The Settlers Online | Free-to-Play Browser MMO of the Year 2013

Today I am presenting you one of the best, if not the best classical free-to-play browser game: The Settlers Online. It has been awarded with the title the MMO of the year two years in row, in various categories: community relations, classical browser game, strategy browser... Did I mention it is fun, well organized and free-to-play?

Recently I have been writing about some awarded MMO games, and this is just me continuing that fashion. The Settlers Online is something different: great community, good graphics, thrilling gameplay... This has been recognized by both online community and professionals taking the role of the jury in every year's contest for the best MMO of that year. Lets mention here the other awarded games I have been writing about: Grepolis | MMO of the Year 2012 and Rising Cities: New City Building Browser Game.
 

The Settlers, Our Favorite PC Strategy Goes Online

Yep, The Settlers Online is still in beta faze of testing, so there is lots of things there to be done. But two years in a row, this game is winning awards for best MMO of the year in various categories.

The Settlers, the cutest PC strategy is now available in browser version. These are great news for every fan of the genre. I personally spent significant time playing the Settlers, and I adore them. This time, they are there, at your hand reach. You can play them online, for free with no download needed.

Buy PC version of the game at low price on Amazon!

You must be asking yourself did this move affect gameplay or graphics. I assure you, the graphics is sharp and crisp, and you are going to love it. I was surprised to see a browser strategy game with this good graphics. Colors are vivid, everything is animates, and everything that happens you can watch it in live (deforestation, battles, workshop workers hammering hot iron...).

Browser experience is decent. Nothing freezes up, there are no lag, and surprisingly no bugs, having in mind that the Settlers are still in BETA testing faze. 

The Settlers are CASUAL MMO strategy of the year 2012/2013

Surprisingly, there are no PvP battles. You don't compete with other players, and you can't conquer them. In one word, the Settlers are FRIENDLY online game.

Unlike other strategy games, this is friendly, casual online free-to-play game. You don't have to worry about that someone will attack your village while you are offline, and destroy everything that you have built so far. Someone will find this an advantage of the game, and the other will simply say: What is the strategy without fight and conquering. I am not keeping any side.

This is almost a city builder game. There are enough aspects that could put the Settlers Online into this category, the browser city builder MMO.

Luckily, there is an enemy in form of bandits. Bandits are group of outsiders that have occupied the land beyond the borders of your empire. When you look at the map, you will notice that you are located on an island, somewhere in the ocean.  This island is divided into few sectors. You start playing as the king of one of those sectors, and the rest of them are occupied by bandits. They are scattered around in camps protecting their leader. If you wish to control all the regions (and you will have to in order to place all the needed buildings), you will have to fight those bandits. No worries, they don't invade your land. It is up to you when and where to attack.

The Settlers Online: Gameplay. It is Simple, or perhaps the Other Way?

It is the perfect catch for those who love in-depth gameplays, with lots of things to keep an eye on. This game is one of those. Keep the track of resources coming to warehouses, food and tools production, military upkeep, etc. One thing is sure: you won't be bored playing this free-to-play MMO of the year 2013.

When you log in for the first time, you own only a Mayor's house. This house serves as home for you, 50 workers and as a storage facility for your resources. Then you start building. From the moment ONE and throughout the game you are guided by a well organized tutorial. You are learning how to play the game by completing certain quests, which bring you various awards: wood, gold, brew...

First thing that you need to take care of is steady resource production. And, boy, there are many kinds of resources in this strategy game. The whole game is about creating and keeping the balance between gathered resources and those spent on production.

More Similar Games:

★ Grepolis 2.0: Browser War Game Placed in Ancient Times
★ atWar: New Generation of Risk-Like Games
★ Rising Cities: New City Building Browser Game | Simulation of Real City
★ Cities XL | Build Magnificent Cities With Best City Builder Game

After setting up few timber lands, marble, copper and stone mines, you will need to build some workshops in which you will use those to produce planks, wheat, bread, tools, weapons... I am telling you, there is no end. Sometime in the middle of the game you realize you have forgotten to build more bakeries, and then realize too that you don't have more building permits (those are received by conquering new sectors, or by buying them with real money).

In general, it is one kind of the browser game. Covers almost every aspect of economy, trade and military, so this will absolutely become the biggest strength of the game, aside from the graphics. This fact guarantees fun!

The Settlers Online: Free-to-Play Online Strategy, but!

There are certain premium features you can buy with real money. Actually, it seems you can buy everything with real money. But this doesn't change anything. You still have access to every feature and building in the game without paying it. Money simply increases the speed of the production.

Sadly, you can use your money to buy everything in the game, which ruins every game experience. Some players will use this in their advantage. They will, then, have stronger economy, bigger army, more settlers, more production buildings, more mines, more permits, more of everything.

Hey, wait! Didn't I say, at the beginning of this review, that you don't fight with other players, and that you actually have no interactions with them?. I am sure I did. Then, why would it be an advantage for them to have larger army, more resources, more products, stronger economy...? I guess, it is now, then.

So, let it make simple: you actually don't need to spend a dime in order to play. It is more realistic and fun if everything goes a little bit slower.

MMO of the Year in Category The Best Community Relationship.

The Settlers Online have large community. You can engage with them in chat rooms, or you can visit their cities and improve their production by "buffing" one or more buildings (mines or factories).

I love visit friend's city feature in this browser strategy. You are able to go to the city of one of your friend, and "buff" few of their buildings to produce more resources (2 or more times more resources for a relatively long period of time).

Your friends will notice that, and maybe return the favor very soon. Buffs work twice longer if they are applied on friend's building than on your own. Have it mind. ;)

In bottom left corner you will notice a chat window with four (at present) chat-rooms. Mods are friendly, and always available for the any help you will need. Here you can chat with other players and with your friends, ask for resources, products exchange, etc.

Best MMO of the years 2010, 2012 and 2013 in various categories.

The Settlers Online really proved to be one of the best online strategies, with friendly and well bounded community. It is up to you to try it.

For three years in row (2010, 2012 and 2013- 2011 there was no elections) this browser war strategy/city builder game was nominated and elected in as the best in following categories:

• Best strategy (2012),
• Best Community Relations in one MMO(2012/2013),
• Best Strategy Browser MMO (2012),
• Best Classic Browser MMO (2013).