PGC NEWS

The Settlers series, a venerable name in strategy gaming, has seen a period of quiet since the seventh installment six years ago. While The Settlers Online exists, many fans don’t consider it a true successor. The announcement of The Settlers: Kingdoms of Anteria sparked excitement, but after a poorly received closed beta, the game faded into obscurity. A year later, a spin-off emerged with little fanfare: Champions of Anteria. This review explores its successes and shortcomings.

Restoring Anteria: A Lighthearted Tale

Returning to their homeland of Anteria after years of pursuing individual goals, three champions – Anslem, Vargus, and Nusala – are tasked with lifting the curse cast by the dark sorcerer Kalem. The simple premise sets the stage for a lighthearted story reminiscent of Magicka, though without the satirical edge. While the humor occasionally lands, not every joke hits the mark. Enjoyment of Champions of Anteria‘s tone will likely depend on individual taste.

Two Sides of the Same Coin: Kingdom Management and Real-Time Combat

Champions of Anteria blends two distinct gameplay styles: kingdom building and management in the tradition of The Settlers, and classic real-time strategy/RPG combat. The kingdom management aspect takes place on two main maps. The overarching Anteria map is where players make strategic decisions, such as conquering territories and managing resources, progressing in turns. The second map focuses on the construction and management of the player’s settlement.

Champions of Anteria

Champions of Anteria‘s building mechanics are arguably its strongest feature. Housing provides homes for the population, stores allow for the purchase and crafting of equipment and weapons, and resource buildings gather elemental resources. Renown and Gold serve as the two main currencies, used for purchasing items, constructing buildings, and upgrading existing structures. A skill tree allows players to unlock new buildings and items, contributing to the kingdom’s overall experience level and granting rewards upon reaching milestones.

Building Mechanics

The game’s elemental system, featuring fire, water, metal, lightning, and nature, adds a unique layer to the building mechanics. These elements interact based on a five-element cycle, with some being strong against others and others being weak. The placement of buildings can significantly impact their effectiveness. Building a water resource building near a river increases water output, while a fire resource building near trees or other structures can be negatively affected. This element-based system, while not entirely new (seen in Divinity: Original Sin), adds a welcome layer of strategic depth to kingdom management.

Elemental System

Where the Cracks Show: Clunky Combat and Repetitive Missions

The elemental system also plays a role in Champions of Anteria‘s real-time combat. Each champion is aligned with a specific element, and players must choose their champions strategically before embarking on missions. However, the core combat mechanics are poorly executed. With the exception of Vargus, who has a stamina bar, champions don’t use mana. Abilities rely on cooldown timers, with basic attacks offering standard effects like area-of-effect damage, ranged attacks, or debuffs. The lack of innovation compared to other games in the genre is disappointing.

Combat

The game’s most significant flaw is its clunky and unreliable execution. Champions can get stuck on small obstacles, failing to execute commands. They may also fail to track moving targets or use abilities in the wrong direction. Missions become repetitive, consisting primarily of defending locations, attacking enemies, or collecting specific items. The lack of variety, coupled with the flawed combat, makes the gameplay experience frustrating.

Repetitive Missions

Further Frustrations: AI and Level Design

The AI in Champions of Anteria is another major weakness. Enemies often behave erratically, charging blindly into attacks or changing targets for no apparent reason. The pathfinding is equally problematic, with champions frequently taking unnecessarily long routes or ignoring direct paths.

Level design also suffers from a lack of polish. Enemy placement often feels illogical, with enemies appearing in odd locations. Teleportation gates are awkwardly positioned, and there’s a general lack of exploration or hidden areas.

A Missed Opportunity

Missed Opportunity

Champions of Anteria shows glimmers of potential with its kingdom building and management mechanics. However, the flawed combat, repetitive missions, poor AI, and uninspired level design ultimately hold it back. While the lighthearted tone may appeal to some, the game’s technical issues and lack of depth prevent it from being a truly enjoyable experience. Champions of Anteria represents a missed opportunity to revitalize the Settlers series.