"Ertugrul of Ulukayin has the potential to be a great game, but it has a very serious problem: very few people outside Turkiye know who Ertugrul is and what Ulukayin means, which will have a catastrophic impact on sales, unless the Turkish gamer community come out in force to support it."
Singleplayer.
Ertugrul of Ulukayin is a fantastic AA game, and with the right series of events, could be the start of a franchise which could eventually transition into AAA territory, almost every aspect of the title is slightly above average or better, which when combined with its very reasonable retail price makes it a very attractive purchase for fans of regional mythology.
Unfortunately for the developers, Turkish mythology is not well known outside Turkey.
Few people know who Ertugrul was except for history buffs and fans of the canceled Ertugrul TV series, which will have a determinantal effect on sales.
Due to the prevalence of Japanese and, more recently, Chinese titles hitting the mainstream, Chinese and Japanese culture and mythologies are incredibly well-known to gamers, joining Norse, Greek, and Roman mythologies in the global gamer consciousness.
But I must be realistic. While I know a fair deal about various mythologies and am an avid fan of history, I know very little about Turkiye, and, with very few exceptions, no one I have spoken with does either, despite having discussed other mythologies with various people over the years.
Anyone who has read my reviews before knows I am a Christian.
To me, mythologies are just another good fantasy yarn. However, a good yarn is beneficial when it comes to selling games. I am more likely to want to play a game set in a mythology I know more about than risk my time (and money) on a title based on a mythology I know very little about.
This is because I have a vague idea what to expect when a game is based on one of the more prominat mythologies, I have a pretty good idea what a game based on Roman, Norse or Greek mythology will look and play like, but If I had not played Ertugrul of Ulukayin and did a little extra research on the man and myth, I would have no idea what to expect, and to be honest If I were not reviewing this title, I would not have taken the time to play it, with so many other titles clamonring for my time and attention..
While some bugs need to be addressed, and occasionally parrying and blocking can feel “off”, overall, for an AA title, Ertugrul of Ulukayin has excellent combat. I must admit that I enjoyed it, finding it similar to a less refined Ghost of Tsushima, or a slightly more refined Mount and Blade: Warband, without the benefit of the latter’s exceptionally good directional combat.
While unfamiliar with much of Turkiye’s history, I enjoyed the setting, characters and lore. I would certainly like to experience more of it in the future, whether via the full release of Ertugrul of Ulukayin or a future sequel or unrelated title set in the same mythology.
For an AA title, Ertugrul of Ulukayin looks pretty impressive. While the early access build that I played had some issues, such as animations that could use some refining, there was nothing about Ertugrul of Ulukayin’s visuals that would distract me for more than a few moments from the immense potential it has to become something truly special.
While setting games in popular settings and mythologies is great, it’s nice to experience something new. While it will prove detrimental to the Ertugrul of Ulukayin’s mass market appeal, it’s nice to see Turkiye represented outside Constantinople, even if only for a little while.
One issue I have with Ertugrul of Ulukayin is its portrayal of Turkish history as predominantly Islamic.
Turkiye was one of the largest and most prominent early Christian converts, and many famous early Christians, including Saint Nicholas, are associated with it.
He did not climb down chimneys, but it is rumoured that he did get into a brawl while discussing theology, resulting in him decking a priest who held a heretical viewpoint about the divinity of Christ.
While he really should have turned the other cheek and not resorted to physical violence, the idea of Santa Claus decking someone is amusing to say the least!
Islam did not arrive in Turkiye until many years after Christianity was organically established (via people hearing the gospel and converting of their own free will).
When Islam arrived in Turkiye, it was brought by an invading army and preached at sword point, with non-muslims being made into second-class citizens, and forced to pay extra taxes at best, or outright butchered at worse, something which continued until the early 1900s, in which millions of Amernian Christians were butchered at the hands of Muslim forces.
Please don’t misunderstand me, I am not saying that Muslims are evil, nor that they had no part in shaping the Turkiye we see today, they had a huge role in making Turkiye the nation it is, and have contributed greatly not only to Turkiye but the world at large.
However, the tale of Ertugrul presents Ertugrul and his Muslim warriors as the heroes of the tale, as they fight against invaders and other evildoers, when in reality it was they and their ancestors who invaded and subjected a non-muslim country, forcing their ideals and religion onto a people who had very say in the matter.
While in the TV series and game Ertugrul fights for his people and is presented as a righteous warrior of light who, at times, works with people of other faiths, we must understand that it is very much the case of a story being told by the victor, and his enemies (fallen and otherwise) would have likely had a very different opinion of this legendary abiet exaggerated figure.
What I am about to say next, I know some people will not like, but forced conversion at the sword (or gunpoint) is never Ok.
Many Christian nations and churches have done this, and perhaps have done it more often than Muslim nations throughout history, which is not only equally wrong, but perhaps even more wrong considering that Jesus Christ commanded his follows to love their enemies, not slaughter and enslave them.
The Gospel is supposed to be good news. Early Christian converts chose to believe in Jesus because they trusted him and his message. This is what happened in Turkiye when Christianity first reached it.
Early Christianity did not arrive with force, fame, or wealth; it arrived through the words of witnesses and disciples who shared what they saw and heard, even at the cost of their lives. This is how the Gospel should be spread: via truth, not violence.
While I do not see truth in other religions, I feel every adherent of any religion should wish to see their religion spread in such a way, and not via forced conversions, which in no way, shape or form can be described as true faith.
Ertugrul of Ulukayin is not a bad game or a bad tale, and the story of Ertugrul is pretty enjoyable.
However, portraying that there is only one side to the story, especially when involving complex issues such as forced conversion and subjectification, is difficult, especially in a medium like video games.
And yes, for those wondering, I dislike it when “Crusaders” are presented as the good guys.
While I am sure many thought they were doing what was right, the actions of the Christian nations and the Church at that time was appalling, unChristlike, and a dark stain on the reputation of the church, that to this day serves as a dangerous reminder of the bad things that can when when Christians stray from the words and teachings of Jesus Christ.
Ertugrul is a role playing game video game developed and published by Tekden Studio, it was released on 16 August 2024 and retails for $14.99.
Ertugrul is available exclusively on PC.
The following peripherals are officially supported:
Ertugrul is rated PEGI 16+ and contains:
I like Ertugrul of Ulukayin; it has loads of potential. However, its main issue is getting enough attention to not only complete its early access journey but also receive enough support to ensure a smooth launch and enough post-launch development to make an unknown AA game by an unknown developer into a title with wide market appeal.
I wish Tekden Studio well and hope Ertugrul of Ulukayin does well. Still, right now, I cannot see it ever becoming more than a niche title without widespread support from Turkish gamers, in much the same way that the support and passion of Japanese and Chinese gamers have allowed many smaller Japanese and Chinese titles to reach a wider global audience.
We found Ertugrul to be a mediocre game, meaning that while it has some redeeming qualities, it's held back by noticeable flaws that prevent it from being truly enjoyable.
Note: This title is in Early Access, meaning it is publicly available but still evolving. The rating shown reflects its current state and may change as development continues.
