The Settlers: Rise of an Empire - PC

The Settlers will be a name fondly remembered by the Amiga generation, as the series first hit the home computer in 1993 and steadily became a cult hit for its humorous vibe, immersive strategy play and the characterisation of the village people themselves - the Settlers. Now the series has hit its sixth instalment with Settlers: Rise of an Empire.

The game looks like a God simulation where you build a little medieval town, set commands and lay buildings down to help your kingdom grow. But, in reality, it carries hallmarks that label it more as a strategy game, as you can focus on every knight and battalion and directly control their movement. Other nearby kingdoms become established while your own town grows as well, so there is an element of battle and tactical play involved too.

Rise of an Empire also marks the first time that a previously overlooked (and fairly substantial) group gets included: women. For the first time, settlers will be able to meet and fall in love, and players can encourage it by getting travelling entertainers into town to give the townsfolk the chance to get to know each other. You'll have to forgive the medieval setting for the fact that the women mostly get on with the work of tending home and looking after the men... more