What kind of game is Widelands and what makes it unique?

Widelands is a free, open source real-time strategy game with singleplayer campaigns and a multiplayer mode, distributed through widelands.org. It was inspired by Settlers II but adds significantly more variety and depth, and it stays approachable through playable tutorials. If you like base-building and economy-driven RTS games rather than pure combat rush, it is worth trying; if you need a finished, static game, note that Widelands is explicitly "currently (and will always be) under development."

Core gameplay and modes

• Genre: Real-time strategy, in the tradition of Settlers II (© Bluebyte).
• Singleplayer: Playable campaigns.
• Multiplayer: A dedicated multiplayer mode, played online through the project's metaserver.
• Onboarding: Playable tutorials are the intended entry point, so you can learn the mechanics by doing rather than by reading a manual.

What makes it different from Settlers II

The site's own framing is that Widelands has "significantly more variety and depth" than the game that inspired it, while remaining "easy to get started." In practice that means the economy-and-settlement loop is the core, and the extra depth shows up in the range of things you can build, produce, and manage rather than in a heavier upfront learning curve.

Is it really free?

Yes — the site describes it as "a free, open source real-time strategy game." The current release is Widelands 1.3.1, a stable point release. Downloads listed on the site include:

One version detail that matters for multiplayer

Widelands 1.3.1 is a point release that fixes a severe multiplayer desync found in Widelands 1.3. The important consequence: you cannot combine versions 1.3 and 1.3.1 in a network game. If you plan to play online, everyone in the session needs the same version — so update before arranging a match.

Beyond playing: the community side

widelands.org is described as the home of the Widelands community. The forums are where players discuss strategies, find partners for multiplayer games, help with translations, and give feedback on graphics and music. Development is ongoing, and the changelog is the place to see what is being worked on. The project also openly invites contributors — 2D and 3D artists, sound effect creators, composers, map makers, translators, test players, web programmers, and C++ coders — and states that all skill levels are welcome, with the forums available for pointers.

How to decide

• Try it if you want a free, open source Settlers-style economy RTS with both campaigns and online multiplayer, and you are comfortable with a game that keeps evolving.
• Check the version first if your main interest is multiplayer, because of the 1.3 / 1.3.1 incompatibility.
• Get involved if you want to contribute art, sound, maps, translations, testing, or code — the project says no prior high skill level is required to start.

The quickest way to judge it for yourself is to download the latest release and work through the tutorials; the site also offers a full description and screenshots if you want to look before installing.