Age of Wonders 4

Age of Wonders 4 is the next installment of a turn-based strategy series, developed by the Dutch Triumph Studios since 1999. Like its predecessors - and unlike the futuristic Age of Wonders: Planetfall - the game is set in a fantasy universe. It was released by Paradox Interactive.

Plot

The fourth installment features a different approach to story elements. In addition to the traditional campaign - taking place in the land of Evermore known from the previous installments and revolving around the Wizard Kings, making their return to rule over mortals as gods - Age of Wonders 4 allows players to create their own stories as well.

This is made possible thanks to the very powerful kingdom creator. It allows us to determine things such as the climate of our future lands, their inhabitants, culture, social traits and magical powers. We can also create the kingdom's leader in another, equally-as-complex creator.

Creating your own worlds and races is entirely optional. There are plenty of pre-made realms and characters, letting the player start the game proper very quickly. Age of Wonders 4 features a system of story events as well. These add uniqueness to the game and create a sense of a constantly evolving story. This impression is made all the greater by the option of using the lands you've created and led to glory in future playthrough, as allies or enemies.

Mechanics

In terms of gameplay, the fourth installment doesn't differ much from the previous ones. Your main goal is to build a powerful empire that will stand the test of time. This can be done by exploring new lands and expanding your territory, extracting resourcing and exterminating its native wildlife. The gameplay, therefore, contains all the elements of a 4X strategy.

Particularly important is the latter aspect - extermination. During combat we'll face wild beasts and the armies of other nations. Battles are turn-based, with victory requiring good tactics, taking advantage of the terrain and using our units' special abilities. Our formations can be upgraded - permanently or temporarily - via rare magical books. The troops' effectiveness in combat is determined by factors such as their morale, ensuring no clash will be the same as the other.

It's worth adding the player can directly affect where to face their foes. After all, your kingdom's geographic and political structure depends on you. You can annex neutral cities, exploit fertile lands to the point of unusability or change the climate with spellcasting, letting snow cover the realm.

Technical aspects

Age of Wonders 4 can be played both in singleplayer and in online PvP.

Last updated on 12 May 2023