I made an Ottoman-inspired decision game about statecraft, balance and the pressure of ruling
With the permission of the moderators, I wanted to share my first indie mobile game: Mabeyn: The Sultan’s Decree.
Mabeyn is an Ottoman-inspired decision game where you rule through short left-right choices and try to keep different forces in balance: treasury, army, people and religious authority. It is not meant to be an academic simulation, but I tried to build it around the atmosphere of statecraft: fragile legitimacy, court pressure, advisers, difficult compromises and the loneliness of rule.
One part I especially wanted to explore is the mental pressure of power. The game has a paranoia system: as tension rises, the ruler’s perception becomes more unstable, decisions feel heavier, and the court begins to feel like a more dangerous place.
I have a personal interest in Islamic and Islamicate history as well. I worked for four years at Anadolu University’s History of Science Museum, and this background shaped the way I think about games, history and atmosphere.
For the future, one of my first goals is to expand the game with content inspired by architectural patronage and monuments. I would like future updates to draw more from the architectural side of Islamic and Ottoman civilization — not just as decoration, but as part of rulership, legitimacy, memory and public life.
The current release is still an early step, and improving the visual quality of the game is also one of my main goals going forward. I want Mabeyn to gradually feel richer, more atmospheric and more respectful to the historical world it is inspired by.
If you enjoy Ottoman / Islamicate history, decision games or historical atmosphere in games, I would be very happy if you took a look.
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.anvilove.mabeyn&hl=en
