Firaxis has announced Civilization 6: Gathering Storm – the second expansion to the sixth entry in the long-running time-swallowing strategy game series.
Gathering Storm has made natural disasters a significant mechanic, making you think a lot harder about where you want to found some of your cities, lest they risk being wiped out on the coast by rising tides, a nearby volcano or storms.
In an interesting twist, the expansion will also address the issue of climate change. For example, choosing to burn lots of coal during the game risks increasing the temperature of the planet and causing more disastrous weather effects to occur later on.
They’re not considered all bad, though, as many can have positive effects on the land after they have passed – you just have to survive to reap the benefits. You’ll also be able to undertake engineering projects to solve some of these consequences and thrive in unfavourable conditions.
Firaxis has also revealed there will be a World Congress where you can better negotiate with other leaders, new technologies and civics from the 21st century and, of course, new leaders and civilisations to play. A number of the game’s existing mechanics, including espionage, have also been enhanced or updated.
Civilization 6: Gathering Storm is scheduled for release on PC on February 14, 2019.
I hated Rise and Fall. The loyalty feature made conquest impossible and keeping conquered cities impossible. Rise and Fall seemed to be very randomised and not based on the choices the player makes.
It actually stopped me from playing the game completely, for the first time ever on any Civ game.
This expansion sounds promising, but again, the weather events sound far too randomised and could possibly leave the player disempowered, frustrated and disengaged.
I hope Fraxis get this expansion right.