Age of Wonders: Planetfall

 PC
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 97 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 65 out of 97
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 97
  3. Negative: 17 out of 97

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  1. Drargus
    Feb 25, 2020
    10
    I'm having a blast with this game. I absolutely love the complexity of it compared to previous AoW games. Here you have 6 races with game styles so different that you can't just go with a generic approach for all of them, you need specific strategies. For all the people saying it's combat is not as good as XCOM, we'll let me saythe complexity is on the army variety and sinergy betweenI'm having a blast with this game. I absolutely love the complexity of it compared to previous AoW games. Here you have 6 races with game styles so different that you can't just go with a generic approach for all of them, you need specific strategies. For all the people saying it's combat is not as good as XCOM, we'll let me saythe complexity is on the army variety and sinergy between different units. The campaign is also amazing many different paths you can go that alter the ending.… Expand
  2. OrkishSteel
    Aug 12, 2020
    10
    Emerge from the cosmic dark age of a fallen galactic empire to build a new future for your people. Age of Wonders: Planetfall is the new strategy game from Triumph Studios, creators of the critically acclaimed Age of Wonders series, bringing all the exciting tactical turn-based combat and in-depth empire building of its predecessors to space in an all-new, sci-fi setting.

    Build your    Emerge from the cosmic dark age of a fallen galactic empire to build a new future for your people. Age of Wonders: Planetfall is the new strategy game from Triumph Studios, creators of the critically acclaimed Age of Wonders series, bringing all the exciting tactical turn-based combat and in-depth empire building of its predecessors to space in an all-new, sci-fi setting.

    Build your empire with one of six unique factions, ranging from the militant Vanguard to the dinosaur-riding Amazons and the cyborg-zombies of the Assembly. Progress through each faction’s missions using your wits, military strength and diplomacy, exploring planetary ruins and encountering other survivors as you unravel the history of a shattered civilization. Fight, build, negotiate and technologically advance your way to utopia in a deep single player campaign, on random skirmish maps, and against friends in multiplayer.    … Expand
  3. marc5477
    Aug 15, 2019
    5
    Generic. This is basically a rehash of every 4x game the last 2 decades and adds nothing new to the genre. I played the 2nd scenario in the campaign and never went back to it again. It has a very boring mid and late game and every aspect of the game has been done better in other games, which begs the question of why even bother making this?

    Combat is just copy of every turn based game    Generic. This is basically a rehash of every 4x game the last 2 decades and adds nothing new to the genre. I played the 2nd scenario in the campaign and never went back to it again. It has a very boring mid and late game and every aspect of the game has been done better in other games, which begs the question of why even bother making this?

    Combat is just copy of every turn based game ever made that uses cover mechanics. Character development is actually pretty narrow in this game with very few options for building a character and about as many options for units as a RTS like starcraft which is actually not a good thing since this is supposed to be a RPG/Strategy. It lacks RPG customization depth especially for a PC game. It might be ok for a console game but I am not sure since I skipped this generation.

    Story wise it leaves a lot to be desired. Character development is almost non-existent and there is really no drive to want to push the story forward. These things would be ok if the game play was better but given that game play itself is mediocrity this could have helped. Heck even better graphics would have helped this game but even that is about 10-15 years old.

    Overall, if you were to buy a 4x and it had to be sci-fi then the game to have is probably Stellaris. XCom, and GalCiv 3, though it took a few steps backward from GalCiv 2.- If you dont care about settings and are ok with fantasy, then the obvious choice is Elemental: Fallen Enchantress. It simply has a lot more depth albeit, it is dated.    … Expand
  4. Isolani
    Aug 7, 2019
    8
    Played maybe 10-12 hours now. Haven't had any crashes or any technical problems. I have seen other people say they get very long load times later in the game, but I have not experienced that, at turn 60+ in my game, it still loads in about 5 seconds. And my PC is a few years old now, i7-6700K and GTX 1070, SSD.

    I'm still figuring out some of the new systems. You don't spam cities in    Played maybe 10-12 hours now. Haven't had any crashes or any technical problems. I have seen other people say they get very long load times later in the game, but I have not experienced that, at turn 60+ in my game, it still loads in about 5 seconds. And my PC is a few years old now, i7-6700K and GTX 1070, SSD.

    I'm still figuring out some of the new systems. You don't spam cities in this game like you did in AoW3, and the amount of combat units you can support seems much smaller. The sector influence system in Planetfall seems more simplistic honestly, which can be a positive or a negative depending on how much you like to micromanage. I liked the equipment system for heroes in AoW3 better than the mod system in Planetfall so far, still getting used to it though. Maybe I'm just playing wrong so far =)

    Game can definitely use some mods/DLC. Diplomacy seems pretty iffy. I like the quests for different factions, but sometimes factions you are friendly with will turn on you for no apparent reason. Maybe I'm getting framed by another faction or something.

    Overall, I like Planetfall so far and have had no technical issues, so I give it an 8. Definitely could be more complex and interesting with some mods and DLC though.    … Expand
  5. Motherball
    Aug 6, 2019
    10
    Deep systems, great sound and graphics, interesting factions and units, lots of customization options, and engaging combat. If you enjoy the setting, Age of Wonders series, or 4X in general, it’d be hard not to recommend this game.
  6. CaptainChaos
    Oct 9, 2019
    10
    This game goes to "11"

    Ok, I now have way over 100 hours in this game and I can do a better review, than the one I did 60 gaming hours ago. It doesn't just go to "11." It may be one of my favorite Top 10 ten games of all time. Pros: Gorgeous Graphics, Extremely Varied Tactical Gameplay, Hilarious and Rich Lore. Strategic Layer looks simple but turns out after 230 hours of gameplay I    This game goes to "11"

    Ok, I now have way over 100 hours in this game and I can do a better review, than the one I did 60 gaming hours ago. It doesn't just go to "11." It may be one of my favorite Top 10 ten games of all time.

    Pros: Gorgeous Graphics, Extremely Varied Tactical Gameplay, Hilarious and Rich Lore. Strategic Layer looks simple but turns out after 230 hours of gameplay I finally conclude it is anything but.

    Anyone who says this doesn't play in a complex manner or plays like everything else, or does what everyone else has done, just hasn't played it very long. I'm playing the campaign, and every time, EVERY TIME, it's different. Around the 50 hour mark I too thought, hey, maybe there isn't more to this after all - but no, I realize now, I just didn't understand how subtle and complex the mechanics are.

    The Faction, Secret Tech and modding mix is nearly infinite it seems. I have had games where I played straight up napalming starship troopers, and others where I began to do so well, b/c my Amazons befriended intelligent plants and between the two I had crazy regenerative powers that were off the charts. Not only that, but you often have to adjust your unit mix and tactics against whom you are fighting. Plus of course spells (i.e. Operations) affect everything, and terrain can play a part.

    I couldn't figure out why this game got such lukewarm reviews from many. I admit the Critic and Player metascores are very similar and they are good but not great. My 30 years of gaming experience tells me this is USUALLY a valid marker of how good the game is.

    However, I also realize part of the issue from people here is that they played Civ or Gal Civ or something and think it's supposed to be a clone. It isn't. AOW is a time honored franchise going back 20-30 years. They do it their own way. For those AOW players who wanted EXACTLY the same thing as AOWIII but SciFi, you are going to be disappointed if you are too rigid. However, this game *IS* very familiar in mechanics to any AOWIII player, BUT, there are many differences. Once you get used to them, I find it just fine. It is a diff game.

    I will say the game just came out, there have been many bugs, most of which are fixed very quickly by the Devs who read all the posts on steam as far as I can tell. They are very responsive to questions, and feedback, and move to correct bugs immediately. Also, there will be several rounds of balancing, and eventually more DLC content I'm sure. If you prefer to wait a year for the value pack I can't blame you, but you're missing out now, and also the ability to contribute. The Devs read all the suggestions and crazy ideas and yes even constructive criticisms.

    I honestly cannot recommend this game enough, but hey maybe it's just me. Some of these choices are just that personal. I doubt you really will get a true flavor of the potential and beauty of this game before the 50 hour mark though :)

    Happy Gaming!    … Expand
  7. GodzillaBlitz
    Aug 13, 2019
    10
    Thumbs up! Sleek, well-tested 4x strategy game with an added layer of deep tactical combat. Lots of variety, tactics, and content. The AI will give you a run for your money.
  8. Sjalka
    Aug 7, 2019
    9
    I just got this game and i love it. It is basically Age of Wonders 3 - with an all fresh look of course. Similar mechanics underneath - but greatly expanded for more complexity.

    The biggest problem with AoW3 was that turn length of AI became rediculously long in the later game stage - and also that the combat AI was rather easy to defeat, because it acted very predictable. The AI has    I just got this game and i love it. It is basically Age of Wonders 3 - with an all fresh look of course. Similar mechanics underneath - but greatly expanded for more complexity.

    The biggest problem with AoW3 was that turn length of AI became rediculously long in the later game stage - and also that the combat AI was rather easy to defeat, because it acted very predictable.

    The AI has not improved too much, but the units variety and setup kind of made up for it in many cases. Turn length .. is still an issue though.    … Expand
  9. SRKNZ
    Aug 8, 2019
    5
    I have spent many years playing Civilization and this looked similar so I thought I'd take a look. Suffice to say this is nothing like Civilization. I could not figure out what I was supposed to do and even when I could it was not clear why I was doing it.

    The interface was far too busy with too much going on. I definite sense of sensory overload and worse still no real tutorial just a    I have spent many years playing Civilization and this looked similar so I thought I'd take a look. Suffice to say this is nothing like Civilization. I could not figure out what I was supposed to do and even when I could it was not clear why I was doing it.

    The interface was far too busy with too much going on. I definite sense of sensory overload and worse still no real tutorial just a talking head spouting far too much information to actually be meaningful.

    I also got the sense that you had little control over how decisions are made and a lot of it is controlled by the AI.

    I'll persist a little longer but so far not very satisfying. Indeed quite frustrating. I suspect this may be refund territory.    … Expand
  10. Rrichard
    Aug 7, 2019
    5
    Alpha Centauri dumbed down, and made utterly unoffensive, for console children. There is no philosophy, interesting story, or science behind the game. Like a McDonalds meal of a strategy game.
  11. MagicWolf
    Aug 6, 2019
    10
    Very cool game! 6 factions, with unique gameplay, fast and interesting battles, nice optimization, and very speedy loading, after total war, it's awesome!!! Just go and buy it, if you like strategies!
  12. Geros
    Aug 9, 2019
    10
    Age of Wonders, but in space and with new features, played it for 30 hours already, still discovering new aspects, love it!
  13. P_PP
    Aug 11, 2019
    10
    Damn. Playing Triumph Studio's previous games, I expected this one to be AoW3 reskinned into sci-fi - and damn, was I wrong. Which is both a good, and a bad thing.

    AoW3 was very intuitive and easy to get into, while still having a considerably high skill ceiling. Planetfall is significantly more complex, and while it's good because you have more ways to express your skill, it also makes    Damn. Playing Triumph Studio's previous games, I expected this one to be AoW3 reskinned into sci-fi - and damn, was I wrong. Which is both a good, and a bad thing.

    AoW3 was very intuitive and easy to get into, while still having a considerably high skill ceiling. Planetfall is significantly more complex, and while it's good because you have more ways to express your skill, it also makes the game less accessible. Basically both skill floor and ceiling got increased, and I wouldn't call that a good thing.

    The tutorial will very quickly overwhelm a new player, feeding player with a ton of information that he will undoubtedly forget 30 minutes later. And the campaign is basically throwing you blindfolded into the deep end of the pool, with your hands scuffed and your knees broken. But once you get the grasp of it... You are just getting sucked in with no way to escape.

    The combat phase is a direct upgrade from AoW3, so if you liked that one you're going to like this one as well. The general principles are basically the same, but it's a lot, lot, deeper now, and the designs are much better too. In previous games the best strategy was spamming tier 4 units endlessy, here the low-level units don't lose their worth that quickly, and while the strongest units of each faction are exceedingly powerful, their designs are smart and you need to build your team of lower-tier units around them, rather than just spam the big boys endlessly.

    The strategic phase, research, diplomacy, victory goals and much more got basically redesigned for the game and has not much in common with the previous installment of the franchise. It's too much to talk about in a 5000-characters review, but if I had to sum it up, I would say it's a big upgrade across the board, with some sidegrade due to worsening the game's accessibility and clarity. For example, AoW3 research system was really simple... But it also provided you with like 10-12 choices at a time, mostly without strict regulations about what you need to pick to get a thing later on. Here, you get to see the whole tree with all its requirements, having to look into the next couple of choices, planning like 20-30 turns ahead. The game has a ton of depth, and it's not exactly a bad thing, but its just going to overwhelm a lot of people. Don't even get me started on the mods...

    Overall, I would rate the game 9/10 or 9.5/10 due to its inaccessibility, but I'm going to give some extra points for the passionate devs and how incredibly invested they are with the community, being active on forums and Steam, reaching out to the fans and not ignoring their suggestions. The game might not be perfect, but the developers are a prime example of how the communication between them and players should be like. And they provide powerful modding tools alongside the game, too, letting you make new units, factions, buildings, items, and much, much more. They once again do not fail to deliver and I really feel that my money was well spent.    … Expand
  14. Rorsha
    Aug 10, 2019
    1
    Too many placeholders for future dlcs. Boring generic campaign. Cheap mechanics. Noisy developers. High price for that all.
  15. Rome
    Aug 7, 2019
    1
    This game is worse than Civ 5 at launch with no mods. It is so ridiculously dumbed down and uninteresting that both the high critic and user score is absolutely baffling. Are so many gamers today that stupid? unbelievable.
  16. Joewashere
    Aug 8, 2019
    4
    Dumbed down game, with simplistic mechanics and skeleton content, 6 factions but no discernible tactics differences. I guess Paradox Interactive who excel at churning DLCs ad nauseam will milk every bit of this game. Maybe it will be worth playing in a year, but right now it's nothing short of disappointing.
  17. BigBossManXXXX
    Aug 6, 2019
    10
    Best Age of Wonders game since (Age of Wonders 2: Shadow Magic). Age of Wonders 3 was pretty good too impo, but finally we are getting something entirely fresh which i was so much looking forward to.. And now, it's finally here!!!
  18. raadoo
    Aug 17, 2019
    8
    just finished the campaign (played first part with one race, then part 1 and 2 with another one). i have mixed feelings. firstly i was surprised it was already over, i thought it was just the beginning of the story, and it turned out it was already the end. very disappointed (or disillusioned) with that. i guess there will be dlcs... but the fact that you can finish the main campaignjust finished the campaign (played first part with one race, then part 1 and 2 with another one). i have mixed feelings. firstly i was surprised it was already over, i thought it was just the beginning of the story, and it turned out it was already the end. very disappointed (or disillusioned) with that. i guess there will be dlcs... but the fact that you can finish the main campaign playing through, i'm not even sure now, 4 missions is laughable. though the game is certainly engaging, it feels like a fast food meal, i.e. everything is pretty generic and shallow, all the systems, research tree etc. combat, with many interlinked systems, is probably the best part. in terms of the "empire building" part, there is really little substance to it, you have sectors, you research upgrades to sector types, terrain types or terrain features and build them. there's also a few buildings. that's it. every city will eventually build everything, because there's little to build. hard to say anything about the ai, i was playing on beginner and was able to finish the game with little interaction with the ai. even when i started the winning countdown for the technology win, the ai didn't seem to react (at all in the first case, in the second case it has send two armies of 2-3 stacks that i was able to repeal quite easily, even though i was alone and had several commanders against me). not sure if this was due to the beginner level, but i was able to win even though i wasn't the best "civ" in anything according to the ingame rankings, and explored only like 1/4 of the map. there are many combat mods and you can tailor your units to your needs, but since most of them are situational (as different units/races have different strenghts/vulnerabilities), i ended up with using basic +accuracy +defense most of the time anyway. as for the gfx, it's ok. so is music, nothing spectacular (though i feel like i've heard one track/melody already in mass effect, i wonder if that was intentional...). at the beginning it's really hard to "read the map", it's possible to get used to, but it's still hard to discern features. in the final campaigns i was also constantly spammed each turn with msgs from hostile commanders that they despise me, not sure what was the point of that as this was clear from turn 2 - i guess this will be fixed. overall, it's a decent mcmeal, will probably get better with dlcs, but if you're looking for a deep strategy game, look somewhere else, this one is pretty "casual". all that said, i liked it and would probably be still playing the campaign if the campaign wasn't a joke consisting of 2 missions.… Expand
  19. KGBLV
    Aug 11, 2019
    3
    Actual gameplay is super simplified, reminds me a lot of Heroes of Might and Magic. The only real difference from the Heroes franchise is Tech-Tree (which is really linear and as many have said the developments are incremental so not really impactful to gameplay) and that combat is less of stacks-of-doom type battles like in Heroes and more XCOM-type (when I say XCOM type do not understandActual gameplay is super simplified, reminds me a lot of Heroes of Might and Magic. The only real difference from the Heroes franchise is Tech-Tree (which is really linear and as many have said the developments are incremental so not really impactful to gameplay) and that combat is less of stacks-of-doom type battles like in Heroes and more XCOM-type (when I say XCOM type do not understand it as simiolar to it, as the combat is SUPER SIMPLEFIED). The UI as well as the game map is overfilled with useless information and distractions.

    The only teal PRO I can give about this game is that the factions are different. As many strategy titles end up with more or less very similar playstyle factions.

    In the end if you are a fan of very simple strategies you will probably enjoy it, if you like more in depth 4X`s and the usual Paradox titles you will be very disappointed with this game.    … Expand
  20. pwk11
    Aug 19, 2019
    10
    Age of Wonders 3 was my fav TBS game. 750 hours in. This game is my new fav. I`ve been TBS gaming since Civilization 1. Don`t believe those who say it`s shallow. You have to play it for a while to see how deep it actually is. Especially the combat with counters and the variety of tactics,upgrades,mods for units, differences in techs,ect. Triumph is a developer that always continues toAge of Wonders 3 was my fav TBS game. 750 hours in. This game is my new fav. I`ve been TBS gaming since Civilization 1. Don`t believe those who say it`s shallow. You have to play it for a while to see how deep it actually is. Especially the combat with counters and the variety of tactics,upgrades,mods for units, differences in techs,ect. Triumph is a developer that always continues to improve their games and are very open to feedback from the community. Great game!! I can`t wait for DLC. I`m betting I`ll put 1000+ hrs. into this one!… Expand
  21. altaydron
    Aug 10, 2019
    7
    Устаревшая графика, убогие анимации, отсутствие физики, маленькое древо исследования, скучные, однообразные надоедающие бои. Очередная поделка людей которые сами не играют в игры. Из-за малого количества стратегий,вечерами по часику можно поиграть. Цена вообще другой разговор, такая халтурная поделка не может стоить более 500 рублейУстаревшая графика, убогие анимации, отсутствие физики, маленькое древо исследования, скучные, однообразные надоедающие бои. Очередная поделка людей которые сами не играют в игры. Из-за малого количества стратегий,вечерами по часику можно поиграть. Цена вообще другой разговор, такая халтурная поделка не может стоить более 500 рублей
  22. dr_yev
    Aug 26, 2019
    4
    This game was a disappointment. Critic reviews seemed to say that it was great despite some minor shortcomings. I do not agree. In fact, none of the aspects of the game are done well and, it being a hybrid of a few genres, is a stark reminder that it cannot hope to come close to any distinct genre in depth or quality.

    The combat is boring; this game is by no means XCOM-like beyond    This game was a disappointment. Critic reviews seemed to say that it was great despite some minor shortcomings. I do not agree. In fact, none of the aspects of the game are done well and, it being a hybrid of a few genres, is a stark reminder that it cannot hope to come close to any distinct genre in depth or quality.

    The combat is boring; this game is by no means XCOM-like beyond superficial details. There is little skill involved and the AI seems to use cheap tactics. The incremental upgrades lack any impressive oomph. The locales are rather generic and get old after a couple of hours.

    The campaign is boring, the writing is bad, and the acting is worse. Not enough background is given to induce caring about the protagonists.

    Though this game bears a resemblance to the latest Civ games, there is no visual indication of sector improvement and the improvements are generic and limited.

    I can imagine someone enjoying this game for more than a couple of hours but, given how many choices there are this year, this seems like a "don't buy".    … Expand
  23. notings
    Sep 15, 2019
    0
    Buged copy of civilization translation and lore of nacions suck dont but ****
  24. SpiryXBT
    Sep 7, 2019
    0
    The game is not what supposed to be.

    Is turn-based strategy as when you start your own Scenario you only have 150 Turns to make a victory. The options are few, only 4 RACES. ONLY 4 and 4 NPC's. The technology tree is extremely thin. By 70 turns you already finished 70% of tech tree without many improvements of even fun. I've played 23 hours trying to find some FUN in it. It adds    The game is not what supposed to be.

    Is turn-based strategy as when you start your own Scenario you only have 150 Turns to make a victory. The options are few, only 4 RACES. ONLY 4 and 4 NPC's. The technology tree is extremely thin. By 70 turns you already finished 70% of tech tree without many improvements of even fun.

    I've played 23 hours trying to find some FUN in it.

    It adds NOTHING new to the game. You could play a lot more fun 4X games then this one.

    Considering also the PRICE TAG that is HUGE vs. the LOW QUALITY OF THE GAME. Is not worth it.

    It's real value would be 19.95$ at max. This was an abuse by producers because they used the name: "Age of Wonders".

    My advice? DO NOT BUY IT. The developers are doing lame updates , no NEW units , no NEW races and extremely boring game and action in it.    … Expand
  25. Vasot
    Oct 19, 2019
    5
    1) A boring and complicated map gameplay with a cheating AI that knows your base positions from the start 2) 90% of upgrades in the game are useless and the modding system is not fun 3) Very slow gameplay even during combat it makes you want to go to sleep 4) Boring objectives everything feels very generic with a forgetable plot and stupid weird cartoon characters (space dinosaurs riding1) A boring and complicated map gameplay with a cheating AI that knows your base positions from the start 2) 90% of upgrades in the game are useless and the modding system is not fun 3) Very slow gameplay even during combat it makes you want to go to sleep 4) Boring objectives everything feels very generic with a forgetable plot and stupid weird cartoon characters (space dinosaurs riding by amazons with ecology sensivities what a stupid idea)... Age of Wonders 3 was a much more mature and interesting game from this anyway i got bored during the final campaign missions and just uninstalled the game.… Expand
  26. C4l1burn
    Oct 4, 2019
    10
    Story mode is not just 4 missions, I have played it for over 100 hours, several scenarios/missions (I think I am in my eighth scenario or so), and i am still in story mode. The more you play the more engrossing the game gets.
  27. Yabs
    Aug 15, 2019
    9
    So far SO good. All in all it is evident that the developers have put a lot of time and attention to detail in this game. I'm not finding any game breaking bugs.

    Pros: (thus far) -beautiful coloring scheme. -maps are gorgeous -sound effects are amusing -tactical turn-based combat phase of the game is excellent. -great unit diversity -Ooo. .I do love seeing those big bugs explode.    So far SO good. All in all it is evident that the developers have put a lot of time and attention to detail in this game. I'm not finding any game breaking bugs.

    Pros: (thus far)
    -beautiful coloring scheme.
    -maps are gorgeous
    -sound effects are amusing
    -tactical turn-based combat phase of the game is excellent.
    -great unit diversity
    -Ooo. .I do love seeing those big bugs explode.
    -game runs smoothly and looks wonderful.

    Cons:
    -AoW Planetfall adds far more complexity than seen in AoW III with the research tree, This is not necessarily a good thing. Too much choice is too much and will turn off novice players or those getting into this series for the first time.
    -The developers went overboard with the research upgrade / skill trees, it is neither intuitive or helpful in explaining upgrades to sectors. -shallow learning curve (shallow means slow to learn)
    -Much to learn in order to play the game efficiently. It will take trial and error to figure out the research - sector mechanics of the game.
    -some quests get completed by NPCs instead of the player. After having upgraded and commissioned some military units, the NPC allies have nearly or already completed the main quest. This is irritating, I want to play the game, not observe the computer doing it.

    There are a few bugs here and there (I think), e.g. the number of moves a particular unit can make on the map, sometimes it can only move once and the next time can move 5 hexagons... One thing I'd like changed. Some of the units can only transverse terrain 3 hexagons at a time, which is painfully slow.

    Finally, I wish reviewers would stop citing 'X-com like'. Age of Wonders series was doing turn-based combat long before X-com: enemy unknown was released (10 years before).    … Expand
  28. Teleman
    May 23, 2021
    10
    An excellent copulation between Civ & XCOM series. It even feels like might and magic sometimes too.
  29. YungDizuck
    Oct 10, 2020
    8
    I had some initial trepidation on Triumph expanding the AoW franchise into a sci-fi setting, but upon firing it up, the bones of something good, like AoW 3 are there.

    I feel like with some time, patching, DLCs, Planetfall will emerge as a very complete and more enjoyable product for those who may have been underwhelmed by what some deemed as lack of content. I will say that I    I had some initial trepidation on Triumph expanding the AoW franchise into a sci-fi setting, but upon firing it up, the bones of something good, like AoW 3 are there.

    I feel like with some time, patching, DLCs, Planetfall will emerge as a very complete and more enjoyable product for those who may have been underwhelmed by what some deemed as lack of content.

    I will say that I expected maybe a few more factions, and some of the design choices weren't my favorite, but I'm still actively firing it up and playing it as frequently as I did and still do with AoW 3's complete edition.

    Updating after the first DLC:

    1. Not really a huge fan of the furry pirate factions, or a lot of the light faction interactions in general. Their relationships with you offer no real value aside from being drains on your resources in exchange for very little of real substance.

    2. Some of the elite units could definitely use an overhaul, especially the Vanguard carrier, considering I much prefer the Walker units with heavy firepower mods.

    3. The battles are still deeply engaging, with massive firefights, powers and tech skills being thrown around, much like the siege style battles that I had massive amounts of fun with in the AoW proper series. This portion is still insanely fun to me.

    4. Tactically, generation of resources feels slightly easier with the addition of more "dungeon" style buildings, or new uniques that can be unlocked by doing the adventure side missions with your heroes. I definitely recommend giving a hero a maximum spec into adventuring for this reason.

    5. The bugs have started to be ironed out, and the planets you generate have begun to feel alive, with creature generation and pirate/merc camps spilling out random units at a higher frequency, even on lower difficulties, giving you more opportunities to level your units and heroes.

    All in all, I'd say my 8 still stands, and I'd recommend at least giving the game a try, if you're a fan of strategy games in the vein of Warlock or AoW proper, or Civ 5/6.    … Expand
  30. Vitamin-J
    Mar 11, 2020
    10
    Absolutely stunned!

    With 6 factions and 6 secret technologies in the base game, there is a ton of diversity in how you can play! I typically give every 4x game a try when it first comes out and recently the market has been significantly suffering in the tactical layer department of 4x gaming. Age of Wonders: Planetfall - does not have that problem! If anyone is familiar with    Absolutely stunned!

    With 6 factions and 6 secret technologies in the base game, there is a ton of diversity in how you can play!

    I typically give every 4x game a try when it first comes out and recently the market has been significantly suffering in the tactical layer department of 4x gaming.

    Age of Wonders: Planetfall - does not have that problem!

    If anyone is familiar with the Age of Wonders series, it'd come as no surprise that the combat aspect of the game still is their strong point. However, they took all the weaknesses of the previous title (Age of Wonders 3) and drastically improved upon it.

    Now, instead of spamming end-game units, army compositions are dynamic, spanning from Tier 1 to final tier units, due to the inclusion of a rare resource used for the more advanced units. Also, with the ability to mod your units now with new equipment either researches, purchased from sub factions or discovered in anomalies, a Tier 1 unit can function drastically different by the end of the game than when it originally was incorporated into the army.

    The game also emphasizes my favorite aspect of any strategy game and that is Asymmetry.

    Every faction is completely unique, has its own culture and story background and possesses a strength and weakness that the player is going to want to learn if they are to play the faction optimally. On top of that, Planetfall continues its tradition from the Age of Wonder's series, by having a secondary (Previously known as a school of Magic) Secret-technology that can drastically change the faction's units and research tree's.

    Age of Wonders has always been a fantastic series, but previously I could ramble on about what I would do to improve it. Planetfall completely stumps me. I opened the mod-tools included with the game with the intention to perfect the game to my liking and found, for this very first time, I was not able to come up with an idea that I felt could beat the original game. I mod the fast majority of 4x games I play, as there is always something I disagree with and Planetfall.... I can't find any changes that I would make.    … Expand
  31. goldie119
    Oct 31, 2020
    8
    Love it - love the series. This and AOW3 are two games I always have on my harddrive. It's different from AOW3, but there is a lot to like.
  32. Electrobubbles8
    Dec 19, 2019
    8
    This review is made in respect to other games from the current industry standard. We can talk about previous games being better, but they also need to be taken into account for the times and games developing cultures they were made in. So far I find it to be quite playable, especially compared to certain other offerings on the Xbox games for PC scheme that accompanies the game pass theyThis review is made in respect to other games from the current industry standard. We can talk about previous games being better, but they also need to be taken into account for the times and games developing cultures they were made in. So far I find it to be quite playable, especially compared to certain other offerings on the Xbox games for PC scheme that accompanies the game pass they have available. From a value for money perspective; You can effectively try this game yourself on special offer for £1 for a few months with a £10 monthly subscription afterwards. If you're the type who takes reviews lightly then perhaps it's worth considering the low price to try it yourself. The scheme does not feature the DLCs however. On to the review; Gameplay; As someone who enjoyed the age of wonders franchise of the past, the game is not so distinct as to deter players who know how the mechanics and systems work, however there is a suitable sci-fi twist to it with appropriate resource re-labelling and additional depth one would expect of a continuation of the series. This should be fairly intuitive to returning players. It follows a grand campaign/turn based strategy synergy with auto-resolve seen often in 4x games, however tactical maps - where armies face one another on the battlefield - are more similar to that seen in total war games, with Xcom-esque controls albeit remaining turn-based. All the units have their own abilities and skills, and the commanders have "operations" similar to command and conquer-style special abilities. Pro - intuitive mechanics, easy to navigate GUI.
    Negative - obstructive to players new to 4x gaming.

    Setting; The maps focus is on Sci fi environments, like blasted wastelands, alien jungles and pretty-looking ruins appropriate to the subtext being that of a decaying star empire. Pro - attractive to look at, environments suit the overall game theme. Negative - need more time to properly experiment with the maps, but there seems to be a lack of variety. Anyone expecting high-concept non-euclidean geometry is going to be dissatisfied.    … Expand
  33. Sepherim
    Apr 13, 2020
    4
    Age of Wonders: Planetfall no es nada mala idea, pero no me acaba de convencer la ejecución. Por un lado, combina un mapa y un estilo de juego clásico de los 4X, donde explorar, luchar y esas cosas; pero las misiones son tan guiadas que, en realidad, acabas haciendo las cosas más o menos iguales siempre, según los objetivos que te fijen. Por otro lado, se combina eso con unas batallas porAge of Wonders: Planetfall no es nada mala idea, pero no me acaba de convencer la ejecución. Por un lado, combina un mapa y un estilo de juego clásico de los 4X, donde explorar, luchar y esas cosas; pero las misiones son tan guiadas que, en realidad, acabas haciendo las cosas más o menos iguales siempre, según los objetivos que te fijen. Por otro lado, se combina eso con unas batallas por turnos estilo X-Com, con muchas más unidades, que sin embargo no consiguen transmitir esa tensión típica de X-COM donde cada movimiento cuenta; como sabes que puedes producir libremente en el mapa principal (normalmente sobran recursos) perder una unidad es un paso atras (pierdes la experiencia y eso) pero se sustituye fácil. Por ello, la jugabilidad acaba estando a medio camino entre un 4X y un juego táctico, pero sin ser suficientemente profundo en ninguno de los dos lados. Y la historia es muy floja.

    Gráficamente el juego más o menos cumple, pero sin ningún tipo de alarde ni increíble originalidad. El sonido es más flojo, haciendo que en general el apartado técnico del juego sea muy discreto. Pero, al menos en mi experiencia, no tiene unos bugs demasiado notables.

    El resultado de todo ello es un juego que podría ser muy bueno, pero acabó abarcando demasiado y no profundizando en ningún lado. Un 4,5.    … Expand
  34. almax
    Jul 19, 2020
    10
    I have played the full campaign for nearly 100 hours. It is a great heir of the age of wonders serie. Many different factions all with different units, building and tech trees.
    It is enjoyable both in the strategic phase and combat phase.
    If you loved the previous games do not miss it
  35. RodriPuertas
    May 17, 2021
    8
    Cool game, combinaiton of civilization and xcom in the combat (that can be alittle boing a tedious) so far the management looks great and the civ part too
  36. Gutzzu
    Aug 8, 2020
    10
    Not that i did not enjoy the game before the New DLCs but the constant huge changes and upgrade definitely already brought the game to 10/10 grade The best thing is they the game will get few more upgrades before we also give the modding community to polish it even more

    I am huge fan of the franchise and this is another great edition of AOW Over all Triumph and Paradox are bunch of super    Not that i did not enjoy the game before the New DLCs but the constant huge changes and upgrade definitely already brought the game to 10/10 grade The best thing is they the game will get few more upgrades before we also give the modding community to polish it even more

    I am huge fan of the franchise and this is another great edition of AOW Over all Triumph and Paradox are bunch of super cool people and I want to thank them for this game    … Expand
  37. domadilla
    Jan 12, 2021
    9
    With the updates and expansions this game is greatly improved. I have been playing since the original release and enjoyed the game when it first came out but now with the addition of 'Empire Mode' and more choice of technologies and factions this game is a fully fledged turn-based wonder.

    For me the game synergises aspects of Civilisation and X-COM in the fact that you have both    With the updates and expansions this game is greatly improved. I have been playing since the original release and enjoyed the game when it first came out but now with the addition of 'Empire Mode' and more choice of technologies and factions this game is a fully fledged turn-based wonder.

    For me the game synergises aspects of Civilisation and X-COM in the fact that you have both turn-based map strategy and turn-based combat. The game is sci-fi themed and futuristic and the available factions that you can choose to embody are both creative and repayable.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

68
#68 Best PC Game of 2019
76
#76 Most Discussed PC Game of 2019
25
#25 Most Shared PC Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 42 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 35 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 42
  3. Negative: 0 out of 42
  1. Cubed3
    Jun 29, 2020
    70
    Truly exemplifying the maxim of 'too much of a good thing,' there is simply too much here that bogs itself down. The battle and strategic systems have some really cool and interesting ideas, but there is far too much... stuff that takes both of them down a notch. The strategic layer has way too many things to do with too much consequence, and the battle system takes too long, and is replete with a dizzying number of little things that must be taken into account, lest destruction result. It's really too bad as the core of the game is extremely solid, yet there is just too much in the way for it to shine.
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  2. Quarter to Three
    Feb 3, 2020
    80
    Of course, this mix-and-match approach will only be as good as the imagination that goes into its parts. Paradox tried something similar with Stellaris, using a set of opposing attributes. But that game’s spreadsheet-dry sci-fi doesn’t have room for the kind of glee, personality, and interactivity that drives Planetfall. Stellaris is the rasp of pages turning in a ledger. Run your index finger across the paper, along the row and then down the column, find a number that supposedly suggests the high-concept sci-fi in one of those dull classics you felt obligated to read and even more obligated to pretend to like. But Planetfall is a shelf of old sci-fi dime store novels in the back of a tiny bookstore inexplicably still in business. Pick the lurid title that calls out to you best. Pull it out and delight at the splash of imaginative cover art. This is your story for today.
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  3. Worth Playing
    Jan 7, 2020
    80
    Overall, Age of Wonders: Planetfall is a solid sequel that differentiates itself sufficiently and improves upon the franchise's formula. It has a diverse mix of units and races, wonderful artwork, and what appears to be a massive range of strategies. Customizing your forces with an array of passive effects and active abilities is handled effortlessly by the UI, and it's very rewarding to use it in the tactical combat. The campaign should take anywhere from 30 to 60 hours to complete, depending on how quickly you play, and that's before stepping into the random scenarios and multiplayer, where a wide range of options and customizations can cater to your play style.
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