Metascore
58

Mixed or average reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 19
  2. Negative: 1 out of 19
  1. Feb 22, 2023
    75
    The Settlers: New Allies has a good core loop that, unfortunately, lacks a solid connection with the series' history. There’s too much military action and not enough focus on delivering products to citizens. The land-claiming concept is interesting but under-used. Ubisoft could have used the same gameplay and another name and players might be more interested. But the game does not do enough to differentiate itself from better experiences in the genre. The Settlers: New Allies wants to tweak a classic formula but never finds the best way to do that.
  2. 70
    Fans of the series will be disappointed by the new game due to its lack of depth. If you're able to look beyond this shortcoming, this is a decently playable and visually appealing game that otherwise doesn't have any major problems.
  3. A game we've waited five years for should be a masterpiece. At the very least, it should have advanced strategy elements. It would be a much better positioning if the game only came to the tablet.
  4. Feb 27, 2023
    65
    It is still an enjoyable experience where you can build your own frontier with a relatively easy system. However, the entire process to win the game is too long and boring to aim for a shift to a competitive RTS. It is not easy to motivate the frontier exploring since pretty much all activities are for just military buildup.
  5. Mar 3, 2023
    60
    A game that cannot satisfy City Builders lovers, nor RTS seekers. However it could please the youngest and those who would like to try the genre with something extremely light and undemanding.
  6. Mar 3, 2023
    60
    A slow-paced and overly simplistic take on city building and war waging, but blessed with wholesome looks and a relaxing atmosphere.
  7. Mar 2, 2023
    60
    A modern yet also deeply conservative reimagining of good old Settlers. There’s a solid base for a good game drowning under some glaring technical issues. Who is this game actually for? Well, maybe for those of you who miss the old titles – and who don’t hold their games to a particularly high standard.
  8. Feb 23, 2023
    60
    Nice setting, flat economy, boring real-time strategy. The Settlers - New Alliances is not a total catastrophe, but far from "good".
  9. Feb 23, 2023
    60
    The Settlers: New Allies may provide decent entertainment for more modest players, but it's not the sequel that fans have been asking for. Although it is visually pleasing. Settlement construction is easy to manage, but lacks more depth, and the same is true with combat. Not a single component is elaborated enough to arouse more interest.
  10. Feb 23, 2023
    60
    The core idea for The Settlers: New Allies is evidently a good one, but oversimplification of certain aspects of this famous series - while simultaneously trying to go back to the roots - was a mistake. Apparently, even Ubisoft didn't fully believe in its success as it didn't advertise the game at all.
  11. Feb 21, 2023
    60
    The Settlers: New Allies is a solid starting point to reboot the RTS franchise. While its campaign is dull enough to be ignored, the game’s bones are strong enough to support solidly entertaining online play. Despite its issues it has the potential to breathe new life into The Settlers as a franchise, which would be great for all RTS fans.
  12. Feb 19, 2023
    60
    The Settlers: New Allies feels confused by its own identity. Is it a live service game? Is it a homage to the great RTS games of the past? Is it The Settlers, or a lesser Age of Empires? The answers seem to dance away the longer you play, and the further your settlements grow. While it houses a gorgeous world that actively encourages you to keep exploring, placing roads, and looking after your flock, a lack of depth and identity makes New Allies feel like a muddled experiment.
  13. Feb 26, 2023
    55
    New Allies fails in breathing new life in The Settlers' franchise: the crossover between the classic gameplay and the RTS mechanics feels dull and rushed, leaving the player with the feeling that this is not The Settlers' return they longingly waited for.
  14. Feb 23, 2023
    55
    New Alliances demolishes everything the series has previously built.
  15. Mar 7, 2023
    52
    The Settlers: New Allies tries to reinvent the series, simplifying its city-builders core mechanics to make room for newcomers more familiar with the RTS genre. Unfortunately, the final shape is a game that struggles to find its identity and that isn't really convincing neither as an RTS nor as a city-builder.
  16. Mar 20, 2023
    50
    It's not everyone who gets to create the worst of the series. Give the old games a chance and keep your money in your pocket and your nerves intact.
  17. Feb 28, 2023
    50
    Quotation forthcoming.
  18. Feb 22, 2023
    50
    New Allies is pleasing to look at and offers a relaxed experience for newcomers, as long as you keep your expectations in check. But if you are looking for a deep city builder or a long-lasting multiplayer strategy game, by all means, look elsewhere.
  19. Mar 9, 2023
    40
    The Settlers: New Allies is a basic and easy RTS. Unfortunately, the game has no complexity for an RTS which hinders advanced strategies and even “cheese” mechanics. The campaign is forgettable, and the skirmish mode offers little in variety, not to mention the horrible multiplayer stability. I was very hopeful for a new Settlers game but got a “Babies first RTS” instead.
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  1. New Allies isn't for me, I'm afraid, and I couldn't speculate who it might be for either. But I don't want to end this review on a downer. Every creative biffs it once in a while. It's an unfortunate part of the process. So if you haven't already, I'd urge you to ignore this little stumble into the mud, and check out Blue Byte at their best by grabbing hold of the excellent Anno 1800.
User Score
2.5

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 89 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 89
  2. Negative: 70 out of 89
  1. Feb 18, 2023
    3
    Five plus years of development and this is the net result...

    I can't even put into words my disappointment; this was one of my most
    Five plus years of development and this is the net result...

    I can't even put into words my disappointment; this was one of my most anticipated games since 2018 and it's a calamity. It looks OK visually, but everything else - everything - is a disaster. It's like the developers skim read a Wikipedia entry about the series and decided to just plow on making the most basic, uninspired RTS imaginable and slap the Settlers name on it.

    A question for you, Ubisoft - how can you monetise a game with in-game transactions when the game is so god-awful that nobody with half a brain could tolerate more than an hour of it?

    Thankfully I've got Settlers II to get the bad taste out of my mouth from this - yeah it may be around 17+ years old at this point but it has 100x the heart and gameplay of this modern trainwreck.

    3/10, it should be a 2 for the graphics alone but it's also mechanically... fine I guess, it's just that it's a terrible actual game, so I give it a 3. But it's SO disappointing it's honestly tempting to just slap a zero on it out of disgust. Bah.
    Full Review »
  2. Feb 18, 2023
    1
    This is NOT a settlers game....
    This an "Age of" copy
    => Misleading branding
  3. Feb 20, 2023
    1
    To carry the name of The Settlers and provide gameplay this shallow is incredibly saddening. They removed the requirement of food for yourTo carry the name of The Settlers and provide gameplay this shallow is incredibly saddening. They removed the requirement of food for your people. Shortened production lines. Made military recruitment and combat single unit based instead of squads. Finally removed any social aspect from your population. They tried very hard to be the next Action RTS with an IP that was never intended to be such. They get points for the visuals, it looks pretty. But after about an hour you'll realize looks are all it has going for it. Ultimately with constant crashes, lackluster gameplay, server side connection issues and day one MTX. its not worth your time. Instead you'll get an itch to go play Anno 1800, which at this point, does Settlers better than Settlers. Full Review »