The Settlers: New Allies for Nintendo Switch

The good stuff

It’s weirdly satisfying how straightforward the resource loop is. You send settlers to chop wood, mine stone, and grow food - all in a clean, no-nonsense way. The tech tree progression feels purposeful, and each level has a different goal, which keeps things from getting stale. One level had me hunting down a rare ore deep in the mountains, another was about defending a village from raiders. That mix of exploration and base-building is where it shines. It reminded me of early SpellForce without the over-the-top fantasy nonsense. And yeah, the combat isn’t deep - but it’s not meant to be. It’s more about setting up defenses than tactical duels.

The not-so-good

And honestly? The visuals are kind of flat. No real personality in the art style, and the settlers just… walk around doing their thing. You don’t really care if they get killed or not. The AI is fine for basic skirmishes, but it doesn’t feel smart enough to challenge anyone who’s played even a little bit of strategy games before. Also, the online multiplayer seems sparse - I tried joining a match and got matched against bots. Not a dealbreaker, but a bit underwhelming for a game that promises “play with friends.” If you’re a hardcore fan of The Settlers series, you’ll probably notice it’s missing some of the depth of older entries. This one’s more casual.

Bottom line

If you’re bored and want something light, free, and easy to pick up, The Settlers: New Allies for Nintendo Switch for Windows is a decent distraction. It’s not going to blow you away, but it’s polished enough to play through a few campaigns without frustration. Perfect for a rainy afternoon. Download it if you’re into simple city-builders and don’t mind a little visual blandness. Just don’t expect anything groundbreaking.