The Settlers Online

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The Settlers Online is a single player and multiplayer strategy game. It was developed by Blue Byte and was released on August 19, 2015. It received negative reviews from players.

Build a medieval kingdom in The Settlers Online!

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28%

Audience ScoreBased on 534 reviews

gameplay9 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

The Settlers Online captures the charm of the original Settlers series while adapting it for an online multiplayer experience.
The game features a colorful art style and a sense of progress as players expand their settlements.
The social aspect of the game allows for interaction with other players, trading resources, and joining guilds, enhancing the overall experience.

The game suffers from a pay-to-win model, where players may feel pressured to spend money to progress faster.
Many players experience bugs, particularly at level 7, which can halt progress and lead to frustration.
The game relies on outdated technology, requiring Adobe Flash, which poses security risks and limits accessibility.

story
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
90%
5%
The story aspect of the game is criticized for its convoluted quest system, which often leads to players getting stuck due to bugs and poorly defined mission requirements. While the game offers a variety of quests and side missions, many players find the lack of clear guidance and frequent glitches frustrating, making it difficult to progress. Overall, the narrative experience is marred by technical issues and a lack of engaging storytelling, leaving players feeling overwhelmed and dissatisfied.
- “The big appeal in this game is if you can handle the quest system; it is the main drive of the game.”
- “You're given a ton of quests to complete on top of a constantly growing economy.”
- “At first, I did not know how to play, then I looked at my quests and figured it out. I will try to get my friend to play it, and I like how it is free.”
- “Knightshift has dialogue that is not subtitled, making the plot a little inconvenient to follow.”
- “The graphics are uninspiring, the quests are overly complex right from the start of the game, and Bluebyte removed one of the defining mechanics endemic to the franchise: flags.”
- “Yes, only low hours on record but this game is a disgrace seriously, when I get to a level I still can't do the quest I was meant to unlock on that level, yes after logging off and on I can finally do it but then having to do this every time I level up is so irritating. Seriously, it may be free but not worth bothering with; it is so glitchy and I don't see the point in wasting your time on this.”
gameplay
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
65%
9%
The gameplay of the reviewed game is characterized by a mix of quirky mechanics and slow pacing, appealing to those who appreciate exploratory and strategic elements, despite its low-budget graphics and rough edges. While some players find the gameplay engaging and reminiscent of classic titles, others criticize it for being overly linear, filled with bugs, and lacking depth, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, the game offers a blend of interesting mechanics and nostalgic elements, but its execution leaves much to be desired for many players.
- “Although rough around the edges, the quirky gameplay and level-matched quests can catch you and lure you in for more from this game.”
- “In addition, gameplay is fun and in tradition with the original settlers, which is a good thing in my book.”
- “Classic free settlers game, with no pay wall, and increasing deep mechanics further the level (balancing economy, expanding colonies, trading).”
- “This is an awful game, full of all the worst mechanics ever to develop in a computer game.”
- “Even when the gameplay is introduced, it apparently is nothing more than a 'send units and wait days' system rather than anything interesting.”
- “At level 15 (4 hours of gameplay with a large break for work in the middle so it had time to mine more stuff while I was out of the game) I still didn't see any combat, or any PvP, or anything more than building buildings (that would have taken 2-5 minutes in a real game of settlers) and trudging through their insane number of bugs you have to get through before you can do anything fun.”
graphics
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
40%
15%
The graphics of the game are generally described as colorful and charming, contributing to a welcoming atmosphere, though opinions vary widely. While some players appreciate the art style and find it cute, others criticize the graphics as outdated or mediocre, particularly in comparison to modern standards. Overall, the visuals are seen as a mixed bag, with some enjoying the indie aesthetic while others desire more advanced graphics and smoother animations.
- “The art style is colorful and welcoming, and there’s a real sense of progress as your settlement grows.”
- “Awesome graphics and gameplay.”
- “Game mechanics are solid and artworks are beautifully done.”
- “Graphics aren't really up to date and mechanics are sketchy.”
- “The graphics are uninspiring, the quests are overly complex right from the start of the game, and Bluebyte removed one of the defining mechanics endemic to the franchise: flags.”
- “This game looks and feels like a very bad browser game with unconvincing animation; roads that 'do not improve' (their wording, leaving out the subject of the sentence); mediocre graphics; unconvincing copy; etc.”
grinding
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
89%
Reviews indicate that grinding in this game is a significant and often tedious aspect, requiring players to engage in repetitive tasks to progress. While some appreciate the community and the challenge of building up their character and equipment, many express frustration over the time-consuming nature of grinding, especially without financial investment. Overall, the experience is described as enjoyable for those who appreciate time-based activities, but potentially off-putting for players who dislike grinding.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Only play if you like time-based activities you need to wait for, and if you like meaningless grinding to build your empire.”
- “First, if you hate grind, then don't pick this game; it's very grindy and hard at times if you don't have a good clan to help you out.”
- “Not because it's super time-consuming, requires you to spend money so it's a tiny bit less time-consuming, and that it's ridiculously repetitive and makes you have to use multiple guides to do adventures because the game itself is so tedious, micromanaging, and detailed that the guide is absolutely necessary.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with players reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and numerous bugs that hinder gameplay. Many users have spent significant time troubleshooting these issues, indicating a long-standing lack of effective fixes from the developers. While some players note improvements after a certain point in the game, the overall experience remains marred by instability and lag.
- “Troubleshooting attempts with flash did nothing, and this appears to be a known issue for years with no fix from the developers.”
- “With 155 hours played, I'd guess 100 of those hours were spent troubleshooting crashes and bugs.”
- “The game is very laggy, very buggy, and quite far from the original Settlers games.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the great music featured during special events like Halloween, others find the overall soundtrack lacking and note the absence of music on the main screen, which can detract from the initial experience. Overall, the game's sound design is considered minimal but sufficient for gameplay.
- “But more about the game - it has good graphics, good sounds (not much but enough, great music on the Halloween event :D), a lot of content, a lot of buildings and stuff to make, you can trade with other players and make guilds, go on quests alone or with friends (which is awesome). I have spent a lot of hours in this game (not on Steam, but through a browser).”
- “No music?”
- “[b]Music[/b] is nothing special.”
- “The first thing you will be greeted with upon startup is a music-less main screen asking you to sign up for their service and sign a user agreement. If you sit on that screen for more than a minute, a background process that runs with the game will likely crash.”
monetization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The monetization model of the game has received significant criticism for its intrusive ads and heavy reliance on in-game purchases, leading many players to label it as pay-to-win (P2W) and a typical freemium title. Users express frustration over the inability to close ads and the perception that microtransactions detract from the overall experience.
- “This game has in-game purchases that enhance the overall experience.”
- “The monetization model is fair and doesn't feel overly aggressive.”
- “Lots of ads that you can't close.”
- “P2W with massive microtransactions.”
- “It's just another freemium piece of garbage... the kind that spams your PC with ads.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
150%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users reporting numerous persistent bugs and poor performance. Many feel that the developers, referred to as "bb," have failed to address these issues effectively, often blaming players instead of providing solutions. Overall, the game's optimization is considered subpar, with significant server problems contributing to a frustrating experience.
- “The optimization of the game is impressive, enhancing both performance and user interface.”
- “I love how the game runs smoothly; the optimization really makes a difference in the overall experience.”
- “The attention to detail in optimization has resulted in a seamless gameplay experience.”
- “The game optimization is the worst, with many bugs that have persisted for years without resolution.”
- “There are a lot of bugs, and the support from the developers is lacking; they often blame players for the issues.”
- “The performance and user interface are severely impacted by poor optimization and unreliable servers.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by the amusing antics of the pirates and the repetitive yet comical task of rebuilding mines, which adds a lighthearted touch to the gameplay.
- “The pirates are very funny.”
- “Rebuilding mines over and over again is very funny.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews indicate a lack of clarity or consensus regarding the game's replayability, with some users expressing uncertainty about its potential for repeated playthroughs.
- “Replayability: no idea”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users praise Settlers 2 for its enduring and convincing atmosphere, highlighting its effectiveness even nearly two decades after its release.
- “Settlers 2 had a more convincing atmosphere, even now, 19 years after its creation.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a strong emotional response to the game, feeling overwhelmed and trapped, likening their experience to being in a hostage situation. This intense reaction suggests that the game effectively evokes feelings of anxiety and urgency, prompting players to reconsider their engagement with it.
- “This game made me feel like I was in a hostage situation; after playing for a short time, I found myself saying, 'Okay, I'm just going to put this game down and walk backwards slowly, no hasty movements, just putting the game purchases away.'”