The Settlers IV

The Settlers IV is a real-time strategy video game developed by Blue Byte Software, being the third sequel to The Settlers and the fourth game overall in The Settlers series.

In The Settlers IV there are four races: the Mayans, the Vikings, the Romans, and the Dark Tribe. The game can be played via either single-player, playing against the computer, or against another human opponent, via multi-player, and features a "free settle" mode where players are free to build a civilisation with no fear of attack. The game also features in the iPhone and iPod Touch, with free and paid-for versions available, the title of which is "The Settlers", differing slightly from the PC title. Even though the title is different the basis of the game is much the same, but using the iPhone's touch controls.

Dark Tribe campaign
In this campaign you switch between the 3 races and have to fight the threat of the mysterious dark tribe who turns the land into a wasteland. During twelve missions you fight against pirates, renegades, dark tribe and the other races. In the end the Mayan, Vikings and Romans unite to defeat the dark tribe. To destroy a Dark tribe base you have to destroy the fungus farms and the heart of their camp which is a dark fortress. In this fortress they also train their troops. The fortress is protected by a toxic area where your soldiers die instantly. To destroy the fortress you first have to raze all the fungus farms. You can do this by training gardeners and a spell of your priest which turns the wasteland into green land again.

Reception
The Settlers IV received an aggregated score of 74% over five reviews from Metacritic.

Portable version
Gameloft released The Settlers on the iPhone/iPod Touch App Store in November 2009. The portable version is immediately based on The Settlers IV.