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0 City builders can often be an overwhelming juggling act of spinning plates and spreadsheet economics, but Let Them Trade tosses that stress out the castle window and invites you into a cosy world of carved wooden cuties and economic hijinks. Developed by Spaceflower and published by ByteRockers’ Games, the game is out now on Steam,
This Game Is Well Made So – Let Them Trade
With its whimsical tone, charming visuals, and intuitive gameplay, it’s hard not to smile, even when bandits are cheekily robbing your merchant carts. But what really sets Let Them Trade apart? The king doesn’t rule alone. No, his most trusted advisor is an adorably smug squirrel named Mr. Nuts, who perches loyally on his shoulder and, frankly, steals every scene he’s in.
So before you read on, tell us: who’s your favourite video game animal sidekick? The Dog From Fallout or Fable 2, Roach from The Witcher, maybe? Let us know in the comments.
Gameplay
From the moment you launch into the tutorial, Let Them Trade makes it clear: this is a game that respects your time and your attention span. Rather than forcing you through walls of dry text, it offers concise instructions alongside short visual clips. It’s an effortlessly intuitive experience—even for genre newbies, and you’ll quickly learn how to build your budding kingdom, research upgrades, and set up supply chains like a true squirrel-led strategist. Each city you found acts semi-autonomously, buying and selling goods with others and handling the needs of its citizens on its own. You simply focus on strategic placement and efficient trade routes. Think of yourself less as a godlike micromanager and more like a gentle puppeteer with a fondness for flour. There is also the option for manual trading and selling.
The only thing is waiting about 20 seconds for buildings to appear. Though roads pop up instantly, which is very satisfying, speeding up time helps here. With x2 and x5 options turning long waits into manageable pauses. There’s also light combat involving knights and pesky bandits. You don’t control the battles directly, just send in your knight with a small army and hope he doesn’t get robbed. It’s more of an easy number game than an RTS bloodbath, which suits the game’s chill pace perfectly. While there’s no voice acting, the campaign does a stellar job of weaving a gentle narrative that’s easy to follow and often laugh-out-loud funny. It’s not The Witcher, but it’s got charm, heart, and a squirrel with a royal title.
Graphics & Audio
If Let Them Trade were a tabletop game, it’d be one of those pricey collector’s editions with hand-carved wooden pieces. That’s exactly what it looks like, and it’s glorious. From the mountain tiles to the tiny people about, everything is rendered with a soft, almost tactile wooden aesthetic. It’s like you’re peeking into a child’s fantasy game brought to digital life, complete with visible wood grain on every little dude and donkey. But Let Them Trade doesn’t stop there. Each city you found is marked by lovely hand-drawn illustrations that show who governs that area, perhaps not quite the stately advisors of Civilization VI, but enough to give each settlement personality. It adds just the right amount of visual storytelling without ever demanding micromanagement.
The delightful touch: the entire board sits on a literal table in a warmly lit room. You can move the camera around to view the surroundings. It’s as if you’re playing a handcrafted board game come to life, complete with puzzle-like charm and just a hint of cosy nostalgia. Best of all? There’s a cat in the room, lounging near the table. It doesn’t do much, but its presence adds to the warmth and playfulness of the entire experience. If it were more immersive the cat would be an obstacle walking across it.
When it comes to audio, the game leans into its cosy vibe. The music is upbeat, airy, and gently whimsical, never overstaying its welcome or becoming repetitive. There is an “tumbling bricks” jingle that plays when you complete a quest. It’s the audio equivalent of a warm hug.
Longevity
With both a charming campaign and an open-ended sandbox mode, Let Them Trade offers enough replayability to keep you coming back for “just one more city.” Each campaign scenario introduces new mechanics in bite-sized pieces, helping you feel progressively clever without the usual frustration that comes with poor pacing or ambiguous goals. The research tree isn’t massive, but it’s tidy and smartly curated. You can even queue up to five research items at once. That said, a few research descriptions could use clarification. For example what does a tavern do exactly? Raise happiness or just morale via mead? I am not entirely sure!
On regular speed, progress can feel slow, but that’s easily remedied with the time acceleration settings. Still, the game’s heart lies in its accessibility. You’re not punished for experimenting, and it’s forgiving enough.
Final Thoughts
Let Them Trade doesn’t try to revolutionise the genre, it refines it into something approachable, adorable, and endlessly satisfying. It’s the kind of game you can play with a hot drink on a rainy afternoon, giggling at squirrel antics and smug kings as you expand your mellow little empire. It’s rare to find a game that’s this polished in tone, this generous in spirit, and this delightful to look at. Plus when that game includes a squirrel named Mr. Nuts whispering tax advice into a king’s ear, it deserves recognition.
Let Them Trade gets the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
If you enjoyed this review, why not check out another cosy game review by Charlie about Cattle Country
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