Hands-On: Age of Wonders 4 can convert the fantasy averse with its compelling gameplay

destructoid.com:

I don’t think I’ve minced my words when I’ve talked about my distaste for fantasy settings. Whether it is a lingering effect of growing up in a religious household where magic was the creation of the devil, or just not finding it interesting, I’ve never been able to find an interest in fantasy worlds. So when I was approached with a preview build of Age of Wonders 4 I was apprehensive. Thankfully though I accepted, and for the first time I was enthralled by the fantasy world that stood before me.

So what was so great about the world that Triumph Studios built? Even though the world had some form of procedural generation built into it, each world was brought to life by not only the landscape but also the kingdoms and cities that inhabited your world. Like most 4X games, you start out in your own little corner of the world with no knowledge of what lies beyond your realm. As you venture further from your home and discover the world that you have been plopped into, you meet all kinds of races and characters.

Depending on how your actions, factions will react differently to you. Long-time veterans of the 4X genre will probably balk at my thoughts and try to say that it’s all built upon some reactive code. Which it is. Knowing this though, it still feels like a vibrant and real world when the second I meet a new civilization they judge me on my previous actions and react as such.

The best part is that every interaction in the world is built on the base of your society’s traits, and they are all customizable. Sure there are the basic things like race, royal colors, and emblems, but the customization also goes much deeper, allowing you to craft the perfect roleplay base. There are cultures on which your lineage is based such as