Review
Ghost of Yōtei review: is this still open world?
by Simon Balissat
Wuselfaktor 2.0: How "Pioneers of Pagonia" follows in the footsteps of "The Settlers"
10.12.2025
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: Kim Muntinga
After the disappointment of the latest "Settlers" revival, "Pagonia" shows how classic construction can work today. Clear structures, clean logistics and steady growth replace big promises. It looks surprisingly contemporary.
As if by an invisible agreement, the pioneers move between the huts and workshops, each going about their own task. Porters pass by on the main path, balancing baskets full of berries or planks. Some take elegant turns, others almost run over each other's feet, stop for a moment, turn in circles without orientation and then find their place in the hustle and bustle again.
The woodcutters march out of their hut in a deep rhythm, axes swung over their shoulders, before disappearing into the forest. From the quarry, there is a regular knocking, interrupted by the patter of small footsteps as porters pick up the freshly quarried stone. Further up, at the farm, a gardener bends over his bed as carefully as if the individual plant were the most important thing on the whole island.
None of this is spectacular. And that is precisely why it seems so lively.
The village doesn't work despite the hustle and bustle, it works because of it. Every little movement, every porter who stops for a moment because the path is blocked, every farmer who waters at the right time: it is a quiet confusion that blends into a harmonious overall picture.
From «up here» it feels like I'm not watching a strategy game, but everyday life in a miniature world. And for a moment, I completely forget that I am the one who made this world possible in the first place. I just watch. That's enough to draw me in.
When a name brings back memories
If I'm honest, «Pioneers of Pagonia» had me the moment the name Volker Wertich was mentioned. For someone like me who grew up with the old «Settlers» games - especially the charmingly chaotic economic cycles of the first to fourth generation - it was a bit of a familiar echo.
Source: Envision Entertainment
While many modern city-building games have become more efficient, larger, more systemic, I love that light, almost playful warmth that comes from simply watching a small convoy of porters haul goods from A to B.
«Pioneers of Pagonia» is the first major project from the newly founded studio Envision Entertainment, which Wertich set up together with former Blue Byte and EA veterans. The game sees itself as a spiritual «Settlers» successor without copying the brand: a classic, decelerated building game that draws its fascination from complex production chains, an organically ticking economic system and above all from its lively scurrying factor. Instead of big battles, it focuses on expansion, exploration and micrological precision.
First steps on Pagonia
The beginning of «Pioneers of Pagonia» feels like the first breath of a world that has yet to take shape. My small landing party stands on an unspoilt piece of coastline: a few pioneers, a couple of porters, simple tools. No supplies, no huts, no foundations. The island is waiting for someone to take the first step, and that step starts with mining resources and a resource depot.
The pioneers set off and collect the first slender trees. Carriers bring the trunks back, followed shortly afterwards by stone. With every piece of material they carry, it becomes clear where they are heading. The first dozen logs are turned into a logging camp, the next batch of stones into a simple workshop. The master builder places beams, raises walls, closes off roofs and suddenly the first building of the new settlement is standing.
As soon as these basic structures are in place, things start to move. The logging camp sends out its first workers, the workshop produces tools and the stonemason supplies materials for further projects. A rhythm develops: Workers fetch raw materials, porters distribute goods, paths connect the new nodes. The world begins to function, slowly at first, then more fluidly.
This structure has gained significant depth since the Early Access version. In 2023, some processes still seemed crude and some production chains incomplete. Today, the systems interlock noticeably better. Tasks are distributed more comprehensibly, logistics flows are clearer, even if I sometimes still lack an overview or a hint when things aren't working. My settlement is developing its own rhythm. Every new building sets a small chain of movement in motion.
The core of the game: economy, cycles and logistics
As soon as the first buildings are erected and the settlement develops its own breath, «Pioneers of Pagonia» shows its true colours. The dynamism of the game comes from its production chains and the constant flow of logistics. Everything that later seems big begins in these processes: Wood to planks, stone to building blocks, grain to bread. And the bigger my settlement gets, the more clearly I realise how crucial it is to keep an eye on these flows.
The production chains are complex enough to challenge me without overwhelming me. They interlock logically. Raw materials are refined, goods are processed, and each new building opens up another level of the economic system. A lot reminds me of «The Settlers».
The military is also part of the economic cycle. The barracks demand flows of goods like any other building and react noticeably to bottlenecks. As a result, the military remains firmly anchored in the economic fabric. It serves to expand and secure new territories, but acts less like a combat-heavy system and more like another consumer that needs to be planned for.
One of the most well-known challenges of the Settlers series is also present here: the available building space and the layout of the buildings. «Pagonia» doesn't force me to follow strict grid layouts, but it rewards thoughtful planning. Roads determine how goods flow. Each building nestles into a network of paths that I draw myself. I place markers, draw lines and connect junctions. This creates a settlement that I don't just build, but sketch out and which later functions exactly as I have designed it. Or not, if I plan carelessly.
The world of Pagonia: islands, discoveries and atmosphere
As soon as my settlement is stable, I look outwards. The island is not an open map in front of me, but a patchwork of visible zones and dense fog. Only when my pioneers set off does the world open up. Every step reveals new forests, hills or coastal sections and shows me how much shape this landscape only gains through my exploration.
This fog is more than a formal boundary. It structures the pace of expansion. Where a wide valley opens up, I plan agriculture. Where rocks form a bottleneck, I later set up a guard post. The topography guides my decisions and gives the island a clear, logical order.
From time to time I come across other factions: small settlements, towers or trading points. These encounters seem naturally embedded, without much dramatisation. Some offer resources, others block paths. This gives the island social contours without disrupting the build-up flow.
With every area I explore, my understanding of this world changes. Paths are drawn through the terrain like lines in a growing sketch, and the island gains structure depending on what I discover and how I react to it. The atmosphere remains calm and unagitated: a reliable framework that supports the game without pushing itself to the fore.
Fights and threats: How much conflict does the build-up need?
Conflict plays a restrained but noticeable role in «Pioneers of Pagonia». As soon as my settlement grows, I encounter bands of raiders or hostile factions that control limited zones. These threats require a basic military structure, but they do not dominate the game.
Soldiers are created via the same economic chains as all other professions. Weapons, armour and provisions must be ready before a unit becomes active. This makes battles a series of economic decisions rather than a separate game mode.
When it comes to conflict, the process remains clear. Military posts secure borders, troops clear obstacles or open the way for new expansions. It's less about tactics and more about preparation: if you manage your economy stably, you can also master the battles without rushing.
The campaign: a calm setting with a clear structure
The campaign of «Pioneers of Pagonia» is based on a calm narrative framework. Each island represents its own scenario with clearly defined tasks: securing certain resources, eliminating enemy positions, reaching trading partners or building a stable economy. The objectives provide orientation without restricting the flow of the game.
What I like about it: The campaign doesn't push me in one direction. It opens up a path and lets me decide for myself how to follow it. Some scenarios develop almost like small learning stages: one island strengthens logistics, another military planning, yet another requires a neatly planned network of paths. This makes the campaign feel less like a story and more like a series of islands that hone my settler skills step by step. This helps me like a tutorial, but can also feel tedious.
The narrative level remains discreet and functional. Short briefings set the framework, but the actual focus remains on the build-up. The campaign structures the progress without dominating it. It is a framework that supports but does not push and is therefore exactly the right approach for a game whose tension arises from planning, not from dramatic twists and turns. Nevertheless, there is a small twist in the plot. But I won't give it away here.
«Pioneers of Pagonia» will be available in the full version for PC from 11 December.
In a nutshell
When the scurry factor becomes playing strength
After many hours in "Pioneers of Pagonia", one thing above all remains: the tranquillity of a game that draws its excitement not from the spectacle, but from the quality of its growth. The settlement develops steadily, layer by layer, until a few pioneers become a finely meshed network of paths, workshops and flows of goods. This process is not loud, not intrusive, but it is sustainable.
The long-term motivation comes primarily from your own planning. Anyone who enjoys tweaking production chains, optimising paths or rethinking village structures will find a constant task in "Pagonia". The islands in the campaign also support this impression. They set goals, but they do not determine my path. Each map sharpens a different skill, each task sets new priorities.
"Pioneers of Pagonia" is not a game of big moments, but of clear structures. This is precisely its strength and weakness.
Pro
- Scurry factor
- clear economic system
- Decelerated build-up feeling and visually strong islands
- Military embedded in a meaningful way
Contra
- Little narrative depth and hardly any variety in the mission design
- Lack of overview in complex settlements
Header image: Envision Entertainment
My interests are varied, I just like to enjoy life. Always on the lookout for news about darts, gaming, films and series.
Gaming
Follow topics and stay updated on your areas of interest
Review
Which films, shows, books, games or board games are genuinely great? Recommendations from our personal experience.
Show allThese articles might also interest you
5 comments
later