The old races such as Dwarf, Elf, and Orc are now Forms. Let’s start with arguably the most controversial change: Faction Creation
To that end, this review is quite heavy on the mechanics and feel, with a liberal amount of comparison to previous games. Thus, I am not beholden to any particular mechanic, and care instead whether it is as fun, thought-provoking and interesting (or more so) as the thing it replaces. In each iteration of the series, entire mechanics get jettisoned, replaced, and moved sideways. The good news is that the end result adds quite a bit of gaming goodness. It is rare that anything is wholly better or worse, and even the things I dislike do have some redeeming features. Finally, there are steps backward, where things work out worse overall. Sidesteps, where mechanics and features are unchanged or where their alteration has no real effect on the quality of gameplay compared to before. There are steps forward, where the game has improved on the previous titles. This is important to understand when you approach AoW4 and realize that for all the claims of revolutionary choice regarding customization, Triumph is throwing the same ingredients into the pot, with a slightly different recipe.
The Phase 3 games share a similar player-choice-focused design philosophy of de-linking your faction from genre tropes and alignment (so orcs are no longer always evil) and instead make them modular (a dwarf and a goblin can both hold the Sorcerer class, while Planetfall’s Vanguard and Syndicate can both be Psynumbra). The history of AoW can be divided into three phases, with the original game (Phase 1) then AoW2 and Shadow Magic (Phase 2), and then AoW3 and AoW: Planetfall making up the final one.
AGE OF WONDERS IV UPGRADE
AoW4 is not a straight upgrade from the previous game Age of Wonders 3 either.
AGE OF WONDERS IV SERIES
If you’ve played previous games, you will have noticed how each new game in the series is not a mere iteration of the original (except for AoW2 to Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic), and kudos to Triumph for trying to keep things fresh. We’ll let you figure out how they’ve managed to acquire that amount of gameplay time… On to the review: The rest is covered by an anonymous contributor with hundreds, if not thousands, of hours in the Age of Wonders series and over 400 hours with Age of Wonders 4.
At the bottom of this review, you’ll find Rob’s opinion on AoW4. Returning players should read on if you haven’t already taken the plunge.Īlso note, there are two different writers’ perspectives here. This review will focus on what the experience will be like for players returning to the series.ĮDITOR’S NOTE: Those of you new to the Age of Wonders series should take heed: if you like fantasy settings (and even maybe if you don’t) and enjoy well-made and polished 4X games, you’re going to like Age of Wonders 4. But it’s not a perfect game and, in some aspects, it fails to step out of the shadow of its predecessors.
It’s a fun game and I would be happy to recommend it to almost anybody. Some have described AoW4 as “ XCOM meets Civilization.” This might please some of you and, if so, you’ll be even happier to note that it’s an accurate description. Age of Wonders 4 (Steam Link), developed by Triumph Studios and published by Paradox, is a modernized fantasy 4X game of dramatic size and scope, long unafraid to skew from genre tropes and that stands out from competitors with compelling battles and distinct playable factions, a hallmark of the series right from its very first title.
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