How Age of Wonders 4 struck a perfect balance between innovation and tradition

Age of Wonders 4, which was released on May 2, 2023, on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, has certainly lived up to fans’ expectations. The turn-based 4X game in a magical fantasy setting is sitting on a score of 83 on Metacritic as well as a ‘Very Positive’ rating on Steam at the time of writing, having received praise both from critics and the public. Our own Age of Wonders 4 review called it a “power fantasy with unlimited possibilities” and hailed the focus on player freedom, creativity, and decision making. Triumph Studios’ Lennart Sas, game director for Age of Wonders 4, tells GLHF that the team is “really happy. This has been the biggest Age of Wonders launch in history, in all its 25 years.” Published by Paradox Interactive, the masters of grand strategy, and developed by Triumph, Age of Wonders 4 manages to stick with the series’ roots and innovate at the same time, striking just the right balance between the two approaches. “The difficulty when you make a sequel is always: to what degree do you stick t