Settlers of Catan is an extremely popular board game and it already has a fantastic app version; however, Asmodee Digital has proven again and again that they will explore the lore and stories behind its intellectual properties. That's exactly what Catan Stories: Legend of the Sea Robbers does and it's pretty fun.
- $1.99 - Download Now
Settle in for story time
Catan Stories: Legend of the Sea Robbers expands on the lore of the newest expansion of the Settlers of Catan. The game is primarily a choose-your-own-adventure book where you are given choices that impact how the story plays out.
The main character (played by you) is a magical talking raven that has a vision of the future that shows him the land of Catan in ruins and set ablaze. The raven, wanting to keep Catan peaceful and prosperous, set out to find humans to help him with his cause. Throughout the course of the story, you'll make friends with three unlikely heroes and guide them to save the entire land of Catan.
Making you wait
As you progress through the story, the characters will often take on tasks that take time to complete, and the text will prompt you that they will return. This will halt your progress in the game for a short amount of time, and the game will send you a notification when the story can continue. At first, this seemed a little disorienting, and I thought it would interrupt the flow of the story too much, but surprisingly the tactic grew on me. It's kind of like putting a bookmark in a good book and setting it down while you get chores down around the house, it's exciting to know that an intriguing story awaits you when you get back to it.
Final Thoughts
This is not a game for everyone. Asmodee knows its audience and this game is geared towards fans of Settlers of Catan, but I do believe anyone who like story-driven narratives could find some good value in Catan Stories: Legend of the Sea Robbers.
The storytelling is solid and the characters seem well rounded, making the game a delight to breeze through when you have some spare time.
- $1.99 - Download Now
Other games this week
Starman: Tale of Light: This challenging puzzle game may only be in black, white, and shades of gray, but it's beautiful in its own right. You'll need to Starman through stunning architectural sceneries with delicate atmospheres and elaborate puzzles. Can you light up this dreary world? $3.99 on the App Store
Ruya: A casual matching puzzle game that takes some real skill, Ruya is simple, elegant, and beautiful all at once. It's a rather calming experience to play and the soothing soundtrack is slightly sleep-inducing. A great little game to play before bed. $0.99 on the App Store
