It is like the cat got the cream for us strategy fans on consoles at the minute. Only this year have we had Age Of Empires 2 Definitive Edition and Anno 1880 with other titles like Company Of Heroes 3 and The Settlers on the way. But we aren’t done there as Age Of Wonders 4 arrives on 2nd May 2023, not only for Windows PC but for consoles too. The only way I could possibly describe this 4X strategy game is if Civilization and XCOM hooked up on a night out went to bed together and conceived a baby and christened it with a sprinkling of fantasy and magic. I am an Age Of Wonders virgin so I went in blind with this one and its steep yet forgiving learning curve gave me flashbacks to my days with Stellaris.

You may be thinking, well whatever do you mean Jordi. What I mean by that analogy is that this is a deep, rich and hugely customisable experience with a lot to absorb and a potential for hundreds if not thousands of hours of gameplay. Admittedly it took a little while to grow on me but after close to 20 hours with the game, everything clicked with me and I enjoyed it immensely. Beware though as hours can feel like minutes and if this is your genre you’ll be hooked immediately.

Gameplay

I have a sense of dread going into strategy games at times, because if there isn’t a tutorial that does a great job of explaining anything, then I struggle. I’m pleased to report that Age Of Wonders 4 will hold your hand as much or as little as you’d like and it was nice to just sit back and immerse myself in the mechanics of the game (more on that in a bit). The voiced narration during the tutorial sections is a massive help as personally I usually get bogged down by reading and trying to understand endless lines of text. Before you dive in and learn everything though, you’ll be creating your very own faction.

Creating Factions & Customisation

There are plenty of pre-made factions to choose from but the beauty of Age Of Wonders 4 is crafting your own. Humans, elves, orcs, dwarves, goblins, the customisation is nuts. It goes as deep as the creation of your own realms, characters, abilities and more and you can create and set up your game as you please within the game’s options. There is no campaign mode per se, but there are stories to work through that blend with the gameplay loop nicely. I have never seen as much customisation of each characteristic of a faction in any other game before, but here it is super impressive. Nothing is skimped on and every single minor detail can be tailored to your personal preference.

Manage Your Personal Economy

You start by building, expanding and increasing the population city and it is very comparable to the Civilization titles due to its over-the-top hexagonal grid design. There are several ways of bringing in additional resources such as farming off the land and bringing in food. But the major factor is balancing your resources to fit with the demands of your progression. You’ll need to keep your beady eye out so you don’t risk milking everything and struggling. Mana and gold are equally as important as filling people’s stomachs and you’ll also need to keep your wits about you when it comes to recruitment level. There are currencies for everything heroes, perks, armies and spells and more so you’ll need to be careful with what’s coming in and going out.

Combat & Automation

Turn-based combat isn’t usually my jam and it really has to have a good flow to the system for me to really enjoy it. The combat scenarios are laid out similarly to the XCOM games. What I really loved about both combat and the world-building elements is that you can automate them if you wish. So if you don’t want to spend all your precious gaming time on one function you can have it happen in the background without clicking those commands yourself.

The evolution of your armies really brings variety across battles and alternative behaviours and mannerisms from troops. It is really fun to observe even if you don’t fancy moving stuff around like chess pieces. You can normally gauge before you choose to automate a battle whether you have the potential to win it, if not then I highly recommend getting stuck in yourself. I’ll also add that I have never seen so many different types of units in a strategy game, it is a visual treat and all are unique in their own right.

Online Multiplayer

Online multiplayer adds a whole new layer to the game but unfortunately with the game still yet to release, I have yet to test this function out. But I’d imagine it will add several more hours of play to its already huge lifespan.

Graphics & Audio

I had reservations over whether this would look as good as a copy on a meaty Windows PC rig. On Xbox Series X the game looks absolutely stunning and I’d go as far as to say one of the prettiest strategy games I have ever clapped eyes on. I was warned prior to review that there could be some performance issues before launch and that they were working on these problems before it launches. In the settings, there are performance and resolution modes and I had a tinker around with them and there were some notable frame drops in both if I am honest. That said, this has been addressed so I wasn’t particularly miffed after the heads-up from the development team.

Menus are superbly laid out and the UI is crisp with the beautiful world maps popping with vibrant and well-blended colours. I was surprised at the level of detail poured into every nook and cranny of the game, the art is just mind-blowing in all honesty. Music suits the atmosphere, voiced portions are exceptionally done and the sound effects are spot on.

In Conclusion

Age Of Wonders 4 is a daunting prospect at first, but the more you engage with it and learn the ins and outs of every element of the game, it becomes incredibly moreish. The learning curve is absolutely massive but well worth sticking with and I loved the combination of a Civ-esque building and base management element mashed with the turn-based combat. This approach keeps the game continuously spontaneous and fresh with every play and the fact that customisation is so deep and varied, everything just looks absolutely gorgeous. If you’re looking for a 4X strategy title for the long term, then this will be right up your street. With several DLC expansions already planned to come in 2024, it’s a game that has been built for a fantastic future. With a few performance patches, this will easily sit amongst the best strategy games on consoles.