The Settlers
| Developer: Volker Wertich | Graphics: |
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| Publisher: Blue Byte | Sound: |
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| Year: 1993 | Difficulty: |
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| Genre: Strategy | Lastability: |
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| Number of players: 2 simultaneous | Rating: |
9/10 | |
In a fantastical-medieval atmosphere, you help a band of little fellows collect all sorts of resources so they can build their village and prosper, raise pigs, sing songs around the fire, and massacre all inhabitants of neighbouring villages.
Except for the warriors, you don’t give direct orders to your units (unlike in Lemmings, for instance). Your role is limited to tracing routes and placing buildings, and your followers will take care of the rest. You will then have the leisure to observe the farmer, fisherman, stone mason, lumberjack, and blacksmith as they go about their tasks. It’s lively and cute. It feels like watching an ant colony work—makes you want to squash them with your fingers. Too bad you can’t send them a cataclysm or a giant monster like in Sim City…
However, battles prove rather unspectacular. In the manner of Populous, you only witness a series of duels between “champions” with uncertain outcomes. The game shines more in its “economic management” aspect, supported by the traditional statistics screens one expects from a simulation.
Quite originally, the presence of tutorials makes the title more accessible. Note that the interface remains difficult to understand without a manual. 30 missions are offered (including a save function and passwords). Afterwards, a world generator will take over, keeping you occupied for years, especially since it is possible to play two-player, either against each other or cooperatively (requires two mice). Finally, the opposition style can be modified by choosing among ten “personalities” that alter the computer’s way of playing.
Even if the pace will not blow anyone away and strategies become repetitive over time, this does not bother much as the characters are endearing and the atmosphere picturesque. As one might say, one gets bored without noticing!
Numerous sequels have been released on PC and Mac (the latest, The Settlers 7 in 2010), and the second episode of the series, particularly popular, was re-released in 2006 for its tenth anniversary.
If you want to see evolution of the concept, I suggest Autonauts (PC, 2019).
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