Firaxis has new content coming in early 2018 for its Civilization VI fans. The “Rise and Fall” expansion adds new management features, alliance mechanics, and era-based events, which should make every turn even more important.
The main attraction of the expansion is the introduction of Golden and Dark Ages. Your overall progression will be divided into game eras, which the studio said is determined by your advancement and “a few other behind-the-scenes” adjustments. When you start a new era, you can enter a Golden or Dark Age, which is determined by a special score. This number is based on the points accrued from completing objectives in the previous game era. Golden Ages provide multiple bonuses, while a Dark Age can make advancement difficult for your citizens. Rival civilizations will have their own Golden or Dark Ages as well, which will allow you to take advantage of another player’s woes while also reaping the benefits of your era of prosperity.
A major stat that ties into these new Ages is Loyalty points, which are included in each city. If you enter a Golden Age, your citizens are more loyal, which in turn will influence cities of other nations that are close to your borders. That influence can lower the Loyalty of another civilization’s metropolis to the point where it becomes a Free City, which means that it can join other nations. The inverse can happen to your cities if you enter a Dark Age. Loyalty points will decrease and your actions might be the catalyst for a few of your cities to leave.
Another way to increase Loyalty in any city is by dispatching Governor units, which have their own set of unique skills and abilities. Similar to the allocation of districts in your civilization, a Governor’s traits can provide unique advantages to each city. Some might push for the construction of Wonders while others are better suited to help out a smaller city. You can move these Governors to different cities as well, which helps when you change your overall strategy.
The studio is also working on improving relations between you and other nations. You can now engage in one of five alliance types: Research, Military, Economic, Cultural, or Religious. Staying in one of these partnerships for a long time can provide additional bonuses.
To prevent one player from gaining a massive lead in the game, Firaxis is also implementing a new mechanic called Emergencies. If someone triggers a monumental event, such as using nuclear weapons or converting the religion of a Holy City, the game will start an Emergency. Specific players or AI opponents can band together to complete an objective exclusive to the event to limit the winning civilization’s progression.
The expansion also includes the addition of Historical Moments, which are small achievements for significant milestones in your civilization, such as circumnavigating the globe or creating a religion. Firaxis also teased the addition of nine new leaders and eight additional factions as part of the expansion. More information about the “Rise and Fall” will come out over the weeks and months leading up to its release on February 8.
