Paradox Announces Age of Wonders 4

I have very fond memories of the Age of Wonders series, the first of which dates back to 1999. I played a lot of Age of Wonders 2 and 3 but missed Age of Wonders: Planetfall. Subsequently I have reinstalled and will be jumping in for a fresh playthrough as we head towards the end of January. Last week though, Paradox Interactive revealed a new game from Triumph Studios: Age of Wonders 4. The first sequel in nine years for the award-winning Age of Wonders fantasy strategy game series brings new levels of customisation and replayability to the games’ iconic empire-building, role-playing, and tactical combat. Age of Wonders 4 will launch on May 2, 2023, for PlayStation5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Age of Wonders 4 invites players to rule a fantasy realm of their own design, in a blend of strategy, role-playing, and turn-based combat. Powerful Wizard Kings have returned to the realms to reign as gods among mortals, and players will rise to challenge their rule using Tomes of Magic to unleash arcane destruction and evolve their armies, gaining new abilities and forms. For the first time in the series, players can create their own custom factions, and leave their mark on countless worlds through each choice they make.

“For 25 years now, Triumph has been exploring new places to take our original fantasy strategy series, and the fans who have taken the journey with us have made it a rewarding endeavor,” said Lennart Sas, Co-founder of Triumph Studios and Director of Age of Wonders 4. “Even after all this time, we’re still adding amazing new ideas to Age of Wonders, and whether you’ve been playing since the beginning or ready to visit our worlds for the first time, you’re about to experience something special.”

For an in-depth look at Age of Wonders 4 in action, Paradox and Triumph have shared their announcement show, available to watch here. Features of Age of Wonders 4 will include:

• Create the Empire of Your Wildest Fantasies: Craft your followers by combining bodily forms, societal traits and arcane powers. Build anything from a clan of cannibal halflings to mystic moon elves or recreate your favorite fantasy tropes. Seek powerful tomes of magic to enchant your armies and see your people physically change as they morph into angelic beings or scions of chaos to face their enemies.
• Strategy Meets Role-Playing Like Never Before: Every choice opens up new possibilities and tactical advantages; deep, multilayered strategy allows you to try new tactics or explore new powers at every turn. Tactical turn-based battles bring your armies to life, from skirmishes with roaming monsters to vast sieges with many units on each side!
• Write Your Own Legend: A new event system provides unexpected levels of storytelling for 4X games. See your decisions shape the world around you as you seek glory through brutal domination, cunning alliances, or ultimate arcane knowledge. Your own creations may even appear as potential rivals or allies in subsequent games, as you experience the next chapter in your own story!
• Make Your Mark on a Vast, Reactive World: Explore a new realm in each session – or create your own! Challenge new variations and combinations of locations and features, from frozen wastelands ruled by ice queens to desolated ruins where dragons roam. With a tremendous variety of empires, units, and environments to keep the game endlessly replayable, Age of Wonders is more open-ended – and mod-friendly – than ever before in the series’ history.

Age of Wonders 4 can be wishlisted on Steam ahead of its release on May 2, 2023, also on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. For more information about the game, head over to the official website.

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