Age of Wonders 4 DLC Empires & Ashes brings a more industrial spin to the fantasy 4X game, along with plenty of additions including a new culture and form, an additional victory condition to chase, and plenty more other goodies too. Arriving in November alongside a free Age of Wonders 4 update, this expansion to the Paradox strategy game will let you fuse industry with magic or use engineering might to shut down the wizard kings altogether.
Age of Wonders 4 is a top-tier addition to the Paradox roster, which includes many of the best strategy games on PC including the likes of Crusader Kings 3, Cities Skylines 2, Europa Universalis 4, Victoria 3, Stellaris, and even more beyond. Its fantasy setting and elegant implementation blew us away at launch, with our Age of Wonders 4 review calling it “a game you owe it to yourself to play” whether you’re new to the genre or a 4X veteran.
Now, arriving in November is the Empires & Ashes expansion pack, which will see you “combining magic and steel with new techniques to create mighty war machines and lay waste to enemy cities.” It introduces the new Reavers, a culture built on industrial might that has learned to bind magic to its technology “to achieve unparalleled power and dominance, fueled by conquests and raids.”
In addition to this, there’s a new Avian form for you to make use of, along with an ancient wonder, an infestation location, and new wildlife units and mounts including bears and scrap hermits. There’s also two new story missions and another victory mechanic to chase, which sees you tracking down numerous Seals of Power to claim access to the Astral Sea – hold control of the realm for long enough and victory is yours.
Arriving alongside the new DLC, the Age of Wonders 4 Golem Update is a big free update that includes an item forge to create new equipment for your heroes, 25 new in-game events, improved sailing, the ability to give specific instructions to your vassals during wartime, and a reworked spell book interface.
Age of Wonders 4 Empires & Ashes release date
Age of Wonders 4: Empires & Ashes releases Tuesday November 7, 2023, priced at $19.99 / £16.99. It’s also included for players who purchased the base game’s premium edition or the expansion pass. You can find more details on the official Steam store page.
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