The Settlers History Collection

For me the ability to pay with Steam-Wallet as well as the "all in one place"-bonus are huge factors to prefer steam releases. Also nowadays (at least with Assassins Creed Origins) the Uplay-Client launches in the background and starts the game right away, so at least the user-experience is no different from any other game on steam.

I can get any game on Steam from eurogabens monopoly money (everybody can sell cards and get a few bucks saved, so it's always an argument), I can ask for refund on Steam rules and not on who-knows-which from other store, I have everything in one place and I can say whether I already have a game or not based on Steam check alone, and not as a merge of 5 different stores and launchers, and several other misc things like the same logic applying to all DLCs, guides/community features and alike.

Even if it's just a fancy wrapper over another launcher, I still would like it to be available and let the consumer choose what he wants.

Sorry for necro, but I wanted to answer as it's still relevant.

It's, quite obviously, going to be down to tase but I can tell you that if you're expecting something like The Settlers II out of the later titles you're probably going to be disappointed. They are quite different games in terms of mechanics.

Are any of the newer titles actually worth playing?

If they aren't, would you be willing to settle?

i loved settlers 3 as well. its music was so awesome back in his time and also the graphics O.o
just the ai wasnt the best but i still love it

IV is where it's at!
Okay, maybe not, I don't really know because it's the first one I ever played and god knows how many hours I've wasted on that game. I love it.

I for one absolutely loved Rise of an Empire

I think now is the best offer you can get. It is 65% discount $14.00.