To Be A King – Volume 1

Master Roman Rule, Intrigue, and Relationships in This Gripping Visual Novel

Ever dreamed of stepping into the sandals of a Roman emperor, juggling political schemes while charming a harem of alluring women? That’s the thrill of To Be A King – Volume 1, an adult visual novel that hooked me from the first choice. I remember my initial playthrough—navigating alliances, dodging betrayals, and watching my empire grow felt intoxicating. This game blends deep strategy with steamy interactions, letting you manage resources, forge wars or pacts, and nurture romances without sparking jealousy. If you’re diving into To Be A King Volume 1, this guide shares my personal strategies, hidden tips, and why it’s worth every minute. Let’s crown you king!

What Makes To Be A King Volume 1 Unmissable?

I was scrolling through itch.io late one night, looking for something with more meat on its bones than your typical dating sim, when the striking artwork for To Be A King – Volume 1 caught my eye. 🇷🇴 A gladiator, a senator, and a legionnaire stood proudly on the screen. I was sold on the Roman empire game premise instantly. What I didn’t expect was to lose an entire weekend to it, utterly consumed by the delicate balance of sword, toga, and heart. This wasn’t just a story; it was a throne I had to earn. So, what is it about this empire management visual novel that sinks its hooks in so deep? Let’s dive into what makes this adult visual novel an unmissable experience.

Core Gameplay: Empire Building and Choices That Matter

At its heart, To Be A King gameplay is a masterful juggling act. You’re not just reading a story; you’re actively governing. Each in-game week presents you with a handful of action points to spend across three critical pillars: State, Military, and Personal. It’s here that To Be A King Volume 1 truly shines as a hybrid experience.

One session, I learned this the hard way. I’d been hyper-focused on a romantic pursuit with a cunning diplomat, neglecting my northern borders. I thought a quick alliance with a neighboring chieftain would secure my flank. Big mistake. 🚩 I didn’t invest the time to build trust or check his loyalty through other actions. A few weeks later, he betrayed our pact, joining my enemies and plunging my frontier into a costly war. My treasury drained, my people grew unhappy, and my beloved diplomat questioned my strength. That single, poorly-researched choice rippled through every aspect of my rule.

This is the brilliance of the system. Your choices in council directly affect your chances on the battlefield and in the bedroom. Sending gifts to a potential romantic interest (a Personal action) might cost you the gold needed to raise a new legion (a State action). Choosing to personally lead an army (Military) means you’re not in the capital to uncover a political plot (State). The branching choices create a dynamic sandbox feel within a structured narrative.

My actionable tip? Always check your character relationship screens and empire stability reports before making a major choice. A character’s “Loyalty” or “Affection” stat isn’t just flavor text; it’s a critical variable in how they’ll react to your decisions.

To give you a head start, here are five crucial early-game choices and the long shadows they cast:

• The Grain Distribution Edict: Choosing to sell grain for gold boosts your treasury short-term but risks plebeian unrest. Giving it away freely secures public loyalty but strains your finances for future projects.
• The Veteran’s Plea: Granting land to retired soldiers (Costs State Resources) builds immense loyalty in your legions, making future military actions more effective. Denying them saves resources but sows discontent in your army’s ranks.
• The Spymaster’s Offer: Investing in an intelligence network (Costs Gold & Time) unlocks critical information on rival plots and romantic interests’ secrets, making all future political and personal choices more informed.
• The First Romantic Overture: Which character you pursue first sets a subtle social precedent. Romancing a powerful senator’s daughter can open political doors, while courting a foreign ambassador can ease diplomatic tensions (or complicate them!).
• The Provincial Tax Policy: Raising taxes fills your coffers faster for building projects and armies, but steadily decreases overall public order. Keeping taxes low makes your people happier and more productive, but slows your expansion.

Here’s a quick breakdown of how those core action categories interconnect:

Why the Roman Setting Hooks You Instantly

You might wonder why another Roman empire game? Aren’t there enough? Trust me, the setting in To Be A King Volume 1 is not just a backdrop; it’s the main character. 🏛️ This isn’t a sanitized, textbook version of Rome. It’s the gritty, glamorous, and ruthless world of the late Republic and early Empire, brought to life with stunning artwork and a keen eye for atmosphere.

The moment you start, you’re immersed in the tension between tradition and ambition, between the Senate floor and the legionary camp. The visual novel format is perfect for this, letting you feel the weight of a senator’s glare or the charged atmosphere of a feast where every conversation is a potential alliance or insult. The “adult” elements of this adult visual novel aren’t an afterthought; they’re woven into the fabric of Roman power dynamics—seduction as strategy, passion as politics, and relationships as vital tools of statecraft.

What truly elevates the setting is how it influences every choice. A decision that would be straightforward in a modern context becomes complex in the Roman world. Concepts of honor, clientage, and divine favor aren’t just lore; they are mechanics. Choosing to honor the old gods might please the conservative faction, while embracing new philosophies could attract innovative advisors. The game makes you think like a Roman, not just a player clicking through options.

I’ve seen some in the community mention they initially wished for more customization of the protagonist’s look, wanting to see themselves more fully in the role. But here’s my insight: the defined character art for the male and female paths actually enhances the immersion. It grounds you in a specific persona within this rich world, making your strategic and romantic conquests feel more personal and earned. You’re not a blank slate; you’re a specific aspiring ruler in a vividly realized Rome.

“It really grew on me,” one player noted on the forum. “At first, I was just here for the harem building, but the political intrigue is just as deep. You have to manage your alliances with the different women just as carefully as you manage your alliances with foreign nations. One wrong word to the wrong person can unravel everything.”

Player Choices: Male Protagonist vs Female Paths

This is where To Be A King Volume 1 offers a fascinating layer of replayability. You choose your path at the very beginning: a male protagonist or a female one. This isn’t a simple cosmetic change; it fundamentally alters the social and strategic landscape of your playthrough. ⚖️

Playing as the male lead delivers on the classic power fantasy. You navigate a world built for and by men, where your authority is expected but constantly challenged. The visual novel harem building aspect is more overt here, presenting opportunities to form romantic connections with multiple women from different walks of Roman life—the fierce warrior, the shrewd politician, the foreign priestess. The challenge (and the fun) lies in managing these relationships so they don’t conflict and destabilize your rule. It’s a delicate and engaging meta-game of the heart.

However, choosing the female path is, in my opinion, the more narratively daring and compelling experience. You are immediately playing on hard mode, fighting against deeply ingrained prejudice. Your authority is questioned at every turn. Every military victory must be twice as decisive, every political maneuver thrice as clever. The relationship dynamics shift profoundly. Romances can feel like hard-won alliances or dangerous gambles. Trust is a rarer and more valuable currency. The To Be A King gameplay transforms from a straightforward ascent to power into a gripping saga of defiance and brilliant strategy.

My practical advice? Try both. I started with the male path to understand the core systems and enjoy the empire management visual novel mechanics in a more traditional framework. But my second playthrough as the female protagonist was infinitely more satisfying. Every success felt earned against greater odds, and the relationships carried more narrative weight. The game provides clear tools to navigate these paths, like choosing dialogue options that emphasize strength, cunning, or diplomacy to win over skeptical allies.

Ultimately, what is To Be A King Volume 1 if not a test of your ability to rule? It’s the addictive alchemy of grand strategy and personal drama, set against one of history’s most captivating backdrops. Yes, the wait for updates can be a test of patience, but the depth of the world already built makes every return visit worthwhile. It’s a game that respects your intelligence, challenges your strategic mind, and isn’t afraid to let your ambitions—romantic and imperial—crash spectacularly if you’re not careful. Once you put on that virtual toga and feel the weight of the crown, you’ll understand why it’s so hard to step away from your throne. 👑

Diving into To Be A King – Volume 1 transformed my gaming nights into epic tales of power and passion—managing that Roman empire, outsmarting rivals, and balancing those intense relationships was pure adrenaline. From my first alliance gone wrong to building the ultimate harem, every choice shaped my reign. If you’re craving strategic depth with adult flair, grab it now from itch.io, tweak your choices for max immersion, and share your wildest playthroughs in the comments. Crown yourself king today—what empire-shaking decision will you make first?