Age of Wonders 4 is a 4X strategy game set in a high fantasy world where players design and lead custom factions through exploration, expansion, resource management, and conquest. The Starter Edition on PS5 bundles the base game with Dragon Dawn content and the Empires & Ashes expansion, providing immediate access to dragon themed options and industrial war machine mechanics alongside core systems.
Gameplay
The core loop centers on an overworld map where players manage cities, armies, and diplomacy while researching through tiers of magical tomes. These tomes fall into six alignments and deliver new units, spells, and empire wide effects that evolve a faction over time. Combat shifts to a separate tactical layer on hex grids, where positioning, morale, and unit abilities determine outcomes in turn based battles.
Faction creation lets players combine race traits, cultures, and ruler abilities to shape everything from economy to military roster. Empire development functions as a skill tree that further customizes progression. Resource gathering, hero management, and realm exploration feed into larger strategic decisions, with the world itself generated anew for each session.
Dragon Dawn adds the option to rule as a dragon with reptilian followers and specialized magic focused on evolution and scale. Empires & Ashes introduces the Reaver culture and siege equipment such as cannons, opening paths to victory through control of the Astral Sea via Seals of Power.
Game Modes
Singleplayer revolves around scenario based campaigns and custom realms where players pursue one of several victory conditions, including domination, magical mastery, or economic supremacy. Difficulty settings range widely, allowing relaxed empire building or intense challenges against AI opponents.
Multiplayer supports both classic sequential turns and simultaneous turns for all participants, with battles remaining strictly turn based. The same core systems apply across modes, though human opponents introduce greater unpredictability in diplomacy and warfare.
Faction Customization and Progression
Players begin by selecting or creating a ruler and defining cultural and racial traits that influence starting units and long term growth. Research into tomes expands options across alignments, while empire skills provide additional layers of specialization. This system encourages repeated playthroughs as different combinations produce distinct playstyles and army compositions.
Exploration reveals magical sites, neutral factions, and hidden threats that reward careful expansion. City management balances production, population happiness, and defense, with heroes gaining experience to lead armies or govern provinces.
Is It Worth Playing?
Age of Wonders 4 delivers strong replayability through its deep customization tools and flexible victory paths. Reviews highlight the engaging tactical combat and the satisfaction of watching a self designed faction evolve across sessions. The game maintains active support with expansions that integrate new mechanics without disrupting established systems.
Those who enjoy 4X titles with heavy emphasis on magic, army building, and strategic choice will find substantial depth here. Console players benefit from a functional port that preserves the full scope of the experience. The Starter Edition offers a solid entry point for newcomers seeking both the foundational game and targeted additions like dragon rulers and war machine focused cultures.
- Strong emphasis on player driven faction evolution
- Multiple paths to victory across singleplayer and multiplayer
- Accessible difficulty options for varied playstyles
