Samuel Axon

Every Civilization game since Civilization IV has followed the same trajectory: the initial release remixes and reinterprets some base systems from the previous game, but franchise veterans deem it anemic because it has fewer systems and features than its fully expanded predecessor. From there, new expansions gradually reintroduce the complexity that was lost in the move to a new game until many of those players conclude that it’s the best game in the series yet.

In many ways, though, 2016’s Civilization VI was a bigger departure than previous entries, and it has been divisive accordingly. The game completely overhauled how cities were expanded and how religious warfare was waged, among other things. If you’re a Civ traditionalist who felt Civilization VI strayed too far, you won’t like this latest expansion. It takes the changes even further. But if you’ve been itching for even more ambitious fresh ideas in a franchise that has historically been very conservative, you’ll find what you’re looking for here.