Age of Wonders 4

For a change, I'm able to play an AOW game and have fun. Pros: Save game at ANY TIME including in the middle of a battle! (Let's you quit when you need to go) Graphics are great Sound is great Click to go to a far away location? Easy to click "continue" to let it move you along to end location DOES NOT force you to move first in battle to give the AI advantage (SINGLE BEST FEATURE IMO) At the end of the battle it gives you the option to try that battle again Tech is neat You can rotate the screen at anytime DLC is OPTIONAL ! I'm playing vanilla and LOVING IT There is limited amounts of "cuteness" to some of the mobs and the way they move (Ignorable) Cons: It's got a lot of depth that I'm slowly getting the hang of but so far isn't causing me issues Thanks for making and selling the game on GOG. I won't buy games anywhere other than GOG. Why? I bought Conan Exiles on steam and used to be able to play it offline. WITHOUT my consent, they changed the game to require online always! UFB, I've not used steam since. Bless you GOG

I've been a fan of the series from Age of Wonders 1 (or just "Age of Wonders" as it was called back then), so since the start, and this is just insane. This series used to be cheap, you know? Like, never at full price, but around 30.- Euros or so. And yes, it became more expensive with each new title, but look at this! Full price 50 bucks and then about a 100 bucks of DLC? First-Day DLC? The game is fine, I am not sure yet if it's up to par with the previous game or the spin-off Age of Wonders - Planetfall, but it's fine. However... the DLC and the pricing? Feels a bit scummy. Let me be clear, I am fine with a company making money, but... there is a limit and that amount of DLC and the prices for it? That's my limit. I'll stick with the base game and maybe get the Ultimate Edition at some point.

It's not a bad game, for something that's simplified copy of 2013 game (Fallen Enchantress). Compared to AOW 2&3 there's no story and little consequences for your actions. A few adaptions from Civilisation, with the majority of content lifted straight from Fallen Enchantress. Plays well, stable, okay graphics, choices of units, minor variations in play style etc. Buy if you want to play the latest fantasy 4x, you liked AOW3, you're okay with minimal story. Don't buy if you prefer good-old-games and like some story (then AOW1&2 or Fallen Enchantress)

Splendid graphics. A few new and interesting twists on empire upgrades. Real incentive to play different types of factions. If you enjoyed Paradox previous titles, you will enjoy this. Also! I do notice and avoid overt political messaging when it comes to games. This is not the case. I am the guy who paid full 89.99 for the game, so cheers if you are reading this and get it on discount. You will not be disappointed.

I've only spent a few days on the game here, but already I feel like it's a vast improvement over the awesome AOW3. This outing places a lot more importance on the uniqueness of each city, rather than treating them as mere gold sources. Spamming city's is simply not a strategy, let alone not an option this time, which in my opinion is for the better. Sieges are another area where things are pretty different. Taking a city is no longer a matter of running the biggest stack over and saying "MINE". You now have to spend turns besieging the place before you can make your all-out assault. How many turns it takes- and what condition the defenders or your army are in- depend on the siege projects you spend resources on. It's one of the many new systems that deliberately slows things down compared to previous entries, and thus prevents the rushes that could occur. There also seems to be more importance placed on your line units. Faction customization is definitely a big deal. I've seen some people voice displeasure at feeling like the differences are only skin deep. My take is that the differences are more notable in the late game, the latter when your enchantments and upgrades start to really kick in. Which is to say; the true scope of your customization will be known during the course of a game, not in the first ten turns. Another big point to praise about this entry is the Narrative system. Monster encounters and dungeons are no longer just random battles; the game tries to weave stories around them, with narrative windows pitching a scene for the majority of them. Random missions and diplomatic situations likewise also get some wonderful story flair, which helps give a lot of context to your adventure. This, coupled with the faction customization options, makes AOW 4 perhaps the best entry in the series for role-players looking to make their own epic fantasy yarn. All in all; an excellent entry to the series. Definitely worth it!