If you were a big Civilization 4 game fan, Old World is a natural follow-up. The historical 4X strategy game comes from the mind of former Civ 4 lead designer Soren Johnson, and is built by his team at Mohawk Games and published by indie strategy specialists Hooded Horse. Already scoring a very positive Steam reception, its new DLC Wonders and Dynasties is out now, introducing 120 historical characters with new leaders and starting conditions for all its empires.
Old World DLC Wonders and Dynasties is the latest, and most expansive, add-on for the excellent 4X strategy game, which blends the hex-based gameplay seen in the likes of Civilization 6 with more intricate, character-driven storytelling in the vein of Crusader Kings 3. With Wonders and Dynasties, you’ll have “30 brand new ways of starting your game with the addition of new dynastic leaders,” along with eight wonders of the ancient world.
Every empire gets new leaders, each with their own traits and starting conditions. There are 21 additional character traits that are specific to their characters, presenting you with a range of useful benefits or detriments to affect your approach to their campaign. There are also over 100 new dynasty-related events, which range from state dinners and character interactions inspired by real-world historical relations to murder plots and assassination attempts.
Among the famous faces you’ll encounter are Carthaginian general Hannibal, who inspires his units to attack twice per turn. Roman emperor Julius Caesar makes rapid expansion simple with steadfast units that generate training by defeating enemies. Persian ruler Darius gets to place governors in all cities without meeting prerequisites. Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten enforces monotheism, but doubles the speed you produce disciples, while Ramesses II lets you build chariots from the start of the game, even if you don’t have access to horses.
The wonders include several unit-generating specialities – the Colosseum generates free swordsmen, while the Cothon gives you free Triremes and a bonus level to all your new ships, and the Jerwan Aqueduct hands you farmer specialists for free. With eight new wonders to discover, your campaigns should encounter plenty of dynamic power shifts as you uncover and attempt to claim them for yourself.
Old World Wonders and Dynasties is out now on Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store. It’s on sale at a 10% discount to celebrate the launch, so expect to pay just $17.99 / £16.19 if you get it before Thursday January 18, or $19.99 / £17.99 afterwards. Old World is also 30% off right now on Steam, or 25% off on GOG and the Epic Games Store, if you’ve yet to pick up the base game.
Alternatively, you can explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate with more of the best 4X games on PC in 2024, or look forward to what we can expect to see with the upcoming Civilization 7 release date when it arrives.
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