| The Settlers: Heritage of Kings | |
|---|---|
 European cover art | |
| Developer(s) | Blue Byte |
| Publisher(s) | Ubisoft |
| Director(s) |
|
| Producer(s) | Benedikt Grindel |
| Designer(s) |
|
| Programmer(s) | Dietmar Meschede |
| Artist(s) |
|
| Writer(s) | Yvonne Kneisel |
| Composer(s) | Michael Pummel |
| Series | The Settlers |
| Engine | RenderWare |
| Platform(s) | Windows |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Real-time strategy[4][5] |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
The Settlers: Heritage of Kings (German: Die Siedler: Das Erbe der Könige), released as Heritage of Kings: The Settlers in North America, is a 2004 real-time strategy video game for Windows. Developed by Blue Byte and published by Ubisoft, it was released in Germany in November 2004, and in the United Kingdom, North America, and Australia in February 2005. It is the fifth game in The Settlers series. In 2005, Blue Byte released two expansions, The Settlers: Heritage of Kings - Expansion Disc (German: Die Siedler: Das Erbe der Könige - Nebelreich) and The Settlers: Heritage of Kings - Legends Expansion Disc (German: Die Siedler: Das Erbe der Könige - Legenden), in March and September respectively, featuring new single-player campaign missions, new maps for both single-player and multiplayer modes, a map editor, and a random map generator. In November, The Settlers: Heritage of Kings - Gold Edition was released, containing the original game and the first expansion. In 2009, the original game was also released on GOG.com. In 2018, the game was re-released as The Settlers: Heritage of Kings - History Edition.
In the game's single-player campaign, the player controls Dario, a young man who is shocked to learn he is the rightful heir to the throne of a once prosperous, but now war-torn and divided country. Joined by a group of loyal supporters, Dario sets out to depose the current king by uniting the princedoms into which the country has split. The Expansion Disc takes place several years later; when building work on a major new bridge stops under mysterious circumstances, Dario and his companions are called upon to investigate.
Originally intended as a cross-platform title that would also include PlayStation 2 and GameCube releases, Heritage of Kings was specifically designed as a new type of Settlers game, one intended to appeal to North American gamers. After seeking feedback, Blue Byte decided to move the game away from its pseudo-city building origins, and more in the direction of a traditional real-time strategy. As a result, although still built upon supply and demand-based gameplay, the game mechanics are fundamentally different from previous titles. The game was also the first in the series to feature 3D graphics.
Heritage of Kings received mixed reviews, with many critics arguing the graphical changes, streamlining of micromanagement, and foregrounding of combat stripped the game of the unique Settlers identity. The graphics, animations and sound effects were generally praised, but the AI, mission design, combat strategy, and slow pace were criticised. The game was a commercial success, selling over 200,000 units in Germany within the first two months of its release. By 2006, worldwide sales had reached 500,000 units, of which 350,000 were sold in the German market.
- ^ "The Settlers: Heritage of Kings". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on August 21, 2017. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
- ^ Stolzenberg, Justin (November 25, 2004). "Die Siedler: EdK: Jetzt erhältlich". PC Games (in German). Archived from the original on March 5, 2022. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
- ^ a b "The Settlers: Heritage of Kings". GameSpy. Archived from the original on August 21, 2017. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
- ^ Gillen, Kieron (March 1, 2005). "The Settlers: Heritage Of Kings Review". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on September 10, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
- ^ Wolpaw, Erik (June 2005). "Heritage of Kings: The Settlers Review" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 252. p. 96. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 10, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2017.