Quarter 1 release. A mixture of Point and Click with Kingdom Management, it's an absolutely unique title. Each of your choices matter as you weigh the needs of your kingdom as a whole, your people, and your own family. Not everything is as black and white as it appears, and some of the consequences of your actions are much more far-reaching than they may initially appear. With easy to understand controls, gorgeous pixel graphics, a fantastically deep story and an outstanding musical score, while somewhat short, there is so much here to love.

You will never quite know what to expect...

Step into the shoes of King  Eryk of  Davern, and bear the responsibility of the crown. Surrounded by your loved ones; Queen Aurelea, as well as Princesses Lorsulia, Asalia, and Cedani, there is often a lot going on not only within your kingdom, but withing the structure of your family. Beyond your immediate familial ties, you also have members of your court to direct, as well as managing military power, your gold income, and your supplies. To add to your list of Kingly duties, invite neighboring Lords to your castle, make alliances, and gain additional troops and resources. However, aide is never free. Weigh your options carefully. Assisting one Lord may alienate you from another, perhaps in more ways than one.

Your end of day summary, and where you manage most of your potential expenditures and upgrades. 

While management plays a large part in Yes, Your Grace, one of the two strongest elements of the game is it's storyline. While at first the story may seem deceptively simple, straight forward, and just about as par the course as one would come to expect from a medieval-dated RPG, players will quickly come to the realization it is the absolute farthest thing from. While the marriage of your eldest daughter, Princess Lorsulia, may just seem like another day in the Kingdom of Davern, this singular event is absolutely pivotal. Prepare for a most lavish event, making sure each and every detail is in place. You've planned accordingly. Clearly nothing could go wrong... could it?

 
 Little does everyone know how vital some of little Cedanis "agents" may be.

Part of what helps draw players into the beautifully crafted narrative, is the skillfully crafted soundtrack. While most of the vibrant and rich melodies are composed by Carlos Filipe Alves, the eerie and beautiful vocals are provided by the Polish metal-folk band Merkfolk. I sincerely cannot overstate enough that this game is worth playing for the music alone. Both forces are masters at their craft, bringing life and raw emotion to the world of Yes, Your Grace. Players will all too easily find themselves humming haunting tunes when they least expect it. It is an absolutely perfect marriage of talent that Brave at Night has arranged, and I cannot praise them nearly enough for it.

While not overwhelmingly vast, there are more places to explore than merely the throne room.

Yes, Your Grace is a wonderful tale, with multiple endings. Depending on your choices throughout the game, you can have a whole plethora of outcomes. Some are more positive, while others may leave you contemplating your life choices. Post game, you get an overview of how you shaped the lives of those around you- and you could be in for some post credits guilt (though achievement hunters may just have to grin and bear it). With Yes, Your Grace: Snowfall rapidly approaching, it has yet to be seen what may or may not fall into "cannon" lore, but there is sure to be some based on the trailer. So while you may have chosen poorly in your own run, know that, perhaps, not all is lost. It is still up in the air as to whether prior decisions will impact the plot of the sequel, though for simplicity sake, it perhaps appears they may choose to go with a more established timeline.

Based on your choices, help lead your army to victory.

In short, Yes, Your Grace is an absolutely unique masterpiece. It weaves together fantastic storytelling, music, and kingdom management in a way that is not too overwhelming or overbearing, keeping itself open to a broad player base. Easy navigation and user interface are a boon, and it's easy to find yourself caught in a loop of "Just One More Day". Characters are a sheer delight, each being very unique, making them fun to learn about and how they fit into the world. Brave at Night has done a beautiful job in bringing together some of the best elements of a whole array of genres, that is well worth looking into. In doing so, they've truly created something wonderful and unique that is well worth the price tag, and time.

Yes, Your Grace is available on the Steam Marketplace for $19.99 USD.
Yes, Your Grace: Snowfall is set to be released in Quarter 1 of 2025.