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What do reviews say about The Settlers: New Allies?
The overall response is mixed. Metacritic lists a 54 Metascore from 23 critic reviews and a 3.6 user score from 125 ratings. Its displayed critic breakdown is 4% positive, 78% mixed, and 17% negative; the percentages total 99% because of rounding. These figures describe Metacritic’s listings, not every platform or a universal measure of quality. Metacritic’s review page aggregates reviews rather than replacing the original publications.
Player ratings on storefronts give a similarly divided, but not directly comparable, picture. Steam’s listing showed 48% positive from 1,111 reviews and labeled the response “Mixed.” The US PlayStation Store showed 3.06 out of 5 from 574 player ratings. Each figure comes from a different audience and rating method, and counts can change as more people review the game. Steam and the US PlayStation Store list their respective platform ratings.
What do critics praise and criticize?
Presentation and approachability
Several review summaries on Metacritic describe an inviting or visually appealing world and an accessible experience. Multiplayer.it’s summary suggests the game may suit younger players or newcomers seeking a lighter strategy title. GamesHub also praised its inviting world. These are reviewers’ assessments, not guarantees that every player will find the game easy to learn or enjoyable.
#1 Best Overall
![The Settlers: New Allies Standard - PC [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61TX4dSropL._SL160_.jpg)
- The Settlers: New Allies is a strategy game with an in-depth build-up experience and real-time strategic battles.
- Play online with up to eight players in thrilling skirmish battles against other players or AI for long-lasting fun.
- Ubisoft Connect account required to download and install.
Economy, strategy, and series identity
The recurring criticism is that the game does not offer enough depth to satisfy some city-building or RTS enthusiasts, and that its balance of settlement development and combat may not feel like a distinctive Settlers game. Metacritic-listed summaries from Wccftech and PC Games characterize its city-building or strategy as shallow or basic; GamesHub questions its identity and depth. Those characterizations are critical opinions, but they help explain why the game’s accessible presentation has not translated into a uniformly positive response.
A Softpedia review excerpt on Metacritic describes a “good core loop” but argues that the game lacks a strong connection to the series’ history, puts too much emphasis on military action, and underuses land claiming. It also questions whether the experience distinguishes itself from other genre titles. The point is not that every player will share that judgment, but that fans expecting a supply-chain-focused Settlers experience should weigh this criticism carefully.
Rank #2
![The Settlers: New Allies Deluxe - PC [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61AbE69328L._SL160_.jpg)
- Deluxe Edition includes the game, the Deluxe Pack, and the Explorer Pack.
- The Settlers: New Allies is a strategy game with an in-depth build-up experience and real-time strategic battles.
- Play online with up to eight players in thrilling skirmish battles against other players or AI for long-lasting fun.
- Ubisoft Connect account required to download and install.
What kind of strategy game is it?
Ubisoft describes The Settlers: New Allies as a strategy game combining settlement development with real-time battles. Ubisoft lists February 17, 2023 as its release date and names PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch as platforms. Ubisoft’s game page provides the publisher’s overview.
The PC Steam listing names three factions—Elari, Maru, and Jorn—and advertises a story campaign, Hardcore mode, and online skirmishes for up to eight players. It lists single-player, online PvP, online co-op, and cross-platform multiplayer. The listing does not establish how active matchmaking is today or explain the limits of cross-play, so those details should not be inferred from the mode labels alone.
Who is most likely to enjoy it?
- Consider it if: you want a strategy game that combines building up a settlement with direct real-time combat, prefer an accessible entry point, or are interested in trying the listed campaign and multiplayer modes.
- Be cautious if: your main priority is a complex production economy, a demanding RTS, or a game that closely matches your expectations of earlier Settlers titles. Those are the areas most often challenged in the review summaries.
- Compare before buying if: you are choosing among strategy games. Look closely at economy and supply-chain depth, the balance of settlement building and combat, campaign quality, difficulty, factions, multiplayer options, and the requirements of your target platform.
Platforms, editions, and PC requirements
Platform and edition details
Ubisoft lists PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch. Steam’s PC listing offered the base game and a Deluxe Edition, plus Starter Pack and Deluxe Pack add-ons. The US PlayStation Store lists Standard and Deluxe editions, as well as add-ons and virtual-currency packs. Its Deluxe Edition description includes the PS4 game, a skin pack, title set, three-day shard booster, digital art book, digital soundtrack, and Explorer Pack. Catalogs and edition contents vary by storefront and region, so check the store page for the platform and country where you plan to buy.
The PlayStation listing is for the PS4 product and says it is playable on PS5; it warns that some PS4 features may be absent. That listing does not establish a separate PS5 edition. Prices and discounts can change, so confirm the current amount directly with the relevant store.
Rank #4
- Change the Course of History: Command both military forces and wartime economy as one of five major powers in this classic WWII strategy board game designed for 2-5 players
- Updated Rulebook and Components: Second Edition features refined rules based on community feedback, double-sided punchboard tokens, and resealable storage bags for durability
- Oversized Playing Area Immerses You: The 40-inch by 26-inch game board creates an engaging tactical landscape where every decision shapes the outcome of global conflict
- Perfect Family Strategy Experience: Ages 12 and up can enjoy three to four hours of intellectually stimulating gameplay that bonds groups through shared strategic decision-making
- Authentic Historical Gameplay: Lead Germany, Japan, UK, Soviet Union, or United States in spring 1942, the historical peak of Axis expansion, exploring tactical alternatives to actual events
Steam minimum and recommended specifications
Steam lists the following PC requirements. Check the current Steam listing before purchase in case they have changed.
| Specification | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | 64-bit Windows 10 | 64-bit Windows 10 |
| Processor | Intel i3-6100 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200 | Intel i7-6700 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM | 8 GB RAM |
| Graphics | Nvidia GeForce GTX 950 2 GB or AMD Radeon 550 2 GB | Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 4 GB or AMD RX 470 4 GB |
| DirectX | Version 11 | Version 11 |
| Storage | 16 GB available space | 16 GB available space |
Account and DRM notes for PC
Steam says the PC version requires a Ubisoft account and uses Denuvo Anti-tamper DRM. These conditions apply to the PC listing; do not assume they describe every console storefront or platform.
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Best Value
- EXPANSION RPG: Within the 192-pages you will create new characters from brand new origins, including the Commonwealth Minutemen, New California Republic, robots & more! Requires the core rules found in the Fallout: The Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook.
- BUILD your own settlements and manage your settlers! Build housing, shore up defenses, and grow a thriving community.
- COMPANIONS: Make friends with your own trusty companions. Have new dog breeds, robots or even faithful human and mutant allies follow you through the wasteland. Build your own automatrons! Mix & match robot parts to make unique mechanical companions.
- FACTIONS: Learn more about the different factions you’ll encounter, and meet a host of new wastelanders from both the East and West coasts with full stat blocks included!
Verdict: should you buy The Settlers: New Allies?
It is a reasonable candidate for players who want a lighter strategy game that blends settlement growth and battles, especially if a welcoming presentation matters more than deep economic systems. For series veterans and players seeking substantial city-building or demanding RTS play, the mixed reviews are a warning to check gameplay and platform-specific details before committing. The available ratings support a mixed reception, not a consensus that the game is either a must-play or a failure.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
