The Settlers: Rise of an Empire Download PC

Rise of an Empire received mixed reviews, with many critics finding the streamlined gameplay too simplistic, and the overall game lacking depth. Although the graphics were generally praised, the misson design, AI, and single-player storyline were criticised, with reviewers comparing the game unfavourably to previous Settlers titles, and games such as Anno 1701. Rise of an Empire was a commercial success, selling over 200,000 units in Germany during its first two months of release. At the 2007 Deutscher Entwicklerpreis, it won six awards, including "Best German Game", the first game in the Settlers series to do so.

Gameplay

The Settlers: Rise of an Empire is a city-building game with real-time strategy elements, controlled via a point and click interface. On each map, the player is required to accomplish certain predetermined goals by building a settlement with a functioning economy. To achieve this end, the player must construct and upgrade buildings, manage taxation and soldiers' pay, ensure workers' wants and needs are attended to, and gather resources. Although the game is loosely built around the same supply and demand-based gameplay as seen in previous Settlers titles, the game mechanics are substantially different. Featuring a significantly simpler economic model than any previous game in the series, there is less focus on micromanagement and daisy-chain economic processes, and more on upgrading buildings, evolving the player's settlement, and maintaining a high standard of living. Military recruitment has also been greatly simplified, and the importance of combat in general has been reduced.

Game modes

The game can be played in one of two modes; single-player or multiplayer. In single-player mode, the player can play either campaign missions or individual non-campaign games. In campaign mode, the player must complete a series of missions, each featuring multiple objectives, the majority of which are based around achieving specific economic targets, reaching a certain level of promotion, or fulfilling trade requests. Although all maps feature at least one computer controlled opponent, objectives based around combat are less common. Most maps also feature several optional missions. In the original release of the game, there were sixteen campaign missions. The Eastern Realm expansion added a new campaign of eight missions.

In non-campaign single-player and multiplayer modes, which can be played via a LAN or online, the player picks a map on which to play, with each map featuring different climatic conditions, geographical features, resource distribution, and mission objectives. In single-player non-campaign games, each map has specific predetermined victory conditions. However, in multiplayer games, all maps can be won by either destroying one of an opponent's "Special Buildings", by promoting one's knight to the highest level possible, or by invading an opponent's city, prompting their citizens to go on strike, which will eventually cripple their economy.

Settlement and settlers

Whether playing in single-player or multiplayer mode, each game begins roughly the same way; the player is positioned at a set location on the map, with three prebuilt "Special Buildings"; a Castle, a Cathedral, and a Storehouse and accompanying Marketplace. The Castle determines the upper limit of soldiers, is where the player's knight heals if injured, and is where the player sets the tax rate and soldiers' salary. The Cathedral determines the upper limit of settlers. Sermons can also be called here, which generate income, and temporarily raise the city's reputation. The Storehouse is where raw materials are stored and where traders collect items to make their produce. Trade with other settlements is conducted from the Storehouse. Attached to the Storehouse is the Marketplace, where the player can organise festivals. When the player calls for a festival, a certain number of male settlers will attend. At the same time, women will emerge from the Storehouse. If a man and woman are attracted to one another, they will talk, then dance, and subsequently become a couple. When the festival is over, the woman will return with the man to his place of work. Women acquire more food and take care of cleaning, thus giving men more time to work, which increases productivity.

The basic gameplay revolves around serfs (the titular "settlers"), who populate and perform the requisite task of each building. As in all previous Settlers titles except Heritage of Kings, the player is unable to directly control any individual settler. Instead, when the player elects to construct a building, a settler automatically emerges from the Storehouse with the necessary construction material, travels to the site, and constructs the building. Unlike all previous Settlers titles, in Rise of an Empire, buildings are constructed and upgraded by the settlers who work within them. Each settler's workplace is also his place of residence. Each time a building is upgraded, an additional settler joins the workforce of that building, with the new settler bringing the required construction material to the site, upgrading the building, and then moving in. All buildings can be upgraded twice. When a resource building is upgraded, the amount of resources that can be stockpiled before a worker must bring them to the Storehouse increases from three to six, and finally, to nine. Each upgrade also improves the mode of transport; at level one, settlers carry resources on their back; at level two, they transport resources via a hand-drawn cart, and at level three, they do so via a donkey and cart. To assist in the transportation of goods, the game features an optional road network. Initially, the player can only build trails, on which settlers move a little faster than on rough ground. When the player's knight reaches a certain level of promotion, the player can build roads, on which settlers move much faster.