Around 30 employees reportedly affected by cuts

Firaxis Games, the studio behind strategy titles such as Civilization, Marvel's Midnight Suns, and XCOM, has laid off employees in the latest in a series of cuts made at Take-T?wo subsidiarie??s.

A report by Axios claims that around 30 employees were affected but the cuts, which the developer's publisher, 2K Games has said were made due to a "sharpening of focus, enhancements of efficiencies, and an alignment of our talent against our highest ?priorities [...] The studio remains focused on developing critically acclaimed video games."

Firaxis' most recent release was the strategic comic-book title Marvel's Midnight Suns, which launched on PC and Gen9 console platforms in December of last year. While the release was praised for its quality gameplay and usage of the Marvel license, this, unfortunately, did not equate to sales, with the game being considered an unsuccessful commercial release by parent company Take-Two Interactive. Much like another comic-book release, Marvel's Avengers, Midnight Suns was?? a title th??at was designed to have a relatively long life in the gaming market.

The layoffs at Firaxis continue a miserable trend of cuts across the entire industry. Since January, roles have been lost at various high-profile developers and publishers including Microsoft, Riot Games, Sega, Twitch, and Ubisoft. Just last month, it was announced that Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt RED had also laid off members of studio The Molasses Flood, following a restart of the upcoming Witcher spin-off Project Sirius.

Firaxis is latest video game stud??io hit by layoffs [Axios Gaming]

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Wasn't built in a day

Firaxis has announced by way of Twitter that development has started on the next entry in the Civilization series. The last entry, Civilization VI, launched back �holy crap �in 2016. Despite this, it’s still receiving DLC, with its Leader Pass still dropping new content.

[embed]/??/t?witter.com/CivGame/status/1626582239453540352?s=20[/embed]

That’s all we’ve got so ??far, so here are ?some facts.

The Civilization series started way back in 1991. A new one being announced at this time isn’t a huge surprise, as new entries have been dropping like clockwork every 5-6 years. Each time, I can’t help but wonder what you could possibly add to the previous title to make it a new experience, and it’s always just enough to make it worth it. The biggest change was perhaps the series' move to using hex tiles in Civilization V rather than the square grid that had been the mainstay until then. A??nother major change was the addition of “unit stacks,�whereas before, you’d send all your little military guys at cities single file.

I also had an experience in Civilization IV with a roommate using the “Next War�mod, where we were getting roundly beaten by a computer-controlled Franklin Roosevelt. He was our a?lly, but every time we all went to war with someone, we’d get halfway through, and he’d adopt our foe as a vassal state, greatly expanding the size of his empire and ending the war. Late in the game, we retaliated by focusing on developing nuclear arms, then suddenly betrayed him by raining atomic death down on the peace-loving jerk. Before the first salvo was even finished, our scientists warned us that if we contin??ued, the planet would crack like an egg. We didn’t listen and continued to unload our arsenal until the game abruptly ended in “barbarian victory.�How’s that for a “New Deal,�Roosevelt?

Wholesome fun.

In any case, we’ll keep you posted on developments. All we have right now is confirmation that the next Civilization game is in development. Target pl??????????????????????????atforms, release windows, and even the chosen name have not been incl??uded in the announcement.

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'All Gratitude'

In a surprising piece of news, developer Firaxis has announced the departure of two of its veteran players: game director Jake Soloman and studio lead Steve Martin. Both individuals have been with the studio for over 20 years, overseeing the development and release of acclaimed strategy titles including XCOM, XCOM 2, and, most recently, Marvel's Midnight Suns.

"I’m embarking on a new chapter; however, I am incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to fulfill my dreams at Firaxis Games,�said Solomon in an official press statement. "I’m thankful to everyone who enjoyed XCOM and Marvel’s Midnight Suns, and to? my development and publishing partners who helped bring those games to life."

In a separate message posted to Twitter, Soloman teased that his "Brain was on fire with a new dream" and that it was "Time to go chase it". Soloman has worked with Firaxis for the best part ??of 23 years.

//twitt?er.com/SolomonJake/status/1626582096440598533?s=2??0

Steve Martin also expressed his gratitude toward Firaxis in a statement posted to the company's official Twitter account: "I am t??remendously grateful for the opportunity to have champio?ned and led the work of such a talented group of people for the past couple decades at the greatest studio in the world," wrote Martin. "I am proud of the legacy of games Firaxis has created and its reputation in the industry."

"I loo??k forward to cheering?? on Firaxis in its next chapter. Stay civilized!"

//twitter.com/FiraxisG??ames/status/?1626582244881207299?s=20

Mar?tin will be placed by Firaxis Chief Operating Officer Heather Hazen.

"I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to carry on the studio’s storied legacy, beginning with the announcement that Firaxis is in development on the next iteration of the legendary Civilization franchise,�said Hazen of the new role. “I’m lucky to be working with some of the best developers in our industry, and we have plans to take the Civilization franchise to exciting new heights for our millions of players around the world. In addition, we will continue to support Marvel’s Midnight Suns with post-laun??ch content, and explore new creative proj??ects for our teams."

Marvel's Midnight Suns is available now on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X.

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I like it 3000

When Firaxis Games has anything in the hopper, I perk up. Hell, even 2013's now-defunct Haunted Hollow was fun. So when Marvel's Midnight Suns was an?nounced, with no "co-develope??d" chicanery, I was in.

What I got was a fun little romp that's very different from many games they've made in the past, XCOM included.

Marvel's Midnight Suns (PC [reviewed], PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
Developer: Firaxis Games
Publisher: 2K
Released: December 2, 2022 (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) | TBA (PS4, Switch, Xbox One X)
MSRP: $59.99

Most of the XCOM comparisons started to wane as more footage showed up: and I'm entirely OK with that. Midnight Suns is really more akin to Fire Emblem than anything else, complete with a (friendship) relationship minigame between party members, and a literal abbey that serves as your hub. Yes, you're going to be rubbi?ng elbows with big-name Marvel heroes like Blade and Iron Man, but you're also going to be controlling an original character na?med "The Hunter," who serves as a blank slate fish out of water pen that inks the overarching story as you go along.

It's a veritable who's who of Marvel heroes and villains: big and small. The reliable heavy Crossbones is one of the first characters you even see, amid a sea of Hydra soldiers and mystics. In a very Indiana Jones opening sequen??ce, Lilith (a powerful demon and main big bad) is awakened, and is immediately bad news. Cue Doctor Strange and Iron Man, who try to unite the clans and stop her. Amid a roster of big name heroes, most of which have headlined feature films, you also get to create the aforementioned Hunter that's part of the Midnight Suns: the magic-backed resistance effort against Lilith.

It's a clever move by the storytellers to provide the "chosen one" trope that all of the big stars play off of: but it in turn leads to some predictable beats. More than I anticipated, there's some real ham-fisted dialogue, but the boot can fit standard the MCU has set. By any standard, it can be cornbally. Like many games with huge casts, a lot of the better moments are in the quieter moments: though there are some character intros that are po?p-worthy, and will elicit audible gasps or cheers from Marvel fans playing along.

Those little moments? They center around some of the light dialogue choices when talking to people, to drill down aspects of their personality, or the mission at hand. Midnight Suns also has a cute little social network for heroes: which you know some writer was completely jazzed about working on. You aren't just selecting missions from a menu either (Midnight Suns has a war table where you do do that!). There's full-on RPG elements, like map exploration (with your avatar), crafting, party management, quests, and a hub (the abbey). The abbey is just ?big enough where it has a d?ecent amount of things to do; without feeling so sprawling that there's a lot of wasted space.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7Icc7o0ex4

So how do you actually play? Cards!

In Midnight Suns, card types include attacks, skills, and heroics. Each card costs a unit called a "card play," which you'll use to actually enact actions. You get three card plays per turn, barring special abilities that can refund them, or grant more plays on future turns (banking). There's more! Attacks charge your heroism, which can be used for more powerful heroic card effects (which might blast every enemy on ?the battlefield, for example). Skills are classified as support and buff effects, including card draw. You can also use the environment on occasion, at the cost of heroism. Playing a quick card lets you refund a card action on a KO (meaning, it's perfect to save to clear out fodder).

Lesser minions can be killed instantly (they don't have a health bar), and elites need proper damage to kill. Some effects have bonuses like knockbacks, which you can aim. It's a smart system that keeps things quick, while maintaining the theme of stepping into the role of powerful larger-than-life heroes. Some missions have constant reinforcements coming in, which ensures that Midnight Suns isn't a cakewalk on higher difficulties.

Nothing is strictly grid-based. Battlegrounds are more like a loose arena with guidelines, littered with objects like dumpsters and power transformers stuffed in that you can slam enemies with (or into). There's light movement considerations, which can matter for positioning, range, and some moves that knock enemies in??to each other.

Once you pick it up, it's easy to get in the groove, especially on PC with quick clicks. I was impressed at how the game carried itself as soon as I shot my first repulsor blast. The effects are awesome looking in the literal sense, at least on PC: I can see why the team opted to forgo previous generation console releases for the time being. The combat banter is fun to listen to as well, especially with characters who don't like each other: it's all playing off that small-time dialogue strength that so many modern RPGs are good at, like most of the Dragon Age series.

The more you play and the more cards you get, the more interesting the mechanics kind of layer on top of one another. Do you KO weaker e??nemies and clear the board or soften up elites? I started to spot environmental objects with a keener eye, attempting to weave together combos that could take out bigger enemies? in one turn, rather than one and a half. It's fun, it's fast, and it's all in the moment.

Where Midnight Suns faltered a bit for me was with what I'd call "fluff" missions. Things can get samey, especially when fighting repeat enemy types like Hyd??ra Soldiers with standard tactics. The action is great, even after seeing the same animations and dialogue cues over and over, but the enemy layouts and arena-based formula don't always hold up, and are conducive to taking breaks between sessions (or spending more time in the abbey). Some story missions have required heroes (the Hunter included), but others let you mix in your favorites, so you can change things up that way.

Crazily, there are eight difficulty levels: easy, normal, three versions of heroic (billed as an "increased challenge") and three levels of an ultimate tier ("a serious challenge"). Most of the nuances include bonus hero XP and mission bonuses at the cost of higher enemy health. Every single one of these barr??ing easy and normal are locked at the start, asking players to "complete missions and col?lect star ratings" to earn them.

If?? you're wondering about any 2K-related meddling, there's a "NightStalker Blade" newsletter skin, and a marketplace for special skins [suits] was open, but we were provided with all of them. A few look like palette swaps, and several are extremely transformative, like Fallen Hulk for Hulk. So far, this seems to be the main premium content push (knock on wood).

In several respects, Midnight Suns reflects the tendencies of the more streamlined, popcorny, and entertaining MCU films. It isn't wh?at I expected, in a good way. It's incredibly easy to recommend to any Marvel fan, and is simple enough to pick up and play for strategy newcomers. Although the highs aren't as high as some of Firaxis' past work, those of you who latch onto the relationship building, social network, and silly moments will find a lot of joy here: I absolutely wouldn't be surprised to see Hunter cosplay at future conventions.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Comic book carnage from Firaxis

Publisher 2K Games and developer Firaxis have released a gameplay overview trailer for its upcoming release, Marvel's Midnight Suns. The comic-book s?trategy adventure will launch next week on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series, with PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch ports to follow at a la??ter date.

In the video, we see the turn-based strategy that Firaxis has finally honed in games such as the acclaimed XCOM series applied to familiar characters from Marvel's huge universe of superheroes, (and villains). Under the guidance of custom protagonist "The Hunter", players will utilize the skills of names such as Dr. Stange, Wolverine, Iron Man, Blade, Captain Marvel, Spider-Man, and The Scarlet Witch to?? lead an attack on the dark armies of Lillith, Mother of Demons.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7Icc7o0ex4&t

Much like its XCOM brethren, Midnight Suns will offer up a story-based campaign, in which they will lead a growing team of heroes into the battlefield, utilizing the offensive and defensive capabilities of the crew to ensure a glowing victory in battle. New h?eroes and abilities will be forged and unlocked as the story progresses, with powerful, scene-clearing Hero Moves being offered to characters who are on a particular roll in the? ongoing war against evil.

There?'s no den??ying that the XCOM titles handle strategic action very well, and this marriage of Firaxis' pedigree with the Marvel universe's cast of exciting characters could result in a fine hour-eater for those long, cold winter evenings. Having already faced a one-year delay, comic book fans need only wait one more week before they get the opportunity to take their favorite characters into battle.

Not my favorites, of course?. As I don't see Jessica Drew or Nebula anywhere...

Marvel's Midnight Suns launches on PS5,? PC, and Xbox Series X December 2.

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And... PARTY ON, DUDES!

Following on from this weekend's leak, developer Firaxis has officially announced the Civilization VI Leader Pass, which will se??e the coming months roll out?? a who's who of famed leaders, dictators, and visionaries to the grand strategy sequel.

The first DLC?? drop, "The Great Negotiators" will launch on November 21 and will bring with it diplomatic masters Abraham Lincoln (United States) Queen Nzi??nga Mbande (Kongo), and Sultan Saladin (Arabia). Each leader brings to the table bespoke skills and abilities to help players grow and expand their presence within their home territories as well as in the global political picture.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=luWyFMwgQoc

The remaining five packs, wh?ich are yet to be dated, contain the following DLC leaders. All packs will be released by? spring 2023.

• Great Commanders Pack: Tokugawa (Japan), Nader Shah (Persia), and Suleiman the Magnificent (Ottoman Empire).
• Rulers of China Pack: Yongle, Qin Shi Huang the Unifier, and Wu Zetian (All China).
• Rulers of the Sahara Pack: King Ramses (Egypt), Ptolemaic Cleopatra (Egypt), King Sundiata Keita (Mali).
• Great Builders Pack: Theodora (Byzantine Empire), Sejong (Korea), and Ludwig II (Germany).
• Ruler of England Pack: Elizabeth I (England), Varangian Harald Hardrada (Norway), and Victoria: Age of Steam (England).

Note th??at some of the included leaders will require their respective scenarios and expansions in order to play. (For example: Nader Shah requires the previously releases Persia ??& Macedon Scenario Pack).

The Civilization VI: Leader Pass is included as part of the Civilization VI Anthology. It will also be available to purchase separately on Steam and Epic Game Store. A price was not revealed.

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Deadpool and Venom are among them

It's a 2K game, so of course the Midnight Suns season pass is a thing. Announced this week via the below ??trailer (presented by Deadpool), it'll bring more characters into the f??ray.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=blw2Q0YZI_E

Here's what we have so far for the Midnight Suns season pass:

• DLC Content Pack 1 - Deadpool - A foulmouthed mercenary with a heart of gold, Deadpool has a penchant for grisly violence and lighthearted, fourth-wall breaking wisecracks.
• DLC Content Pack 2 - Venom - Spider-Man’s nemesis and one of the main game’s bosses, Venom turns playable hero in DLC #2, armed with all of the same symbiote attacks that once threatened the lives of the Midnight Suns.
• DLC Content Pack 3 - Morbius - One of the original comic book Midnight Sons, Morbius is an accomplished biochemist who, in an attempt to cure his own rare blood disease, turned himself into a living vampire.
• DLC Content Pack 4 - Storm - A powerful member of the X-Men, Storm has the ability to generate and manipulate wind, lightning, rain, and other types of weather to her will.

Yes, Deadpool makes a "Morbin' Time" joke in the video.

According to 2K, the pass will also be sprinkled with additional content beyond the characters; like more levels and items. Midnight Suns is still slated for a December 2 release on PC, PS4, PS5, and?? Series X/S. The Switch version and prior generations are allegedly coming later, though there's ??no date in sight, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were canceled.

As one of the last big games of 2022 , I think I speak for strategy and Marvel enthusiasts alike wh?en I say tha??t I hope this one is worth it. With Firaxis at the helm it's really hard to go wrong, but putting big characters like this behind a season pass doesn't inspire confidence.

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See what's new in the world of Disney and Marvel games

The D23 Expo is coming up, and with it a bunch of Disney and Marvel reve??als. Alongside the movies and series, the games of Disney and Marvel are getting spotlighted in a showcase on September 9.

The Disney & Marvel Games Showcase will air on Sept. 9 at 1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ET.?? Hosted by Kinda Funny's Blessing Adeoye Jr., it will feature updates on several projects currently in the works.

Those showing off new content include Disney & Pixar Games, Marvel Games, Lucasfilm Games, and 20th Century Games. New reveals from farming life-sim Disney Dreamlight Valley, tactical hero game Marvel's Midnight Suns, and Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga are all in store.

We'll also get a sneak peek at the upcoming Marvel game from Skydance New Media. That's the studio that Uncharted's Amy Hennig is leading up, which is working on both a Marvel and Star Wars project.

"The Marvel Universe epitomizes all the action, mystery and thrills of the pulp adventure genre that I adore and lends itself perfectly to an interactive experience," said Hennig when the Marvel project was announced last year. "It’s an honor to be able to tell an original story with all the humanity, complexity, and humor that makes Marvel characters so enduring and to enable o??ur players to embody these heroes that they love."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsgOSQbgO1Q

Games showcases, assemble

Both?? Disney and Marvel have had a strong video game presence over the years. And now, it's joining ??in on the summer of gaming showcases.

It's not the only company with a showcase in September, either. Ubisoft is planning to host an Ubisoft Forward the day after this Disney and Marvel showcase, on September 10. An open-world Star Wars game is in development at Ubisoft, headed by Massive Entertainment. Whether we see th??at or not, it looks like there's a good chunk of gaming news happening in Se??????????????????????????ptember.

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The game is aiming for this fiscal year, with Switch, PS4, and Xbox One versions coming later

With a second delay in effect, Marvel's Midnight Suns won't be showing up in October 2022 as previously planned, and even then, it'll h??ave a scaled-back launch when it does arrive.

As it stands, 2K expects the tactical superhero game to land before the end of March 2023 �but that only goes for the PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S versions. The other console versions, which are still on the way, don't have a release window yet. So if you've been keeping tabs on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, or Xbox One editions of Midnight Suns, they're even further out. I hope they aren't ultimately canceled as we get cl??oser.

The development team spoke about the game's delay on Twitter.

"After discussion with the team, we've made the decision to move back the launch timing of Marvel's Midnight Suns to ens?ure we are delivering the best possible experience for our fans," said Firaxis Games. "We will launch later this fiscal year on Windows PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5, with the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch versions following at a later date."

"We know fans are looking forward to playing Marvel's Midnight Suns and we will use this extra time to make sure we are delivering the best possible experience for everyone. Marvel's Midnight Suns is easily the biggest game we've ever made and we're incredibly appreciative of all the support players have shared with us throu??ghout the years."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdybYCJtzTE

If it's been a minute, I'd suggest flipping through the game's YouTube channel �the hero-ce??ntric breakdowns? have piled up in a meaningful way. Here's the latest, Captain Marvel.

October is shaping up to be a busy month for gaming after a relatively quiet summer. And with numerous 2022 games slipping to (or otherwise arriving in) 2023, next year is looking pretty packed from where I'm sitting. I wouldn't have expected Marvel's Midnight Suns to take a step back so close to launch, but if a delay is neces????sary, that's how it has to be.

As fatigued as I am with Marvel in general, and as much as cards can be a turnoff (well-justified or not), Firaxis makes compell??ing games. And, come on �Blad?e is in it!

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The heroes get back in action

After some time away, an unlikely band of heroes is returning. Marvel's Midnight Suns will return for tomorrow's Summer Game Fes?t str??eam.

The news was shared on social media today, confirming a new look at Midnight Suns will be in the Summer Game Fest Live show. SGF kicks off on June 9 at? 11 am. PT / 2 p.m. ET.

//twitter.com/midnightsuns/status/153456?6300889952256

The social account for Midnight Suns is also doing a skin code giveaway for the game. Liking or retweeting this post will net you a code for a new hero being reveal?ed during tomorrow's event. I can verify it works, though it didn't give me any hints as to who it's for in the message.

Marvel's Midnight Suns was revealed last year as the heavily rumored tactical Marvel game. It's being developed by Firaxis, the makers of fine strategy titles like XCOM. It did get delayed out of the early stages of this year and into late 2022, though.

The story follows the Hunter, a customizable player avatar who has a grudge to settle with Lilith. The story takes a focus on the demonic and supernatural side of Marvel, with demons and corruption at the center. Fitting, then, that current confirmed crewmates includ?e Blade and Ghost Rider alongside the likes of I?ron Man, Captain Marvel, and Wolverine.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ripgh8W2PMg

The summer of games

There have been a pretty hefty number of games already confirmed for the Summer Game Fest festivities. The next Call of Duty will show off its campaign during the show, and the JRPG take on a classic manga One Piece Odyssey will be there too.

HoYoverse, also known as Genshin Impact creators miHoYo, are showing off two games in the show. Both the strategy RPG Honkai: Star Rail and action-RPG Zenless Zone Zero are due to make an appearance.

Showrunner Geoff Keighley recently said that Summer Game Fest will be "primarily focused" on games that have already been announced, so set expectations around that. But Marvel's Midnight Suns i??s one I've? been eager to see again. The fall release schedule could use a few more firm dates.

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Now Assembling

Brand new listings on several video game rating websites suggest that Firaxis' delayed Marvel's Midnight Suns is edging closer to release. The comic-book-based strategy adventure was expected to launch in the spring of this year but was pushed back to "later in 2022" to allow the developer to make? a more ??polished product.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI-VapFaOPQ

Originally announced during the summer of 2021, Marvel's Midnight Suns is a grim 'n' edgy-looking strategy title that aims to blend the fine RTS development of Firaxis, (as realized in titles such as XCOM and XCOM 2) with the expansive and exciting Marvel universe. Heroes and anti-heroes from the Marvel universe will team up to form "The Midni?ght Suns," the galaxy's last hope for salvation against the Sumerian Mother of Demons: Lillith. The team will be led by a fully customizable player character known as The Hunter.

Both the Australian Classification Ratings Board and The Game Rating and Administration Committee of Korea (as noted on Reddit) have updated their listings for the new game, so it would seem that Firaxis and publisher 2K Games are in the latter-day stages of development. It should be noted that the ratings do not necessarily mean that Midnight Suns is good to go. Realistically, we're probably looking at a late-summer/early??-fall release. Also of note, the game has received ratings equivalent to "Mature."

Marvel's Midnight Suns will launch in 2?022 on PlayStation,?? PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms.

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Available to download from April 14

Epic Games has revealed the next free titles headed to the libraries of Epic Games Store users. From April 14 through April 21, customers can bag themselves Firaxis' intense strategy sequel XCOM 2 and Daedalic Entertainment's nosebleeding mountain climber Insurmountable free of charge.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIRDb_O6qXA

Released on PC and consoles back in 2016, XCOM 2 is the sequel to the acclaimed 2012 reboot XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Set within a timeline where the enemy won an intergalactic invasion, XCOM 2 sees humanity ens??laved by the reptil?ian overlords, with the last bastion of resistance driven underground.

Like its predecessor, XCOM 2 tasks players with sending out squads of highly skilled a?gents to complete hazardous tasks, aiming to pull down the alien regime. The sequel's intense, turn-based action relies upon strategy and forward-thinking to win the day, lest your team find itself looking at the stars sans appendages. It's an excellent title and a must-play for action/strategy fans.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW6ld-qD8Ag

Climbing onto PC in the spring of last year, Insurmountable is one of the newest releases from Berlin-based indie outfit ByteRockers' Games. As one of three brave, (foolhardy?), adventurers, players must pick their way over gargantua?n hills, cliffs, and mountaintops, procedurally generated to provide new hazards, choices, and challen??ges.

In addition to the physical traversal element, players must also make tough choices regarding pathways, rations, weather, and unforeseen circumstances, living with the consequences of their decisions as they pick their way toward the mile-high summit. Will you be plant??ing the flag? Or just planting your face?

XCOM 2 and Insurmountable will be available to download for free from April 14�/span>21. Next week's Epic Games Store freebies will be horror adventure Amnesia: Rebirth and co-op dungeon crawler Riverbond.

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This was not called execution. It was called retirement.

Developer Firaxis has announced that it is preparing to "retire" all multiplayer modes for its great sci-fi strategy sequel XCOM 2. As of March 28, the Steam edition of the challenging, turn-based title will no longer support online multiplayer nor the War of the Chosen expansion pack's "Challenge Mode."

"The decision to retire these services isn't something done lightly," said Firaxis in a succinct statement delivered on Twitter. "[But] it does allow us to?? refocus our resources. We appreciate your support and thank you for your underst??anding."

While the March update will not remove any player's ability to enjoy XCOM 2's excellent campaign mode, the news is most assuredly a bummer for XCOM fans in particular and strategy fans in general. For many decades, strategy games have long outlived their lifespans via online multiplayer. According to Firaxis, multiplayer modes will continue to operate on both the Mac and console versions of XCOM 2, at least for the time being.

Titles in strategy franchises such as Command & Conquer and Total War have provided their communities with years, even decades, of multiplayer warfare long after a point of relevancy, either via official means or through community-run online servers. Still, the decision has indeed been made, so interested parties better get those last few bouts of interstellar fisticuffs in quick-smart �or perhaps even invest in a copy of XCOM 2 for PS4/Xbox One.

//twitter.com/XCOM/status/1??4?97368372970864640?s=20&t=zEvK_UKusmjqJ8vRe2oy1g

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Waiting a little longer for your turn

The card-based tactical take on Marvel will be taking a little longer. Today, 2K and Firaxis announced that Marvel's Midnight Suns is having its launch window pushed ??back into the second half of 2022.

In a development update posted to social media, creative direc??tor Jake Solomon and senior franchise producer Garth DeAngelis thanked fans for sharing their excitement. They als??o explained why they made the "very tough decision" to push the game back.

"We know many fans were looking forward to playing the game originally next spring, and this decision did not come lightly," the statement reads. "We decided to push our launch because we need more time to make this the best game possible. We believe in our creative vision for Marvel's Midnight Suns and want to do justice in delivering an unforgetta??ble adventure set in the supe??rnatural side of the world. These extra months will be used to add more story, cinematics and overall polish and will be essential in helping us make our vision a reality."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRieHP1b7Gs

Marvel's Midnight Suns is the latest from XCOM developer Firaxis, handing the tactics developer the reins to the Marvel universe. It's set to feature a host of Marvel heroes, from Wolverine and Iron Man to Blade and Ghos??t Rider, alongside a? customizable created character dubbed The Hunter. You'll lead the assembly of heroes against Lilith and a horde of demonic meanies.

While the setup sounded pretty cool, a recently gameplay showcase also showed off some other sides of Midnight Suns. Its card-based combat looks like an interesting evolution on the standard tactical strategy Firaxis has been known for, and there's also the ability to spend downtime with the heroes, getting to know them on a personal level and growing your ?bond.

Hopefully the extra time helps Firaxis deliver the superhero experience it is aiming to create. For now, we'll just have to wait for sometime in the second half of 2022 for Marvel's Midnight Suns.

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Sounds like romance is a no-go, though

Following the recent revea?l of Fir??axis' take on the Marvel universe, today we got some more footage of Marvel's Midnight Suns. Along??side a trailer and a gameplay breakdown, we learned a few more details about the game; incl??uding that no, it sounds like there won't be super-love in the air at the Abbey.

IGN showcased a first look at gameplay of Midnight Suns, a tactical RPG from the makers of XCOM and Civilization today. Rather than simply being XCOM with a layer of Marvel over the top, it looks like Firaxis is diving into some interesting ideas: nam??ely, cards.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CiOR0Z5AoU

The gameplay seems to center around cards that you can pick up and add to your combat deck, with heroes gaining power and new abilities over time. The player takes the role of the Hunter, an ancient demon slayer and child of Midnight Suns antagonist Lilith, lead??ing teams of three heroes on missions against the demon horde.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRieHP1b7Gs

Being a leader also me??ans getting to know your team, and as Firaxis showed off, you can chat with the various members of your crew back at the Abbey, the headquarters o?f the Midnight Suns. These dialogues even have choices, which can affect how your relationships with the various heroes evolve, unlocking new abilities in the process.

Although the Abbey is filled with eligible supers, it doesn't sound like anything will evolve past friendship. IGN interviewed Firaxis creative director Jake Solomon during today's livestream, and when asked whether these relationships could become something more, Solomon said he gets w??hy people are asking, but no.

"I think that, you know, in your mind you can be whate?ver you want to be," said Solomon. "But we are saying that you are just very, very, very close friends."

Bad news for anyone trying to get some alone time with Wolverine, Dr. Strange, Ghost Rider, or any of the other superheroes. But hey, maybe some of these mechanics can show up in a future Firaxis game. I'd definitely be down for an XCOM where love can bloom on the battlefield.

Marvel's Midnight Suns is set to launch sometime in March 20??22 for PC, PlayStation, X?box, and Nintendo Switch.

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XCOM with a twist

XCOM: Chimera Squad is the perfect name for ?this new franchise entry.

Like the mythological beast, Chimera Squad walks confidently but completely owns its Frankensteined heritage. Chimera Squad isn't for everyone, maybe not even a certain subsect of XCOM fans, but it has enough charm to win people over regardless of their history with XCOM, or strategy games in general.

XCOM: Chimera Squad (PC)
Developer: Firaxis Games
Publisher: 2K
Released: April 24, 2020
MSRP: $19.99 ($9.99 sale until May 1)

Despite the out-of-nowhere release and the budget price, this is not a knockoff, but a legit new entry by developer Firaxis Games. The core DNA of XCOM (at least, the newly revived incarnation of it) is still very much present, and all of your fixins like Ironman mode (single save), hardcore (a single failure deletes your save) and four difficulty settings are in. You'll want to jack a few of those up if you've played an XCOM game before.

That said, Chimera Squad's uniqueness is evident mere moments after booting up a campaign. The story is told through quasi-static animated cutscenes, and the stakes are decidedly much lower than the globe-trotting planet-saving tales of yore. Instead, you're tasked with wrangling a small-time police force of sorts — the titular Chimera Squad — who diffuse Cops-esque situations in a post-XCOM: Enemy Within future where aliens are living with humans.

This shift has the potential to deliver a more intimate tale, and it mostly succeeds. I say "mostly," because in some regards the presentation (especially the voice acting) doesn't quite rise to the occasion. Plus, the actual audio quality feels muddled at points and some of the performances don't fit the characters. Chimera Squad also clashes with itself tonally, featuring fairly bloody action sequences with viscera flowing after shotgun blasts before launching into a cute "oh you!" conversation between its pally?? squadmat??es. The cacophony takes some getting used to!

The same principle applies to the narrative. It all has a very Overwatch air to it, with the death of an alien mayor (who was supposed to serve as a beacon of race relations) serving as the catalyst for uncertainty in a powder keg civ?ilization. The story is often background noise around the squadmate banter and combat, but it's at least a coherent framework.

Twists lack gravitas when it's just quick text box chatter, but it puts the focus on pointed prepwork and the action at hand without getting in the way; it all makes for a?? more digestible game. The gist is that you need to corral three main vigilante factions one by one while maintaining order in the city, in any order you choose. A full run through all three storylines and the finale took me roughly 22 hours.

Chimera Squad also makes an effort to differentiate itself mechanically. The "breach" phase is a?? new strategic layer of combat that allows players to plan a mission before-the-fact by setting up their units where they see fit. For instance, you can send certain units (like a defensive-minded shield-toting riot unit) through a well-guarded door that buffs enemy damage during the breach, or safely assign light recon party members to another side door.

It's not the first strategy game to think of this base concept (Final Fantasy Tactics anyone?) but it brilliantly fits the lower-key "squad" theme and adds some depth to how you approach each stage, even if it's easy to optimize your choices. Plus, it sets up the idea of clearing individual and more intimate rooms (like smaller offices) instead of always fighting in giant sprawling cities or warehouses like the previous XCOM games. The act of breaching also triggers slow-mo scenes not unlike Call of Duty, allowing players to choose who to shoot in the moment of the breach before moving on to the proper strategy action: with the option to buy items or skills to enhance the act's efficacy or even create new entry points. Some hardcore strategy enthusiasts may wag their finger at it, and I don't necessarily want to see it in every XCOM game, but like it here.

Standard strategic combat, mind, is very in line with past Firaxis entries. You get action points to move, shoot or trigger an ability. You can dash to take up your whole turn if you need to move further. Or, units can use the classic "overwatch" power that lights up moving enemies in a subsequent turn if you can't get a good shot. It all still works, even if Chimera Squad can waltz into the realm of tedium with excessive reinforcements from tim?e to time. I haven't gotten to the wild part yet thou??gh. Are you ready folks? Aliens.

Yep, Chimera Squad has an enhanced focus on adding more aliens into the mix, and the end result is more wacky antics. Some members are able to emotionally manipulate enemies to force them to?? attack their all?ies or mentally incapacitate them, which also has the added benefit of adding them to the neural network (which buffs said aliens). Others are actual snakes that can slither around and constrict enemies to prevent them from acting. It's very fluffy and fun to play, and as an added bonus, every new squad member feels impactful.

You'll recruit anything from humans, to humanoid aliens, to snake-people for your squad, all with pre-built names (like Terminal and Torque), roles, stats and abilities. In some cases I never even looke??d at any numbers, I just clicked "yes" to having a snake person jo?in my team. It's a finite crew pool, but large enough to warrant variation (you periodically get to choose one of three recruits from a rotating list), especially within the same playthrough.

Things can get really intense??, too, even without all of the aforementioned hardcore toggles on. An "anarchy system" forces you to pick and choose what districts get out of control, which influences mission difficulty in specific areas. Of course it can be gamed later on as your squad rises in power, but the illusion of it creates some tension.

I'm mostly on board with what Chimera Squad is selling, but it could have used a bit more polish. I experienced two hard crashes when playing the game on PC, which wasn't the end of the world as Chimera Squad allows you to instantly revert back to the last round of combat (I lost around 30 seconds each time). There's also some light UI typos littere?d about and funky bugs like out of control camera angles. The UI is also very often unclear as to what you're actually selecting, especially when using a controller. It's nothing critically gamebreaking (even the crashes to a degree), just annoying.

While not all of the wild departures fire on all cylinders, XCOM: Chimera Squad's open-ended difficulty settings allow everyone to bend the strong combat groundwork to their will. Chimera Squad embraces the strange, an??d is predominately better for it.

_{[This review is base??d on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Sean Bean is back

Civilization VI tore onto the scene in 2016, and gave us the first mainline Civ in six years. We need way more simulation games in our lives right now, so I? was more than happy to receive it, despite some issues and downgrades compared to?? past entries.

I had the chance to check the game out on P??S4, and it seems like up to the task, similar to have the Switch port was in 2018??.

I've been jumping in and out of Civ VI on PC for a while now, but I think I'll be playing on consoles for the foreseeable future: at least when it comes to solo play (my old Civ mates wouldn't be caught dead playing on anything but PC, but I'm kind of ready for a new experience. Brilliantly, there's a tutorial for brand new Civ players, brand new Civ VI players and those "new to the platform."

If you've never played a Civ game before, you're basically taking control of any number of different civilizations in a turn-based setting under the guise of explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate (otherwise known as the "4X genre") with the endgame of achieving a Civ?? VI-specific win condition (commonly referred to as "win cons"). In Civ VI, you can declare v??ictory through religion, science, domination (military), culture (tourism) or a pre-determined amount of points/stopping point.

People love Civ because it can essentially morph into any number of different tabletop games, spanning Eurogames and worker management. If you want to play it as a pacifist (which has varying degrees of efficacy depending on the game), you can do that. Or aggressively, or isolationist, and so on. On consoles, hitting L1 (LB) or R1 (RB) will swap between menus with ease, and moving about the hexagonal map with the analog stick is a cinch. Given that Civ is a methodical strategic series at he?art i?t makes a whole lot more sense even without a keyboard and mouse.

Even just for pure historical value Civ VI is worth playing. There's an innocent joy ??to accomplishing a new in-game goal and unlocking a real-life factoid for the founding of Kraków, or hear Sean Bean's dulcet tones teach you about Teddy Roosevelt. It's just a relaxing game on any platform: something you can pick up and put a few turns into on? an easier difficulty setting, or really challenge your brain on a higher one.

The console editions are also launching with optional expansion bundles (Rise and Fall/Gathering Storm) which offer 18 new leaders and 16 civilizations in total, as well as new literal win and failure conditions for the former, and a host of natural disasters for the latter. Alone Rise and Fall is a bit middling, but when combined with Gathering Storm it augments Civ VI nicely. There's a reason why Firaxis Games is low key one of 2K's best studios, as they're still churning out hits like XCOM 2 and Sid Meier games in recent years.

Civilization VI is out on PS4 and Xbox One on November 22, 2019, priced at $60 for the base game and $50 for the expansion bundle. Note that the "platinum edition," which includes all lesser scenarios and both expansions, is $120 on Steam. Gathering Storm is $40 and Rise and Fall are still separately $30 on Steam, but the base game is pretty ??packed enough.

_{[This assessment is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Last society standing

I think battle royale may finally be diverse enough to call its own genre. In a surprise bit of news, 2K Games and Firaxis have announced that their popular strategy game Civilization VI will be getting a free battle royale update. Titled Red Death, the mode is honestly more like last man standing than PUBG, but it still features an ever diminishing play area with ?opponents racing to be the first person to a space ship.

You and 11 other opponents will be fighting with the last survivor's members of your civilization to escape from a decaying planet. Thanks to nuclear warfare, Earth is no longer inhabitable and a red cloud of death (hence the name) is slowly closing in. While you can attempt to avoid conflict and sneak your way to the spaceship, onl??y one civilization will be allowed off-planet. It's kill or be killed, quite literally as the player with at least one remaining unit at the end will be declared the winner.

Accommodating sizes of between 2-12 players, you can sample Red Death online or against AI opponents. It is currently available in Civilization VI on PC (sorry, Switch owners) for free in the September 2019 update. You do not need either expansion to try it out. A full breakdown of the mode is over on the official Civilization website.

Civilization VI – September 2019 Update Available Now [Civilization]

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Downgrade

While Civilization VI mixed-up quite a bit about the mechanics of the series, one of the more contentious changes among fans dealt with the visuals. Some people were turned off by the cartoonish look of the game and longed to have something similar to its immediate predecessor, Civilization V. While I had no problem with the art style, even I have to admit that the more realistic tone of V almost fits Civilization better.

Thankfully, we can now have the best of both worlds. A new mod, called "Environment Skin: Sid Meier's Civilization V," swaps all of the environment textures to a style reminiscent of Civilization V. Created by Brian Busatti, art director for the series, the mod came about as a challenge from his fellow d?evs. "I was challenged by the team to create an expansive mod using Mod Buddy," reads the description on the Steam workshop, "and this was the end result. It's an example of how much you can change the visuals and I hope it provides inspiration to try your own modifications."

The mod works with all versions of Civilization VI, regardless if you have one expansion, both, or none. It should also seamlessly work with any save games you have, being a texture swap instead of a gameplay tweak. You'll just need to add it to your Steam queue and enable it in-game from the mod menu. I may give this a go since I have been dying for a Civ fix lately.

Environment Skin: Sid Meier's Civilization V [Steam Workshop]

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Is this a monkeypaw wish?

As if we needed an excuse to sacrifice even more of our free time to Civilization VI, the time-sink strategy game now has cross-platform saves on Steam and Nintendo Switch. You can start playing hunched up real close to the warm ?glow of your monitor and continue building your empire on the go.

Civilization VI now supports cross-platform cloud saves on Steam and #NintendoSwitch. Link your @2K Account, tick the multi-platform cloud save box?? in options, and you're good to go!

Get your 2K Account: //t.co/HX0bxwgmnt pic.twitter.com/LxYdxG7hbp

— Civilization VI: Gathering Storm (@CivGame) April 2, 2019

As the tweet says, all you need to do is get your 2K Account situated over here, link said account to Civilization VI, and then check the box for cross-system cloud saves. Unfortunately, only the base game is supported, though there's hope that the Switch will get Gathering Storm before long.

This is a really user-friendly feature and I'm all about it, especially for a game as long as Civ.

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Coming next February

In a live stream just minutes ago, Firaxis has announced that a new expansion will be coming to Civilization VI next year. Titled Gathering Storm, the biggest addition to the game will be the inclusion of natural disast??ers. Firaxis is also talking about tweaks done to obtaining energy sources in the game?? along with the inclusion of different energy types.

The "World Congress" system from Civilization V will also be making a return. They will appear every 30 turns (at normal game speed) and give you a chance to vote on critic?al issues in your game. Those choices will then influence things about the ecosystem of your map and could have devastating effects for everyone playing. It will also play into the new "Diplomatic Victory" condition.

Civilization VI: Gathering Storm wi?ll launch for PC on February 14, 2019. No price has been mentioned y??et.

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It'll be $60 once the launch discount wears off

The iPad port of Civilization VI turned out well enough t?hat we're also getting a miniaturized iPhone version of the enduring strategy game. If you want to give it a test run, the first 60 turns are free.

Aspyr Media is currently charging $23.99 for Civilization VI on iPhone, which sounds pricey until you learn that the normal off-of-sale price will be a full $59.99. Granted, it's Civ -- people wi?ll pay. The sale runs until October 16 and the game is compatible with iPhone 7 and newer models running iOS 11.

Civilization VI will also find its way onto Nintendo Switch in mid-November.

Sid Meier's Civilization VI [App Store]

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Even Simon Cowell loved it!

I can't say I keep up with reality competition shows. I've never been into "American Idol" or any of its various knock-offs, but sometimes contestants will come on and belt out something worth paying attention to. When that something happens to be the theme to Civilization IV, "Baba Yetu," you'll have my attention without question. In a recent episode of "America'?s Got Talent," the Angel City Chorale from Los Angeles performed Christopher Tin's Grammy-winning song and the performance is just awesome.

You know you have a gre??at performance when Simon Cowell can't even ?come up with any negatives. Really, just watch the video below and see how great this is.

Every time I hear this theme, I have to just stop and listen in awe. I still remember booting up the game for the first time in 2005 and being greeted with this powerful, sweeping and utterly majestic song that introduces you into the cradle of civilization. Finding out years later that is was simply the "Our Father" in Swahili gave me a new perspective on how people can find religion so quintessential in their lives. Such is ??the power of music.

Angel City Ch??orale: Amazing Choir Earns Gold??en Buzzer From Olivia Munn - America’s Got Talent 2018 [America's Got Talent via YouTube]

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And some other stuff

The PlayStation Plus lineup for June 2018 has been revealed and it actually has some pretty solid stuff for PS4. On the current-gen front, you'll be getting XCOM 2 and Trials Fusion. PS3, on the other hand, gets only a single title and it isn't even good. Ghost Recon: Future Soldier is certainly better than Wildlands, but it is a very restrictive and scripted "stealth" game with overblown action and asinine set-pieces that throw reali??sm str?aight out the window. It hardly deserves the "Tom Clancy" moniker and isn't really worth much of a look in 2018.

As for Vita, you'll be getting two games that I don't really know much about. Destructoid gave Atomic Ninjas a 5.5, but I've never even heard of Squares. It seems all right, I suppose. You'll be able to nab these titles next Wednesday when the PlayStation store updates. That means you'll have until June 6 to nab this month's lineup.

• XCOM 2 (PS4)
• Trials Fusion (PS4)
• Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier (PS3)
• Squares (PS Vita)
• Atomic Ninjas (PS Vita)

PlayStation Plus Free Games Lineup for June 2018 [PlayStation Blog]

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Relieve that digital stress all over again

Firaxis Games have put out a tweet announcing that intense strategy title XCOM 2 Collection is now available on PC, Mac and Linux, with PS4 and Xbox One editions ?to follow sometime in the future.

For those less-inclined, XCOM 2 sees the Earth in dire straits after losing control of the planet in an intergalactic i??nvasion. XCOM, the division f?ormerly tasked within preventing such an occurrence, have been driven underground and now operate as a revolutionary force, striving to overthrow the occupation of Earth and its rulers, ADVENT.

The turn-based tactical title is well-known for its intense, strategic play and need for precise carefully-planned attack. It's also notorious for its uncomfortable decision making elements, both politically and on the battlefield, which often requires the sacrifice of the few for the many. XCOM 2 Collection features the base game, along with the War of the Chosen expansion and four previously-available DLC packs,?? which include new soldier classes, weaponry and cosmetic options.

XCOM 2 Collection is available now on PC, Mac and Linux formats. A PS4 and Xbox One rel?ease is scheduled, but there is no specific release date as of yet.

The XCOM 2 Collection is now available for PC, Mac, and Linux. Coming soon to #PS4 and #XboxOne.

Good luck, Commander.

➜ //t.co/l6pDWOxmeY pic.twitter.com/Y4ffpmZ6k2

— Firaxis Games (@FiraxisGames) February 1, 2018

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NO SURPRISES!

Ever since the announcement late last year, I've been eager to find out what new stuff is coming in Civilization VI: Rise and Fall. Obviously Firaxis was going to include new leaders, but what gameplay tweaks we??re coming to fix some of the issues from the core game? Was there anything the series hasn't already touched that could even be expanded on?

Turns out we won't even have to wait for launch, be??cause this new trailer basically explains everything about the game. While you won'??t get a feel for how these changes work in the minute-to-minute gameplay, you won't need to guess how the new "Heroic" and "Dark" ages work or what new policies are on offer.

The biggest thing that sticks out, for me, is the art style. While Civilization has never gone for a purely realistic look, this new expansion seems to double down on the already exaggerated expression??s that the base game had. I think it looks neat, but it also feels a little out of place. That will just have to be something that grows on me.

Since the new expansion launches on February 8, it wo??n't be long before we get our hands on this new content.

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Everyone welcome Chandgragupta

For the upcoming Rise and Fall expansion of Civilization VI, developer Firaxis is showing us a different side of India. Traditionally, Mahatma Gandh?i is the Indian leader. As this video points out, Gandhi's nation pros??pers in times of peace since, you know, Gandhi is kind of the de facto ideal of nonviolent resistance.

With Rise and Fall, there's a new sheriff in town. Chandragupta is b??eing added as India's second leader and he's not shy about spilling blood. That's why he has war elephants working on his side. Those are not?? stomps of peace.

Further evidence: Chandragupta's unique ability involves declaring territorial wars in the pursuit of expansion (after researching the military training civic). Contrary to all that aggressive stuff, Chandragupta actually gave up his throne and become a Jaina monk be?fore he fasted to de?ath. That's probably not how your Civ VI Indian empire will end, though.

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The world is yours

New frontiers ahoy for Sid Meier's Civilization VI. After spending the ?past year or so on? PC, Mac, and Linux, the renowned 4X strategy game is coming to a more mobile format (if we ignore the invention of laptops, of course.)

Today, Civ VI is available on newer iPad models. The exhaustive list of compat??ible Apple tablets is: iPad Air 2, the 2017 model of iPad, and any iPad Pro. Also, it has to run iOS 11. That's the equipment you need before you even think about the cultural nirvana you want to create.

To help ease the resource burden, 2K is launching Civ VI at a discounted rate. Through January 4, the iOS version will be $30; afterward, it jumps back to the regular $60 price. For those unsure folks, the free 60-turn demo is in effect -- although y?ou can't accomplish?? a whole heck of a lot in 60 turns. And, for anyone concerned about storage, this takes up 3.14GB of space.

It's probably also worth noting that this is only the base game without any of the expansions. So those extra civilizations like the Vikings and the Aztecs aren't included. But, it's still an important development leading up to Civ VI's Rise and Fall add-on releasing next February. Chalk ?this one up as a victory.

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Gandhi's lack of fucks are also free

Gandhi has a couple of nukes pointed in your direction. To get him to back down, you'll need to head on over to the Humble Store and grab Civilization III Complete for free. It doesn't make sense why Gandhi would relinquish control of his nukes for absolutely nothing, but he told me to pass on that message. He has had enough of people?? not paying attention to his nuclear threats.

That being said, I would definitely recommend checking out Civilization III. While I still feel that IV is a better game, III was a dramatic upgrade over past entries that really solidified the classic status that Civilization has earned over the years. It is a quintessential experience and Destructoid even ranked it as #31 on our "Top 50 Games of the Decade" around eight year?s ago. That has to mean something!

Sid Meier's Civilization® III: Complete [Humble Store]

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Say two 'Hail Mary's' and an 'Our Father'

While Civilization VI is an excellent game, its not without s??ome flaws. The most noticeable shortcoming as with the religious victory path. Not only was the combat pretty brain dead, but it was far too easy to amass a small convent of priests and have them convert other cities to your creed. The tile based nature of the game map also meant that religious units often occupied spaces that your army would travel on, thus making military action harder to accomplish.

While not everything is changing about how religion works, the system seems to be getting tweaked for the better. In the upcoming Fall update, religious victories will be getting expanded with new beliefs and units. The coolest sounding of these is the Warrior Monk, which makes me want to create Shaolin and take over the world with Ip Man. There will also be a Guru suppor??t unit that can heal your priests, which was definitely lacking before.

Firaxis is also improving the AI to be more aggressive on the oceans, a factor that was lacking on lower difficulties. Before, if you sieged an ocean based city, the AI often had no?? comeback for your units. It looks like naval ships will now play a stronger role in their strategies, which should make for more intense battles.

Wrapping it all up are some UI tweaks, specifically the Diplomacy screen. The amount of info on screen in vanilla Civ VI could be a bit staggering, so I'm all for streamlining some of the information. Hopefully this all improves th?e game, as I've had a blast playing it over the last year. I could always go f??or one more turn, even when I'm hyper busy.

Religion Gets a Reboot in the Civilization VI ‘Fall 2017 Update’ [Steam Community]

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