Games like The Settlers: New Allies

The Squirrel's verdictKnights and Merchants is a 1998 economic strategy game pairing settlement-building with military production — the same core combination as New Allies — but singleplayer campaigns with AI opponents are the default mode, with no online account or forced 1v1 structure. The base Steam version has bugged combat controls; reviewers consistently point to the free KaM Remake patch as the fix. Rated Very Positive at 85.2% positive, median playtime 12.4 hours.

Not for you if you want modern visuals or multiplayer as the main draw, or are unwilling to install the KaM Remake patch to fix the Steam build.

The Squirrel's verdictPioneers of Pagonia is built around goods as physical objects that must be carried between production buildings — the same loop as New Allies — and includes a proper singleplayer campaign alongside co-op support. Priced at $34.99, Very Positive at 81.5% positive, median playtime 27.1 hours. Reviewers note there are no enemy factions; combat consists of infinitely respawning camps rather than AI opponents with their own settlements.

Not for you if you expect faction-based AI opponents — combat is limited to infinitely respawning enemy camps with no rival settlement AI.

The Squirrel's verdictHeritage of Kings is built around scripted single-player campaigns set in a medieval era, with production chains and base-building feeding into army management across scenario maps. At $5.99 and 38.5 median hours, it is the longest-running Settlers entry on this page. Reviewers note strong nostalgia for the campaign structure, but flag glitched expansion scenario maps and Ubisoft launcher friction at startup. Steam rating is Very Positive at 83.7% positive.

Not for you if you want co-op, large-scale AI skirmish maps, or plan to play the expansion scenarios — reviewers report those maps are glitched.

The Squirrel's verdictHavendock suits solo players who want a crafting-focused colony sim with no online account or multiplayer requirement blocking access. Production chains grow a floating settlement over time, and the median playtime is 19.3 hours. Multiplayer was removed at the 1.0 release, so co-op is no longer available. Reviewers note crafting balance issues and content gaps despite the 1.0 label.

Not for you if you bought it for co-op play — multiplayer was removed at the 1.0 release and is no longer supported.

The Squirrel's verdictRise of an Empire centers production and resource management more heavily than military escalation, with economy-building forming the main loop across its single-player campaigns. Reviewers describe it as one of the stronger Settlers entries for players who prefer supply-chain depth over combat. Priced at $11.99, Mostly Positive at 76.6% positive, median playtime 21.3 hours. Ubisoft account authentication is required at launch and reviewers report ownership verification errors.

Not for you if you want multiplayer or co-op, or are unwilling to deal with Ubisoft launcher authentication errors reported at startup.

The Squirrel's verdictLand of the Vikings suits players who want slower, deeper resource-management systems in a single-player settlement builder with no account requirement. Production chains and worker behavior are more granular than in most genre entries, median playtime 16.6 hours. Reviewers flag a persistent bug where warehouse workers go permanently idle and halt production chains, and note the game has no defined end-game goals after construction is complete.

Not for you if you want a campaign with clear end-game goals, or need reliable production chains — warehouse worker idle bugs are a long-standing reported issue.