Video Games Encyclopedia

Age of Wonders: Planetfall is a 4X turn-based strategy video game developed by Triumph Studios and published by Paradox Interactive. Planetfall is the fifth Age of Wonders game and a spin-off due to the sci-fi setting. It was released for Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in August 2019 and for macOS in May 2020.

In the distant future. An unknown cataclysm brought the demise of Star Union, an intergalactic human government. Factions rise and battle for dominance as they carve a new future for humanity, and in the process, unwind the cosmic mystery behind the Union’s collapse.

The game featured six different factions at launch, with each having different units and gameplay. For instance, the Amazons are an all-female human faction who use dinosaurs as their mounts and weapons, while the Kir’ko are a group of insectoid species which use melee as their main form of offense. The player assumes control of a commander of one of the factions: a customizable leader figure that can explore the planet, engage in diplomacy, endorse covert operations and spying activities, and declare war. The world’s map, which is procedurally generated, is broken down into different sectors. Each sector has two different biomes, which can be exploited for production, food, research, and energy. These exploitations can be further boosted by placing landmark structures in a biome. As the players expand, they will control more cities, each of which can be managed separately. Players can scavenge resources in the map for research and invade hostile camps to seize their technology. In the map, players will encounter neutral factions, who can ally with the players’ faction and provide additional combat support. The game introduces the “Doomsday tech”, which is a skill tree that will ultimately unlock a weapon of mass destruction. The player can also build navy fleets and airforce to further strengthen their faction’s military power.

The turn-based ground combat uses a top-down perspective. The player controls different military units and troops by guiding their position in the warzone and instructing them to take cover, open fire, and use tactics such as overwatch. In a turn, each unit can perform three actions. Players can “stagger” an enemy, which disrupts their special attacks and causes them to lose one action point. A new mechanic named grazing was introduced, in which missed shots will land half damage. Military units can be upgraded with different mods and equipment in order to increase their combat efficiency.