I have logged countless hours into 4X games like Age of Wonders 4, where I have explored, exploited, expanded, and eradicated civilizations. However, after I’m done, even the most epic campaigns that span eons seem to fade away. The outcome might go either way.
It’s like tears in the rain. The conclusion is merely the beginning of the newest fantasy civilization builder from Triumph Studios. If my adored ruler achieves godhood, he or she will become part of a pantheon that survives from one planet to the next, having an ever-lasting impact on the cosmos and providing opportunities for the expansion of the empire. I haven’t watched it unfold across many campaigns, but I’m looking forward to it.
My introduction to Age of Wonders was through its science fiction offshoot, Planetfall, thus this was my first time diving into the main series proper. It has a similar look and feel to Civilization, with an open world where players construct cities, develop their economy, raises an army, and contend with other empires.
When two armies collide on the globe, though, Age of Wonders 4 zooms way into a turn-based fighting system reminiscent of XCOM, in which each of your units can move and act independently. The good news is that these battles rarely go long enough to slow down the overworld content, but they still offer you enough opportunity to pull off some cunning techniques.
Age of Wonders 4 Screenshots (2023)
Even before you establish your first city, the groundwork must be laid for the fantastical society of your imagination. The look of your leader and forces, as well as certain recommended species qualities, are determined at the outset of each run by the base template you choose.
These range from standard possibilities like elves and dwarves to more outlandish choices like frog people. The elf race has inherent advantages in speed and perception, although they can be changed. You might easily create poisonous cat people who travel on the backs of spiders.
Your unique buildings and initial unit roster are both influenced by what I’ll call the “vibes” you choose for your civilization. I picture Lothlorien or Gondor, with their dazzling armor and disciplined armies, when I think of a “High” civilization. The barbarians are violent, clan-based people that enjoy conflict.
The most entertaining part of Age of Wonders 4 for me was combining elements in unconventional ways to subvert common fantasy tropes. I was able to create both wild, barbaric elves who attacked from the forest’s depths and noble, chivalrous orcs who followed the code of the knight. Please keep in mind that the film you are viewing was provided by the developers, I am not yet at liberty to showcase my own unique works.
Light the Way for the Ages
However, this tinkering isn’t done once the first turn has begun. Researching magical tomes, which come in a variety of tiers, will allow you to continue gaining access to new faction-wide perks, spells, and units. Some of them could let you bring back the dead or call forth great magical constructs.
One even transformed my tribe of barbarian elves into plant people with green skin, giving us more freedom to roam the woods and a stronger connection to the natural areas of the realm. In other words, you could have the same initial characteristics multiple times and end up substantially different depending on the books you chose to read. There are many more affinities than I had time to explore, each one corresponds to a different elemental power, such as Order, Chaos, Nature, or Shadow.
Some Empires Will Dwell Underground
Age of Wonders 4 offers two extra paths to victory beyond the standard one of wiping out all of your computer-controlled foes. The expansion entails lighting three Beacons of Unity and constructing a very large empire, which must be guarded for a set amount of turns.
Comparatively, magic requires the completion of a Tier 5 tome and the initiation of a countdown that will reshape the universe according to the whims of your chosen affinity, this makes it better suited to large empires. You’ll need to guard the same three strategic points as you did during Expansion.
What’s Really Below?
That doesn’t even begin to cover everything in Age of Wonders 4. In a sense, this is true, there is an entire layer beneath the surface where certain empires may choose to establish themselves. Nests of monsters and bandits will expand and send more opponents your way if you don’t destroy them.
Similar to the barbarians in Civ, albeit they might actually be bedeviled. This is something you should monitor. You’ll also be deciding the fate of various worlds across a series of Story Realms that include the return of dimension-hopping Wizard Kings.
Age of Wonders 4 has the potential to be the kind of 4X game I spend dozens of hours on due to its in-depth, freeform empire customization and a persistent pantheon of my past heroes looking over my future acts. On May 2, we’ll all have the chance to create our own lasting legacies.