The Settlers: Rise of an Empire
Preview
An updated look at this classic franchise
by Sergio Brinkhuis
previewed on PC
Territory (cont.)
Territory is claimed, not won. Okay, so you may occasionally have to fight over a piece of land, but there is no such thing as inching your way into the enemy's territory as we are used to from the original games. The map is divided up into regions and you gain access to the resources of a territory when you control it. You will still need to build resource-gathering buildings like mines and fisheries to actually produce the goods. But as mines in particular run out, gaining new territory is paramount, and with that, so is conflict.
Conflict
Battles are usually short and fairly intense. There are only two types of units - bow- and swordsmen - which means that tactics and strategy are fairly light in Rise of an Empire. Using the lay of the land is incredibly important. You can do some serious damage when you deploy your archers along a ridge that your enemy will have to pass. A unit limit is imposed and linked directly to your castle's level. While upgrading your castle and keeping your army maxed out sounds like a good idea, army upkeep will make you think twice.
Tax collectors go out on a regular basis, making them your main source of income. But they don't always rake in the big bucks. Unhappy citizens refuse to pay taxes so you may suddenly find that your cash reserves are not enough to pay for your military's upkeep. While they won't desert, they will take a moral hit that will make them less effective, especially when they are far from home.
City builder
Settlers: Rise of an Empire takes the series into a very different direction. Good news to those who weren't too impressed with the previous installment but perhaps disappointing to those who wanted Settlers to return to its roots. The fact that there are only two types of units, betrays that the strategy part of the game is not a key element of the game. In fact, it may be less important than in any of the previous games. At its heart, Rise of an Empire is a city builder, not a war game. While Settlers has always been about building more than fighting, it may feel somewhat strange to veteran players.
As such, Rise of an Empire will appeal to those who love the Anno series as it borrows heavily from those games. You will also see elements from other 'city builders' such as the Caesar franchise. I am certain that Rise of an Empire will attract new players to the series but if Settlers fans of old will return to the series remains to be seen.
