Age of Wonders: Planetfall
A sci-fi spin-off in the Age of Wonders series.
Age of Wonders: Planetfall is a 4X turn-based strategy game, the fifth entry in the series but a spin-off set in a sci-fi universe. Triumph Studios developed it, with Paradox Interactive publishing. It launched on Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in August 2019, followed by a macOS version in May 2020.
The story takes place far in the future, after an unknown cataclysm destroyed the Star Union, an intergalactic human government. Various factions now compete for control, each trying to shape humanity’s future while uncovering the mystery behind the Union’s collapse.
At release, the game offered six distinct factions, each with unique units and play styles. The Amazons, for example, are a matriarchal human faction that rides dinosaurs into battle, while the Kir’ko are insectoid creatures that rely on melee attacks. Players control a customizable commander leading one of these factions, exploring a procedurally generated world divided into sectors. Each sector has a single primary biome that can be exploited for production, food, research, or energy, and these yields can be boosted by placing landmark structures. As players expand, they manage multiple cities individually. They can scavenge resources for research or raid hostile camps to steal technology. Neutral factions appear on the map and can become allies, offering combat support. A new "Doomsday tech" skill tree eventually unlocks a weapon of mass destruction. Players can also build naval and air forces to strengthen their military.
Ground combat is turn-based and viewed from a top-down perspective. Players position units on the battlefield, order them to take cover, fire, or use tactics like overwatch. Each unit gets three actions per turn. Staggering an enemy disrupts their special attacks and costs them one action point. Missed shots deal no damage by default, though certain abilities or mods can enable a grazing effect. Units can be upgraded with mods and equipment to improve combat effectiveness.
Development began in mid-2015 at Triumph Studios, which Paradox Interactive had acquired in 2017. The team abandoned the series’ usual fantasy setting for sci-fi because they wanted to experiment with new themes after working only on fantasy games since the first Age of Wonders. Planetfall is a spin-off, so its lore and timeline are separate from the main series.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Age of Wonders: Planetfall
- Developer
- Triumph Studios
- Publisher
- Paradox Interactive
- Director
- Lennart Sas, Arno van Wingerden
- Producer
- Djurre van Dijk, Frederick Milders
- Designer
- Danika Arents, Luis Ferreira, Thomas Schuiten, Bas Staffhorst
- Writer
- Jakob Matthes
- Programmer
- Tom Bird
- Composer
- Michiel van den Bos
- Engine
- Creator Engine
- Platforms
- PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, macOS
- Series
- Age of Wonders
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Set in the distant future, Age of Wonders: Planetfall follows the collapse of the Star Union, an intergalactic human government, due to an unknown cataclysm. Factions rise to battle for dominance and carve a new future for humanity, while unraveling the cosmic mystery behind the Union's end. The game launched with six factions, each with unique units and gameplay, such as the matriarchal Amazons using dinosaurs as mounts and the insectoid Kir’ko focusing on melee combat. Players control a customizable commander who can explore procedurally generated worlds, engage in diplomacy, conduct covert operations, and declare war. The map is divided into sectors, each with a single primary biome exploitable for resources like production, food, research, and energy.
Reader's Guide
Age of Wonders: Planetfall represents a significant departure for the Age of Wonders series, shifting from fantasy to a sci-fi setting. Developed by Triumph Studios and published by Paradox Interactive, the game was announced in May 2018 and released in August 2019. Its development began in mid-2015, with the team seeking to experiment with new themes after years of fantasy titles. The expanded diplomacy was inspired by Paradox's grand strategy games, and warzones were made more vertical and destructible than in Age of Wonders III. Feedback from the previous game led to improvements in economic complexity and faction uniqueness. The game's lore was inspired by Star Wars, Fallout, and Hyperion, with the Star Union concept tying all factions together. The game received generally positive reviews on Metacritic and strong approval on OpenCritic, with 87% of critics recommending it. It was nominated for 'PC Game of the Year' at the 2019 Golden Joystick Awards, 'Best Strategy Game' at The Game Awards 2019, and 'Game, Strategy' at the NAVGTR Awards. Post-release, three expansion packs were released: Revelations (November 2019), Invasions (May 2020), and Star Kings (November 2020).
Did You Know?
- The game was developed by Triumph Studios and published by Paradox Interactive, which acquired the studio in 2017.
- Development began in mid-2015, and the team abandoned the fantasy setting to experiment with sci-fi themes.
- The game introduced a 'grazing' mechanic where missed shots deal half damage.
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