Pioneers of Pagonia Review

A new journey from a legendary series creator with hopes to evolve the city-building genre. Pioneers of Pagonia has charm, personality, and an everlasting art direction, though its storyline is somewhat predictable. When I learned that the original creator of the Settlers series was developing a new game, I was certainly interested to see where Volker Wertich would take fans next, and how this adventure might differ from previous works in the Settlers series.

Weaving Story with a Tutorial

Pioneers of Pagonia is a real-time strategy (RTS) city builder with a solid foundation and intuitive design that appeals to both old and new fans. The 30-hour campaign guides you through the fundamentals while creating a narrative that makes learning the game enjoyable, though the story itself is somewhat predictable. Missions vary in length, from about an hour to four or six hours, spread across seven chapters.

The story is more than just a tutorial; I was introduced to characters who helped guide my settlement’s growth, without the frustration of early failures that often plague city builders. Thanks to my Pagonia teachers, the game was easy to understand and fostered the beginning of my journey searching for Captain Eirik and beyond as I built a fresh start for my settlement.

A City Builder with Options

There are many ways to play the game, from the Campaign to Custom playthroughs or Scenarios developed by the dev team or other players. The game offers something for everyone.

At its core, Pioneers of Pagonia focuses on building your settlement, allowing anyone to construct and defend with ease, while still capturing the depth that hardcore city-building fans crave. Wertich has said the game features high accessibility - “that a child could learn to build” - while still offering challenging depth for genre veterans.

Accessibility is a standout feature. For those seeking a cozy building experience, the game allows you to create a custom game, removing enemy battles and survival worries. You can focus on forging goods and building at your own pace, free from the stress some city-building games present.

For more aggressive city builders, the option for combat is available. Resources can be scarce if desired, and you’ll need to fend off attacking factions. Launch attacks on opposing settlements as you fight for materials, sending your Warlock to help fend off Werewolves and other bandits. This can be a challenging experience veterans desire.

These options create opportunities for everyone to play the game, offering freedom in playstyles. Players who don’t want to struggle with battle management and resource scarcity can enjoy a relaxed experience, while those seeking the full challenge can dive right in.

That Settlers DNA

Presentation is key - how the game looks, feels, and plays determines how long players will stick around. Pioneers of Pagonia has the Settlers flair that fans of Wertich’s previous work will notice quickly, from the play style to the whimsical art direction. The game is fun and relaxing, even during battles. It feels like the next evolution of Settlers: the charm of the characters, the gameplay loop, and the art style are all present, while clearly establishing Pioneers of Pagonia as its own unique experience. Wertich and his team at Envision Entertainment have created an enjoyable city builder without redefining the genre.

Though I couldn’t join others, one gameplay highlight is the ability to play with up to three friends. Adding co-op to a city-building experience is always a bonus, as most city builders focus on single-player. Here, you can team up or compete for island dominance in co-op playthroughs.

With Pioneers of Pagonia releasing out of Early Access with version 1.0 on December 11th, know that the team isn’t stopping there. In a media presentation, we were informed that 1.0 is only the beginning, with plans for more content, DLC, and a new world map arriving in January.

My Final Settlement

I found myself enjoying the freedom of Custom matches more than the campaign, preferring to jump into the thick of things without the guided tour of the story. The campaign felt rather long - though it’s a great tutorial, fans of the genre might end up skipping it to experience the game on their own faults. There were minor graphical glitches, though nothing game-breaking. Sometimes managing the menu felt overwhelming, but it was easy to tidy up; pressing ‘U’ conveniently hides the UI for a cleaner appearance. Despite some minor issues, this was a solid and fun experience that I’ll be sure to return to long after my review.

City builders are currently flourishing, and fans of the genre have plenty to enjoy. Pioneers of Pagonia is another meal fans should add to the dinner table.