Age of Wonders 4

70%
Game Brain Score Based on 6,148 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Age of Wonders 4 Game Cover
A flavourful and inventive 4X full of incredible spells and engaging empire management.
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Rule a fantasy realm of your own design in Age of Wonders 4! Explore new magical realms in Age of Wonders’ signature blend of 4X strategy and turn-based tactical combat. Control a faction that grows and changes as you expand your empire with each turn.Triumph Studios’ award-winning strategy series has emerged into a new age, evolving the game’s iconic empire building, role-playing, and warfare to …

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Cloud
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

70%
Audience ScoreBased on 6,148 reviews
gameplay306 positive mentions
optimization63 negative mentions
  • High customization options for factions and heroes, allowing for unique gameplay experiences.
  • Engaging turn-based combat that combines tactical depth with strategic planning.
  • Beautiful graphics and immersive world-building that enhance the overall experience.
  • Frequent crashes and bugs, particularly in multiplayer mode, making it frustrating to play with friends.
  • AI behavior can be inconsistent, often leading to unchallenging gameplay and poor decision-making.
  • Lack of a coherent campaign mode, with story missions feeling disconnected and lacking depth.
  • gameplay878 mentions

    The gameplay of Age of Wonders 4 is characterized by its deep customization options and engaging mechanics, offering a blend of familiar 4X strategy elements with innovative features like the tome system and race transformations. While many players appreciate the tactical combat and the variety of gameplay styles, some express concerns about balance issues, repetitive late-game experiences, and technical problems such as crashes. Overall, the game is praised for its solid mechanics and replayability, though it may feel less innovative compared to its predecessors.

    • “This is a very strong 4x entry that doesn't even need mods to enhance the gameplay, which is the highest praise I can think to give it.”
    • “The gameplay is very solid and varied; it's not overcomplicated and is surprisingly easy to get into.”
    • “The combination of its near-infinite customization and replayability alongside an incredibly addictive gameplay loop means you'll be spending a long and lovely time with this title.”
    • “The gameplay is also pretty boring, much in that everything is just the same couple of slightly different flavored units you play so there is no real difference to what faction you play, but the gameplay itself is boring and the AI is bad, so even on brutal, it's exciting for the first 30 turns, and then it just becomes a question of patience as you grind through endless stacks of enemies on your way to their capital.”
    • “The gameplay feels rushed, a zerg-fest of military units your only recourse.”
    • “The gameplay does not progress much through the game session, lacking significant midgame and endgame mechanics, such as espionage, world council, domestic politics, and so on.”
  • story602 mentions

    The story aspect of "Age of Wonders 4" has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment over the lack of a traditional campaign. While the game features story realms that allow for some narrative-driven experiences, these are often seen as shallow and disconnected, lacking the depth and continuity found in previous titles. Players appreciate the customization options and the ability to create their own narratives, but many feel that the overall storytelling is minimal and does not meet the expectations set by earlier entries in the series.

    • “The options available as the story unfolds allow for tons of roleplay, and the interactions are layered and complex.”
    • “The game does have story realms with a storyline, cut scenes, scripted events, and unique goals, quests, and victory conditions.”
    • “The story realms are a great addition for a focused story-driven experience, and I hope more are added in the future.”
    • “There is effectively no real story in this game other than the very basic 'evil wizards from beyond time are here to wreck everyone's day' and that's basically it.”
    • “There is no real campaign, no building up characters over the course of numerous story missions... it's nothing but one-and-done missions with little to no continuity.”
    • “The campaign is a pale shadow of 3's campaigns, the maps are semi-randomized, you aren't playing a set hero, there's only one ending (as far as I know) and it's only a few missions long and sits on a cliffhanger to demand your money on expansions for the continued story.”
  • graphics514 mentions

    The graphics of Age of Wonders 4 have received mixed reviews, with many praising the stunning visuals, detailed artwork, and immersive environments that enhance the fantasy experience. However, numerous players have reported significant performance issues, including crashes related to graphics drivers and suboptimal optimization, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. While the art style is generally well-received, some players find it too cartoonish or cluttered, leading to difficulties in gameplay readability.

    • “The visuals and written lore of the Age of Wonders universe make for an immersive experience!”
    • “The graphics are stunning, the soundtrack is successfully both magnificent and unobtrusive.”
    • “From the stunning landscapes to the intricately designed units, Age of Wonders 4 boasts impressive visual aesthetics.”
    • “It's got a lot of interesting mechanics and neat ideas for creating unique factions, heroes, etc. however, in 12.5 hours of playing, it had a multitude of game-breaking crashes related to an unspecified 'graphics issue' that corrupted my save, meaning I couldn't progress past the current turn, as well as other less severe but still highly annoying crashes.”
    • “The graphics settings don't make a noticeable difference in outcome; it just seems to come down to what the patch of the week is going to fix or break: some weeks I have crash-free gaming, other weeks (the majority of them) I have overheating and CTD issues and graphics exceptions.”
    • “I have a high-end PC that can run every other game on ultra graphics, for hours at a time, without complaint... but for some reason, I cannot fix the crashing with this game.”
  • optimization347 mentions

    The optimization of Age of Wonders 4 has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including stuttering, crashes, and frame rate drops, particularly in late-game scenarios and multiplayer modes. While some users with high-end systems have experienced smooth gameplay, others have found the game poorly optimized, leading to frustration and a recommendation to wait for patches before purchasing. Overall, the game's performance varies widely across different hardware configurations, and ongoing developer support is needed to address these concerns.

    • “The developers have done an excellent job of listening to player feedback and have added a lot of polish to the game in the way of optimization to reduce delay times, balance adjustments, game enhancements, and UI improvements.”
    • “Overall great game; solid design at a base level, great paths to evolve your playthrough each game, and a frame that looks like it's optimized for expansion by both Triumph and modders.”
    • “The game runs smoothly for me even in big battles and there are options to speed up unit movements.”
    • “The performance is terrible; how can this game have such a poor performance?”
    • “Patches have introduced a number of bugs, and even on a powerful computer with a 3080 Ti, an i9 processor, an SSD, and 32GB of RAM, frame stuttering, audio skipping, and visual artifacts are abundant.”
    • “The game has massive stability and performance issues.”
  • replayability227 mentions

    The replayability of Age of Wonders 4 is highly praised, with many players highlighting the extensive customization options, diverse faction and race creation, and the variety of gameplay mechanics that contribute to a seemingly endless experience. While some users note that the game can feel repetitive after numerous plays, the overall consensus is that the depth and flexibility of the game design offer significant replay value, making it a standout title in the 4X genre. Additionally, the potential for future expansions and community mods further enhances its replayability.

    • “The modular design for a lot of the game themes and concepts is great for replayability.”
    • “A game full of charm and personality with enough depth and replayability to offer hundreds of hours of fun.”
    • “The sheer number of possibilities for your faction is unreal, and I would say there is lots of replayability.”
    • “At the end of each map, you have researched almost the whole game, leaving almost no replay value.”
    • “The devs are using a tool for procedural generation that seemingly has some limitations, making it impossible to create custom maps by hand, further limiting replayability.”
    • “While I understand that this can be fun for some people and can offer some dose of replayability and freedom, for me, it's a big minus.”
  • stability132 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs, crashes, and desynchronization issues, particularly in multiplayer modes. While some users have experienced a relatively smooth gameplay experience, others have noted that the game remains unstable and prone to freezing, especially during larger battles or online sessions. Overall, the game is considered buggy and unfinished, with ongoing issues that detract from the overall experience, although some players express hope for future patches to improve stability.

    • “So far, no glitches, no bugs.”
    • “I generally trust Paradox as a development studio and I trust their commitment to have bug-free and high-quality games.”
    • “The game runs great and it runs great on even average rigs for the majority of players.”
    • “A third of my playtime is troubleshooting and I have found no answer other than reverting over and over until it works or we quit and say wow I can't believe this is still happening.”
    • “The usual buggy untested mess, constant desync in multiplayer, even half a year after release.”
    • “This game is blatantly unfinished; it may be good in the future, but as it currently stands, it's far too buggy and unstable to be worth buying and playing.”
  • music113 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it to be bland, forgettable, or lacking the memorable quality of previous installments in the series. While some appreciate the atmospheric and fitting soundtrack, others feel it fails to captivate or enhance the gameplay experience, often comparing it unfavorably to earlier titles. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the music is decent, it does not stand out and could benefit from more variety and thematic depth.

    • “The graphics and music are well done, units are fun to see, and the combat is satisfying and tactical.”
    • “The sound design further enhances the experience, with a captivating soundtrack and well-crafted audio effects that add depth and atmosphere to the game.”
    • “The music is phenomenal, which makes me puzzle about why the developers made it an occasional thing rather than a constant one over the world map.”
    • “The music is absolutely uninspired.”
    • “The music is subpar when compared to the earlier games.”
    • “The music is truly a letdown.”
  • grinding61 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often unengaging, with many expressing frustration over micromanagement and repetitive tasks that detract from the enjoyment. While some appreciate the depth and customization available, the excessive grinding for basic gameplay elements and the slow pace of late-game progression lead to a sense of boredom. Despite attempts to streamline certain mechanics, many still feel that the game suffers from unnecessary complexity and a lack of rewarding gameplay.

    • “The problem is the whole overworld bit (the 4x part) is kinda tedious, overbloated, and ends up being a bit boring.”
    • “There's a tedious and unnecessary leveling system that locks a bunch of fun traits behind a grind wall for no reason.”
    • “I didn't think that that would bother me, but when you have to build 5 of the same, just to get something decent and that for several resources, then it just gets tedious and feels like padding to stretch out the game.”
  • humor29 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding joy in its quirky characters, such as a funny dragon lord and amusing undead dragon builds. Many reviews highlight the game's comedic elements, including wonky AI behavior and humorous animations, which contribute to an overall lighthearted experience despite some gameplay issues. The writing is noted for its cleverness, adding to the game's charm and making it enjoyable for those with a sense of humor.

    • “The AI also doesn't know how to deal with morale builds, which is funny as hell.”
    • “I waited a few weeks after the initial launch, but that door monster video was just too funny, so I watched a few streams, looked solid, went in and started playing.”
    • “The writing is much better than most Paradox games where they try to hide behind humor; somebody actually likes their fantasy here, and it shows (even when talking about molekin and dire penguins).”
  • atmosphere25 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its stunning visuals, atmospheric soundtrack, and immersive sound design, which together create a captivating experience. However, some reviews note that certain gameplay elements, such as AI limitations and lack of narrative depth, can detract from the overall mood. Despite these criticisms, many players appreciate the game's ability to evoke a sense of adventure and beauty through its art and audio.

    • “The graphics look great and definitely add to the game's atmosphere.”
    • “The sound design further enhances the experience, with a captivating soundtrack and well-crafted audio effects that add depth and atmosphere to the game.”
    • “It builds such an amazing atmosphere with its music, sound effects, graphics, and effects.”
    • “This significantly disrupts the overall mood and atmosphere of the gaming experience.”
    • “It breaks the whole atmosphere when the dialogs show not the values of the variables, but the names of the variables themselves (e.g. 'event.race').”
    • “There's no story, no campaign, no atmosphere, no immersion.”
  • monetization15 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players feeling misled by advertising that exaggerates the multiplayer experience and overall game quality. While some appreciate the lack of loot boxes and microtransactions, others argue that the reliance on DLCs and aggressive marketing tactics resembles a cash grab, ultimately detracting from the game's value. Overall, players express frustration over deceptive advertising and the feeling that the game prioritizes profit over player experience.

    • “The game's wonderful, lots of content, replayability is there, mods already in the making, no loot boxes and microtransactions.”
    • “Overall, just another cash grab by Paradox as the devs try to cater to the players, but Paradox has to ruin everything.”
    • “The devs took the monetization through DLCs too far.”
    • “It's reminiscent of a cheap mobile game monetization strategy to force players to pay for faster progression, but this is actually a 'big box' game with a 'big box' price tag.”
  • emotional6 mentions

    The emotional impact of the game is perceived as weak, lacking a strong hook that would engage players for extended periods. While the gameplay is enjoyable and has a whimsical charm, particularly with elements like "wholesome halflings," it does not evoke significant emotional investment, leading to a recommendation to wait for improvements before diving in.

    • “The gameplay is fun if somewhat simple for a Paradox game; combat is very chess-like, which made me feel nostalgic for old hero games.”
    • “I'm utterly terrible at this game, but it had me sold at 'wholesome halflings' being a pre-made race.”
    • “To be honest, the entertainment market is the simplest one while you have a whole range of emotional triggers to work with without limitations.”
  • character development4 mentions

    Character development in the game is noted for its quality and engaging progression, though some players find it becomes repetitive over time. The character designs are praised for their aesthetic appeal, but the gameplay experience can feel limited after initial customization.

    • “The game has great character development and excellent ways to progress.”
    • “18 hours in, and I just learned there's another game after the character designer; you walk around a map and explore.”
    • “The character designs are impressive and contribute to the overall experience.”
    • “Character development becomes repetitive.”
    • “18 hours in and I just learned there's another game after the character designer; you walk around a map and stuff.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

86% average critic score

Buy Age of Wonders 4

Play time

37hMedian play time
213hAverage play time
8-100hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 67 analyzed playthroughs

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