Pioneers of Pagonia

 PC
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. CGMagazine
    Dec 14, 2025
    95
    Pioneers of Pagonia is not only one of the cutest, but also one of the most substantial city builders I have played—if you want it to be. Its endless content, ability to be as hands-on or hands-off as you’d like and its sliding difficulty make PoP one of my favourite games of 2025.
  2. Try Hard Guides
    Dec 19, 2025
    90
    Pioneers of Pagonia is a great city-building title, one which simplifies certain familiar aspects of the genre in order to better introduce its satisfyingly deep production chains and management aspects. Combining production, trade, exploration, and war, this charming city builder should provide the kind of depth genre veterans enjoy with enough accessibility for brand new players to feel just as welcome.
  3. GameStar
    Dec 9, 2025
    85
    Goodbye Settlers, welcome Pioneers: Finally, a game as bustling as Settlers 1 & 2, but cleverly expanded and modernized.
  5. SECTOR.sk
    Jan 16, 2026
    80
    The Settlers-style building strategy is finally out after spending almost two years in Early Access. The wait was worth it, and the game offers suitable entertainment for fans of the genre.
  6. GamingBolt
    Dec 15, 2025
    80
    Pioneers of Pagonia has made several meaningful improvements since launching in Early Access nearly two years ago, and it’s now well worth your time.
  7. PC Games
    Dec 9, 2025
    80
    A worthy successor to The Settlers in spirit, which also brings its own ideas to the table.
  8. Eurogamer Germany
    Dec 9, 2025
    80
    In my opinion, there is really nothing to complain about. During the two-year early access phase, there was ample time to refine the game, and that time has not gone to waste. Pioneers of Pagonia plays very well, looks very nice, and its sights and sounds create a pleasant, relaxing experience.
  9. CD-Action
    Jan 26, 2026
    60
    Volker Wertich has earned my lifelong respect for his past attempts to breathe life into the genre of games widely known as RTS. His new project belies the image that had formed in my mind – that of a bold, creative, ambitious creator.
This publication does not provide a score for their reviews.
This publication has not posted a final review score yet.
These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation.

In Progress & Unscored

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  1. But Why Tho?
    Dec 12, 2023
    Pioneers of Pagonia may only be in early access, but it is already showing signs of a truly impressive city-builder. The depth of mechanics and thrill of exploration help make it stand out in a genre full of imitators, and if the gameplay balance can be kept while making further additions, it will quickly become a game to remember. [Early Access Review]
  2. TheSixthAxis
    Dec 14, 2023
    Little tweaks are all that Pioneers of Pagonia needs to really shine, and the Early Access release is already a fantastic starting point for the game. Some quality-of-life improvements, like being able to click on an objective to take you directly to the building it wants you to put down would save a lot of searching through menus, though the more you play the clearer it becomes. It feels as though these things will be well in hand, There’s a long list of things on the early access roadmap, and I can’t wait to see this idyllic settlement continue to grow. [Early Access Review]
  3. VideoGamer
    Dec 20, 2023
    Pioneers of Pagona is a robust, in-depth city-builder that almost passes as a full-fledged, complete game and will only get better during Early Access. [Early Access Provisional Score = 80]