ParadoxInteractive’s 4x strategy turn-based game, Age Of Wonders 4 went under most people’s radar. On release, most people couldn’t get into the game because the number of mechanics and systems of the game were too overwhelming. However, these large numbers of systems are the main reason why it is one of the best strategy games.
Key Takeaways
Many 4x games are based on historical events like Civilisation VI or Europa Universalis IV or based on Sci-Fi settings like Stellaris or Distant Worlds 2.
But Age of Wonders 4 presents the players with a land filled with magic and machinery. There are other 4x games with magic and fictional settings, but Age of Wonders 4 is special in its own way.
Whatever You Like, However, you like
Age of Wonders dishes an insane amount of customization options. Before starting your playthrough, players can pick from already available factions or create their own.
While creating a faction, players can choose a race, establish their specialty, and pick their culture. This allows the player to create a unique faction that they will be using in their campaigns. Whether you want berserkers riding on wolves or an army of necromancers, Age Of Wonders 4 has something for everyone.
Rulers have different skills or spells that are acquired through tomes. They have different origins which determine their starting perks. Their appearance can also be changed and customized just like most games that have character customization. This is a unique system that most 4x strategy games lack giving Age of Wonders 4 an edge.
Some factions might be good at fighting battles, others will be good at collecting resources. You must take advantage of what your faction is good at and plan accordingly. These are your people and your responsibility can become a burden if you do not think before you leap.
The Realm Of Your Choice
You can also choose a realm of your choice before starting a playthrough. Realms can either be picked from an already generated selection or create one of your own that suits your taste.
Realms can have different types of lands. Some realms feature lots of mountains and some can be just plains. Some can have a lot of snowy areas or some can be like hot deserts.
Each land can also be mixed to create different unique experiences that are not available in the base game.
Dealing with different land types and strategizing accordingly is what makes 4X strategy games fun. Age Of Wonders 4 innovates this concept by making them Sub-Objectives of the game and making empires fight around them, which gives the feeling of too much at stake since these lands provide resources or strategic points.
War Or Peace
In the realm, you’re not the only emperor or empress, there are other rulers too, with whom you can interact. Either create diplomatic relationships with them or declare war against them and fight battles that decide the outcome of your empire’s future. Some neighbors will be quite reasonable, others not so much.
You can create pacts with your neighbors and also help each other in times of need. Your partners will return the favor as resources. You can do a diplomacy playthrough where you try to make every rule in the realm your ally and it will be a much more peaceful way of completing the campaign.
Waging war against other rulers is the more chaotic and fun way to enjoy the game. You can declare wars and then battle them for their empire and resources. I personally prefer waging wars and fighting my neighbors because the combat is just too much fun to miss (I am not a psychopath).
At Your Command!
Your decisions decide the fate of your empire. Your people are always ready for your command, and it is up to you how you manage them to make sure the realm favors you.
The lands are yours for the taking, how you want to is up to you to decide. Each turn you unfold the events that will lead to either you creating a land of peace or a world dictated by you.
While Age Of Wonders 4 checks off all the necessary aspects of a 4x strategy game and what makes them fun, the addition of extensive customization options and innovation to the combat, makes this the most fun 4x strategy game. Whether you are looking for a casual experience or a hardcore one, Age Of Wonders 4’s magical lands will charm you into playing it for hours.
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An enthusiastic writer who loves art and gaming, you can find Maaz casually spending his day either behind the keyboard or the canvas. Maaz holds a major in Electronics and has over 5 years of experience working as a freelance blog and content writer. He loves to talk about all things gaming and help other gamers through his guides. He’s an expert when it comes to Diablo 4, Elden Ring, Dark Souls, Starfield and Baldur’s Gate 3.
Maaz mostly plays games on PC, you can check out his library on Steam attached below:
