Catan Review

By Mathew Kumar Published 4 May, 2007

Worth settling for?

Version tested: Xbox 360

First things first: some of us still have normal-person televisions. Catan is yet another game that completely ignores the fact that some people will need to play it on SDTV. Much of the text is tiny. Worse, it's tiny for no particular reason at all. Double-worse, it's actually pretty tiny on an HDTV, too.

This is criminally idiotic, and means Catan gets 0/10 immediately. Or would do, except that would be to play into its hands, wouldn't it? Trying to trick me, eh? Fortunately (for me and developer Big Huge Games), it's nigh-on impossible to ruin a game as tightly designed as The Settlers of Catan, the German hex-based board game on which Catan is based. Even if you try.

Need convincing? Well, it doesn't sound very exciting (for example, I've used the word "hex"), but when you put it under the magnifying glass (as some of us will have to - no I'm not going to stop grumbling about it), and put together a group with two or three other people, Catan is actually a fast-paced game of subtle depth.

'Catan' Screenshot 1

The game offers two "skins": basic, which looks exactly like a real board and is thus a bit boring...

On a randomly generated board featuring five kinds of resource tiles (sheep, wheat, wood, brick and ore) plus one desert tile on which a "robber" piece stands, players initially build two settlements and two roads each. From that point, the game progresses in a turn-based fashion, with players earning resources from the tiles adjacent to their settlements at the whim of a dice roll. Each turn, players can use their resources to build more roads or settlements, upgrade settlements into cities, or purchase "development cards", which offer powers, such as the ability to move the robber to steal resources from other players.

The game ends when one player reaches 10 victory points, with settlements each worth one victory point, cities two, and other achievements such as having the longest road worth more.

What makes the game particularly interesting is that on each turn players have the option of trading resources with each other to reach their individual goals. It's here that the game reveals its layers of depth - should you trade away two lumps of ore for one brick to build a road? Or should you save the ore to build a city, even though you currently lack the required wheat? Over and above that, what if the ore you trade away helps your opponent build a city?

'Catan' Screenshot 2

And the "Living World" skin, which looks and animates nicely, but removes vital information from the screen (unless you hold down certain shoulder buttons).

With those variables and others in play, online games between friends quickly escalate into viciously Machiavellian backstabbing and double-crossing, which is as tense and enjoyable as a tight match in Gears of War. Of course, much like in Gears of War (they really are so similar), matches against random adversaries can be less successful. Lacking a lobby system, it can take irritatingly long to get into a workable game, and as a title that requires communicative, intelligent players to work, multiplayer can often be far more bother than it's worth. When it does work though, it offers one of the deepest multiplayer experiences on the Xbox 360.

Unfortunately, single-player mode doesn't fare as well. Featuring 13 different AI personalities based around famous leaders through history, such as Queen Elizabeth and Sun Tzu, and designed by Civilization II designer Brian Reynolds, the AI veers from stupidly compliant in easy mode to single-mindedly vindictive on hard, and with only two achievements to be specifically gained from single-player, it's not likely to be played for long (we know how you think). Considering how tightly designed the core game is, it's depressing to see that the designers chose not to include a deeper "campaign" mode featuring various win requirements (such as "win with no cities") or even a puzzle mode.

The achievements are a similarly uninspired range of timesinks, from "Acquire 100 resource cards in any game of Catan" to "Collect 1000 Victory Points in ranked match play".

'Catan' Screenshot 3

The trade screen. Expect to spend a lot of time here haggling.

Perhaps the biggest flaw though is that the controls never stop being cumbersome. With several important information screens requiring more than one button to be held to be seen (never mind a strange and convoluted "emoticon" system for multiplayer matches) I've often chosen not to bother looking up information that might come in handy rather than try to work through the required finger gymnastics. It hardly seems an ideal system.

Still, despite its many mistakes (it's worth mentioning some horrifically insipid music, too) the masterpiece of design that is The Settlers of Catan still shines through. It may be the best board games ever made, in fact, and even in this slightly crippled form, Catan is a unique strategy title with a multiplayer option that's often worth 800 points alone. Even if you do have to squint.

7 / 10

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About Mathew Kumar

Read more articles from Mathew by visiting the Mathew Kumar archive page.

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Comments (46) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Darren #1 5 years ago

    How come this is the only XBLA game that doesn't have a trial demo. No way am I paying 800 points for a game I can't try, particiularly as I find many XBLA games a bit hit or miss at the moment.

  • lennon #2 5 years ago

    It does now. There must have been an issue with the demo so it didnt come out at the same time but I looked again yesterday and it was back so I downloaded it.

    In all honest I didnt have a clue what was going on in the game so I decided to give it a miss.

  • geepersd #3 5 years ago

    the demo's up now - there was a bug initially according to Major Nelson (and a forum here the other day that mentioned it)

    the text on SD is painful though

  • Eighthours #4 5 years ago

    The demo was borked due to you being able to unlock achievements, apparently. So it's been taken off while they rejig it.

  • Darren #5 5 years ago

    Oh right thanks, I thought it was a bit odd...

    Anyway, EG, any chance of an Xbox 360 Spider-Man 3 review today as I bought it yesterday, think it's more than a bit so-so and wanted to read what you had to say about it. I'll predict a 5 or 6/10.

  • Valver #6 5 years ago

    There was an problem with the demo version and it was temptorarily pulled. See majornelson.com for more info.

    It'll return once the issues been fixed... dont panic ;)

  • trevd72 #7 5 years ago

    i got the demo yesterday OK, liked what I saw and bought it with pinball FX. at last some good xbla games. I only manage time to play one MP match and it went on for ever cos we were just. It has that UNO/Texas Holdem feel going for it. I LIKE!

  • Ceatlan #8 5 years ago

    I must admit I love this game, but then I loved the original board game as well. I also don't find the controls cumbersome at all, a little difficult to get to grips with initially but not cumbersome.

  • Thornhillboy #9 5 years ago

    Ah...this is the game that always used to come up when I googled 'Settlers'.

  • SwedBear #10 5 years ago

    Can't say I found the control cumbersome. Found that I could bring up all the important info quickly. The emoticons though i can agree are a bit tricky to access at first but I found that after I figured out how it works I could quickly find the one I want and fire it to the target in a second or so.

    /B

  • lennon #11 5 years ago

    @MMU - Didnt say I couldnt work it out just said I hadnt got a clue what was going on when I started playing and I didnt find it interesting enough to carry on trying. Principle seemed simple enough just not rewarding enough to put any effort into.

    I hate monopoly and most board games as well so maybe it was unlikely I was ever going to be bothered by this.

  • NthSimulachum #12 5 years ago

    This is so far one of my most played arcade games. Enjoying every minute of it!

  • Harlequeen #13 5 years ago

    I've been playing this game for over 10 years. The AI seems somewhat spiteful, but it does play a decent game. And it's worked well enough on line for some pickup games so far. Pretty good 8/10

  • brooza #14 5 years ago

    I downloaded the trial, couldn't easily read the text (in HD) and turned it off.

  • krudster #15 5 years ago

    Spidey reviews are embargoed until 6pm. It's ready to go now, but the NDAs that be dictate we can't run the review yet even though the game is available to buy.

  • menage #16 5 years ago

    I really don't see the need for games like this. Just buy the board game and a case of beer if you want to play it properly. I don't even enjoy that. I think it's way overated as a boardgame itself and ugly to look at. Rather play Risk for some real backstabbing.

  • morriss #17 5 years ago

    Why would that be krudster? What's the logic behind it, according to them of course?

  • lennon #18 5 years ago

    Does that mean the Spidey review will go up at 6 tonight?
    Is it a multi platform review? I heard the wii controls are quite good?

  • krudster #19 5 years ago

    360 version was the only one available.

    I don't know what the logic is of the 6pm bit, just following orders.

  • JonFE #20 5 years ago

    moriss, I'd guess it's because they want to avoid spoiling the movie by mentioning parts of the game directly associated with it. But by 6pm some poor folks (just kidding) will have seen the movie in the theaters and the internet will be full of spoilers.

  • jellyhead #21 5 years ago

    Acres of screenspace and they still use tiny fonts?
    What happened to designing the next-gen game interfaces with the "10ft experience" in mind? 32 inch tv and you still have to sit 2 ft away in order to see the text.
    Wierdos. 0_o

  • SuperBas #22 5 years ago

    I like this, most problems mentioned are easy to cope with. Except the font, but I sit 2 feet in front of my screen anyway. Sorry.

    I'd give it an 8/10.
    Edited by 1 at 04/05/07 @ 12:52

  • mattigan #23 5 years ago

    Understood Krudster, as I may pick this up on the way home before 6, (as a purely personal opinion) would you say its a +, - or = SM2 (which I loved BTW)

  • optimusprym8 #24 5 years ago

    some negative comment on button combinations knocks this down to a 7? This is the greatest game released on XBLA so far! 10/10

  • BigBadB #25 5 years ago

    As much as I normally enjoy reading Eurogamer, I have to say that this is one of the most disappointing reviews I've ever seen on the site.

    The only valid complaint of those listed by the reviewer (who seems to have forgotten that he's reviewing a £6.80 XBLA game, not a full-price release) is the small fonts, which are a problem for those with standard definition TVs and/or small screens.

    So maybe, just maybe, you could argue for a 9/10 rating. Personally, though, even with the small fonts, it's a 10/10. It brings Settlers of Catan to the 360 in a playable and easy to follow form. Given the sheer brilliance of the game itself, that's got to be worth top marks in any scoring system.

    For anyone who likes games that require a little thought (as opposed to reaction speed), Catan is without a doubt the finest XBLA title available. Hell, it's arguably the finest multiplayer strategy game available for the 360 full stop.
    Edited by 1 at 04/05/07 @ 13:13

  • ccfb #26 5 years ago

    "Lacking a lobby system, it can take irritatingly long to get into a workable game.."

    This game has a perfectly servicable lobby system for online games.

    "with only two achievements to be specifically gained from single-player, it's not likely to be played for long (we know how you think)."

    Wow. With a comment like that it turns out you really don't.
    Edited by 1 at 04/05/07 @ 14:42

  • SBfistfun #27 5 years ago

    Welcome to the next gen..........

  • chupachups #28 5 years ago

    "I have one theory as to why a publisher would want to prevent reviews appearing until the end of the week. Might be to prevent (potentially) negative reviews from affecting first day sales? "

    That would fit in with the 6pm thing, most game shops across Europe close at 6pm UK time, or even earlier if you take account of time zone differences.
    Edited by 2 at 04/05/07 @ 13:30

  • kazuya69 #29 5 years ago

    The cards partially obscure the bottom left tile of the map (as you can see from the screenshots) meaning you have to build stuff there blind.
    You would have thought that would have come up a lot in testing...seeing as it happens in the demo...doh.
    Edited by 2 at 04/05/07 @ 13:46

  • Der_tolle_Emil #30 5 years ago

    It could be very well movie spoilers too. The publisher of the game definetly has to meet certain conditions to get the movie license in the first place and trying to hold back as many spoilers as possible could be one of them.

    Much more interesting though is the question why there was no Wii version available. Forum posts suggest that the controls work very well and with the current lack of Wii games (or people's impression of a lack, I don't complain) even a 7/10 game would probably be well received by Wii owners.

  • asphaltcowboy #31 5 years ago

    @kazuya69 - found this out yesterday - you can use the right thumbstick to zoom in, out and rotate!

  • geepersd #32 5 years ago

    @kazuya69 - you can move and zoom the map, so parts being obscured by cards isn't a problem

  • ccfb #33 5 years ago

    Click and hold right stick to pan across the map too.

  • menage #34 5 years ago

    "This is the greatest game released on XBLA so far! 10/10"

    Nothing personal, but maybe you should stop gaming altogether and play boardgames. Castlevania, Hominid, Lumines, Geometry Wars, etc. crap all over this. hecj 90 % craps all over this. This is a boring turd off a videogame. The kind my mother played 10 years ago. Ugly, slow and controls are forced into a videogame form.

  • kazuya69 #35 5 years ago

    Sweet thanks!

  • hoos30 #36 5 years ago

    This game is great, worth 8/10 at least. By far the biggest flaw is the *tiny* text on some screens, but after the first play through you won't need to read them again anyway. I've played one SP and one MP game with randoms and it turned out to be a barrel of fun; this game is pretty safe from the "Halo 2" types (so far). Definitely give the trial a go.
    Edited by 1 at 04/05/07 @ 14:33

  • aerisdead #37 5 years ago

    "This game has a perfectly servicable lobby system for online games."

    I'd just like to state for the record that while there is a lobby system, it only exists for player matches. Considering that if I want to play against random opponents I, like many other players, will pick ranked, it's unfortunate that this is yet another game in which the entire system of ranked matches can come to a halt if the first person in the "queue" to start a game walks away from their Xbox (as has happened to me.)

    There's no reason that you shouldn't be able to select a ranked match from a list in a lobby in the same way Gears of Wars allows. Oh! There's that comparison again!

  • BigBadB #38 5 years ago

    menage, I'd humbly suggest that your definition of 'gaming' may be a little narrow. ;)

    I love Settlers of Catan and do own the tabletop version (and the various expansions). However, the XBLA version allows me to play whenever I like, without having to organise three other people IRL. It means I can just grab a quick game when I don't have the time to play for a whole evening. It means I can play against new people, with new strategies and approaches. It means I can try out new ideas against the AI before trying them 'for real'.

    It also brings a sublime game to an audience who might not ever have heard of it otherwise.

    It may not be to your tastes, and the other games you mention are great titles, but I would genuinely put Catan up there with Chess and Go as one of the greatest boardgames of all time. There's nothing else that comes close to that on XBLA for me.

  • menage #39 5 years ago

    Ok, I meant videogaming. in Dutch it's quite different the way we call each separate thing, so sorry for the mix up.

    I do see the point that you could play it against other players. And the quick round point is a valid one.

    But firstly I think it's an ugly conversion. Come-on. games made 10 ago had better art direction. To be fair. I think the board game is ugly as well.

    Secondly, the whole point of these kind off games is have a nice evening with friends for me. The whole online thing with these kind of games. I don't get it. I could ring up a friend. And you can't cheat:p

    Well. To each it's own off course.

    I played Catan for a while. I didn't get the hype. That's probably why comparing this to other games on Xbox live is not really fair in my book. I'm talking about the conversion as a whole. Maybe Catan's good. This version needs a lot of work.

  • Ceatlan #40 5 years ago

    Well I actually think that this is a very nice graphical representation of the board game. Apart from the dice (which I do think are awful), I think it has a very nice art direction, especially for a budget game released on live arcade.

    As for playing these kind of games socially with friends around the house, I agree totally, but then I think thats true with multiplayer video games as well. The problem I have (and I suspect this is true of plenty of others), is that although I have lots of friends, none of them are interested in video or board games, so a console is the only way I can get to play this game at all these days.
    Edited by 1 at 04/05/07 @ 16:46

  • ChromeMud #41 5 years ago

    I downloaded it,saw that the text was unreadable on my
    SD TV and immediately deleted it.
    Shame really as I was looking forward to trying it out.
    No sale!

  • Rodigee #42 5 years ago

    Has anyone noticed that the sound effects for this game are the same as Rise of Nations (made by the same company)? This fact alone freaked me out so much that I could only play the demo for three minutes before quitting.

    Also, Mission Impossible II uses the same sound effects as Roller Coaster Tycoon during the night party scene in Spain at the beginning of the movie.

  • BBIAJ #43 5 years ago

    @ChromeMud, and anyone else struggling with the small text:

    Set your 360's Dash to Normal view in the settings, and the text becomes all kinds of HUGE!

  • InsoFox #44 5 years ago

    Yes - the text is tiny.
    Yes - at first I thought this was going to be a real problem.
    Yes - there's no excuse.

    But - at the time I was playing the tutorial mode to refresh my memory on the rules. Apart from that, there's actually very little text in the game that actually needs to be read. So while it's very annoying to have small text, it actually has almost no impact on the main gameplay.

    Apart from this I don't think there's much to dislike. I really don't see the complaints about the controls - they seem to make perfect sense to me. The trading is particularly intuitive, and only the most obscure things that are hardly if at all needed are put into two trigger combos.

    As for the AI, I quite like it. Medium is perfect for learning and Hard makes me feel like I need to pay attention, and it's nice that each AI player has different preferred strategies. The best games of Catan have a surprise ending, and the first time I played hard that certainly happened, and I realised I'd been targetting the wrong player all along. It certainly has more character to it than the AI of most turn based games which never quite seem to get the balance between conspicuously perfect and deliberately stupid.

    9 out of 10 for me.... IF they fix that text problem with a patch. otherwise 8.

  • Elfish #45 5 years ago

    I can't stop playing Catan... it's really such superb game, even against the AI.
    I think 7 is actually a tad harsh, although I can understand the criticisms. Hope it doesn't stop anyone from grabbing the game though. We need more games like this on Live Arcade, instead of just more shooters! I hope it does well.

  • Fab4 #46 5 years ago

    I havent played an online game yet (I never played the board game and wanted to get used to the rules before making more of an idiot of myself ;) but I love the games against the AI. Even though I (a complete novice) can beat the AI on hard setting, I still enjoy the games, as they are usually quite close...with all of us usually within a point of each other.

    I'd give it a 9/10, purely for the fact that it saved me the frustration of having to play CoD3 over the weekend, and all the lame-ass american weapon-whores, team-killers, and glitchers that seem to have pervaded the game.