In The Settlers Rise of an Empire, the player builds lively, bustling towns in a medieval world. Everything is visible, lovingly animated and realistic. Each settler has his or her own daily routine, with a range of different actions and behaviors that can be observed by the player at all times. This enables the player to get the best out of the settlers, build up a flourishing economy, tend to the settlers' needs and protect the empire against danger from the outside. By expanding the empire, the player can aspire to becoming a legendary king or queen.