The Settlers: Heritage of Kings is a real-time strategy game developed by Blue Byte and released in 2005 for PC, serving as the fifth entry in The Settlers series. The game follows a young prince named Dario as he attempts to reclaim his deceased father's throne from an antagonist named Mordred. While resource micromanagement remains central to the experience, Heritage of Kings departs significantly from the established conventions of earlier entries in the series, particularly The Settlers IV, with gameplay that draws comparisons to Cossacks: European Wars. The title also marks a notable technical milestone for the franchise as its first fully three-dimensional installment. The combination of a narrative-driven campaign with revised strategic mechanics distinguishes it from its predecessors, representing a deliberate reimagining of the series formula rather than a straightforward continuation.
The game starts when Dario, a young boy in Thalgrund, is attacked by minions of the evil Mordred. After surviving the attack, Dario learns from his dying mother that he is actually the rightful heir to the throne. Upon hearing this, he sets out, accompanied by his childhood friend Erec, to locate his last living relative, his uncle Helias. As Dario battles to claim his inheritance and save the land, he and his friends face perilous dangers and must overcome many difficult challenges, including making peace between the rival nations of Barmecia and Cleycourt, battling the ferocious barbarians of Folklung and Norfolk, as well as the dark hordes, and foiling the evil schemes of the countess Mary De Mortfichet in Kaloix, before eventually reaching the King's Castle, where Dario subdues Mordred's dark general, Kerberos. Finally, the heroes march on Mordred's base in Evelance, defeating him in an epic battle. With the kingdom finally liberated, Dario takes his place on the throne.
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