The Settlers has traditionally been a PC-exclusive series, which given its intricacies, is arguably best suited for a keyboard and mouse at a desk. However this changed today, with Ubisoft releasing The Settlers: New Allies on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Amazon Luna and even the Nintendo Switch, with backwards compatibility also supported on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S for their last-gen equivalent. This release features adapted controls for each of the platform’s control schemeas, in addition to full support for cross-play and shared progression across all platforms, including the PC.
Developed by Ubisoft’s Düsseldorf studio, The Settlers: New Allies pitches itself as a modern take on the franchise, seeking to combine “combining elaborate infrastructure and economic gameplay with tactical real-time battles”. Starting with a small group of Settlers, players must explore their surroundings, build up their settlements and optimise resource production to recruit new settlers and an army able to protect their land. Researching economic and military upgrades is critical to create a strong army and overcome rivals.
Console players of The Settlers: New Allies will gain access to all game modes and content currently available on the PC, understandable given the cross-play support. This includes:
- A story-driven campaign with thirteen campaign missions.
- A multiplayer mode for skirmish battles in Solo vs. AI, co-op vs. AI or PvP featuring up to eight players, with thirteen skirmish maps.
- The Hardcore mode for players willing to test their adaptability and strategic skills in a solo or co-op PvE environment.
The Settlers: New Allies is available in two editions: the Standard Edition containing the base game, and the Deluxe Edition which includes the base game, the deluxe pack (in-game digital content, digital artbook and soundtrack) and the Explorer pack (in-game digital content). For the first sixty-days post-launch on consoles, the game’s Founders Pack will also be given away at no additional charge.
