Civilization VI: Gathering Storm

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Civilization VI: Gathering Storm
Civilization VI Gathering Storm Cover.jpg
Developer(s) Firaxis Games
Publisher(s) 2K Games
Series Civilization
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Android
ReleaseFebruary 14, 2019
Genre(s) Turn-based strategy, 4X
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm [1] is the second expansion pack for the turn-based strategy video game Civilization VI . It was released on February 14, 2019, about a year after the release of the first expansion Rise and Fall . It is available for Microsoft Windows, macOS and Linux. [2] The expansion adds features, civilizations, leaders and wonders. Key additions are mechanics for natural disasters, and greenhouse gas emissions contributing to climate change and subsequent effects. It received generally positive reviews upon release.

Contents

Gameplay

The focus of the Gathering Storm expansion is improving the game world with the weather and how human action affects the course of the game as well as late game consequences. The player has to face how their environment changes over time, whether randomly or as a consequence of their environmental decisions. [3]

The expansion introduces natural disasters in the form of volcanic eruptions, river floods, rising sea levels, hurricanes, dust storms, blizzards, tornadoes, and droughts. [4] Players are given ways to mitigate these by building improvements such as dams or sea barriers. Additionally, some of these events can be beneficial to players; for example, after river floods and volcanic eruptions, affected tiles may have their yields increased. The frequency of these events is affected by a new climate system. Late-game buildings can have their effectiveness improved by providing with the new power resource, which can be obtained by burning resources such as coal and oil. However, doing so will increase CO2 levels in the atmosphere, increasing the frequency of disasters. [4] Players are also able to research green power alternatives such as solar, wind and geothermal power stations. [4] Players can research the Computers tech and unlock flood barriers that are built on city centers. These buildings help provide protection from rising sea levels; without these improvements players will lose coastal tiles and sometimes even mainland tiles. The Future Era returns by adding new Technologies and Civics that will be unlocked randomly. [4]

World generation is also changed: new terrain features, geothermal fissures and volcanoes, spawn along mountain ridges separating continents, and floodplains now spawn in larger clusters exclusively along rivers. [4] Mountain ranges, rivers, volcanoes and deserts are now named after the civilization that discovered them. [4] For example, a river discovered by the English might be named the Thames, whereas one discovered by the French could be named the Seine.

Diplomacy is also revamped, with the Diplomatic Victory condition and World Congress from previous games returning with the difference that you will need to accrue a certain number of Diplomatic Victory Points that can be earned in various ways [4] and you will have to win votes multiple times, showing the diplomatic leadership in the different eras, in order to achieve diplomatic victory. [3] The way in which votes are influenced are called Favors, which can increase the weight of your vote. The new Favor currency and a new Grievances system replace the base game's Warmonger score. [4] The World Congress brings the players a lot more control over building resolutions from different components the way you might a peace treaty, and the international community votes on whether or not your resolution is carried in the session of the World Congress. [4]

A number of systems from the base game and the previous expansion Rise and Fall have been tweaked, including the addition of more Historic Moments, a new Governor, improvements to the espionage system and changes to the science and culture victory conditions. [3]

Nine new leaders and eight new civilizations were also introduced, alongside a variety of new units, natural and world wonders, a new technology and civics era and two new scenarios - The Black Death (Single player) and War Machine(Multiplayer Only), based on the 14th century pandemic of the same name and the WWI German-French conflict in Belgium respectively. [3]

New civilizations include among others:

Reception

Gathering Storm received generally positive reviews from critics according to review aggregator Metacritic. [14]

Accolades

The game was nominated for "Best Original Choral Composition" and "Best Original Soundtrack Album" at the 18th Annual G.A.N.G. Awards, [15] for "Game Beyond Entertainment" at the 16th British Academy Games Awards, [16] and for "Video Game Score of the Year" at the ASCAP Composers' Choice Awards. [17]

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References

  1. ↑ "Civilization® VI – The Official Site | News | Civilization VI: Gathering Storm Available Now". Civilization® VI – The Official Site | News | Civilization VI: Gathering Storm Available Now. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
  2. ↑ "Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm Available February 14, 2019". Yahoo! Finance. November 21, 2018. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Scott-Jones, Richard (November 21, 2018). "The full Civilization 6: Gathering Storm interview". PCGamesN . Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Hafer, T.J. (November 20, 2018). "Civilization 6: Gathering Storm will introduce disasters and player-created climate change". PC Gamer . Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  5. ↑ Brown, Fraser (November 28, 2018). "Civilization 6: Gathering Storm's Hungary makes friends so it can crush enemies". PC Gamer . Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  6. ↑ Bailey, Dustin (December 4, 2018). "The Maori join Civ 6: Gathering Storm, and they start the game at sea". PCGamesN . Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  7. ↑ Chalk, Andy (December 11, 2018). "Canada in Civilization 6 has hockey rinks, Mounties, and has to declare war politely". PC Gamer . Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  8. ↑ "The Incan Empire Moves Mountains in Civilization 6: Gathering Storm". sludgefeed.com. December 18, 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2018.[ permanent dead link ]
  9. ↑ Scott-Jones, Richard (January 8, 2019). "Mali is coming to Civilization 6 and will have more money than you". PCGamesN . Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  10. ↑ Brown, Fraser (January 16, 2019). "Civilization 6: Gathering Storm's Sweden lets everyone fight over Nobel Prizes". PC Gamer . Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  11. ↑ Scott-Jones, Richard (January 22, 2019). "The Ottomans arrive in Civilization 6 to beat you up and build cannons". PCGamesN . Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  12. ↑ Brown, Fraser (January 29, 2019). "Weather Civilization 6's Gathering Storm as the nautical Phoenicians". PC Gamer . Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  13. ↑ Scott-Jones, Richard (February 5, 2019). "Eleanor of Aquitaine is coming to Civilization 6 to take your cities (peacefully)". PCGamesN . Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  14. 1 2 "Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm for PC Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Awards Archive". Game Audio Network Guild. 2023-08-02. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  16. ↑ Stuart, Keith (March 3, 2020). "Death Stranding and Control dominate Bafta games awards nominations". The Guardian . Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Vote in the 2020 ASCAP Composers' Choice Awards". American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers . May 7, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
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