Age of Wonders 4, the latest installment in Triumph Studios' popular fantasy 4x strategy series, launched in May 2023 and released the “Primal Fury” DLC in February of this year. The second expansion set, “Eldritch Realms,” and the free update, “Mystic,” included in the game's Expansion Pass have now been released, and Triumph has released a release trailer for the latest expansion introducing the Cthulhu-style eldritch horror content that will be implemented in the latest expansion.
The Eldritch Realms expansion features a new realm, the Umbral Abyss, and its demonic faction, the Umbral Homeland; eldritch rulers, the Weird Sovereigns, with their own unique thrall spellcasting system; additional forms and mounts; four crisis events; and a new tome.
Age of Wonders 4: Eldritch Realms
Conquer the dark depths of the Umbral Abyss with the Age of Wonders 4: Eldritch Realms expansion. Terrorize your foes as an uncanny sovereign, wield powerful new magical tomes, overcome world-changing events, and lead your people against the darkness that spreads across the realm.
■ New Map Tiers
Umbral Abyss. A dark realm of corruption and horror threatens to engulf the realm of the living. It features a new tactical combat map, numerous unique locations to explore and exploit, and a new independent faction, the Umbral Homeland, inhabited by Umbral demons. The denizens of the Abyss are corrupted beings intent on snuffing out the light and invading the realm. Entering the Abyss will cause damage to your units, but you can purchase a small transformation of the Umbral body in the Umbral Homeland to gain resistance.
■ New ruler type
Corrupted by the Umbral Abyss, the Weird Sovereigns are ancient beings of great power, each with their own unique Thrall Spellcasting system. Choose your path as master of the Weird Sovereign and decide whether to dominate your foes, manipulate flesh and blood, or harness the magic of madness and chaos.
■ 2 new story territories
Return to Asura and join its defense in an epic battle that will decide the fate of the world.
■ Two new forms
- Cylon form
- Insect morphology
■ 2 new mounts
- Standard Beetle mount
- Exotic Death Beetle Mount
■ Cosmic Happenings Event System
This new global event is designed to be exciting and unpredictable. It includes four mini-crisis events called “Seasonal Sacrifices”, each with its own tactical map, units and new features. Completing these events will grant you the ability to transform one of your heroes into a unique Plague.
■ New Academic Books
- Tentacle Tome: Specializes in immobilizing and damaging enemies with tentacles. Grants the unique Constrictor racial unit with tentacle arms.
- Tome of the Cleansing Flame: A tome for the forces of light to face the darkness of the Abyss. Summon the cleansing flames during battle, burning down heretics and protecting the faithful.
- Tome of Corruption: Turn the power of your enemies onto yourself. Transform buffs into debuffs or steal them and apply them to your units. Create evil mirror images of enemy units and transform your units into Gloom Striders.
5 New Premade Dominators
2 new territory templates
2 new territory traits
New interface skin spreads its eerie tentacles over the UI
Six new BGM tracks by composer Michiel van den Bos