The 4X genre of PC gaming isn’t that plentiful, so it’s a good thing Paradox Interactive is stepping in with the next Age of Wonders game.

The publisher and developer Triumph Studios will release Age Of Wonders 4 for PC, Xbox Series, and PS5 on 2nd May. It combines 4X gameplay, turn-based tactical combat, and a bunch of factions that grow and change as you expand your empire. Basically, it’s like a bigger and slower Heroes of Might & Magic title, if you’re a 90s PC gamer type.

Announcement trailer & feature list below:

Create the Empire of Your Wildest Fantasies

• Craft your followers by combining bodily forms, societal traits and arcane powers. Build anything from a clan of cannibal halflings to mystic moon elves, or recreate your favourite fantasy tropes.
• Seek powerful tomes of magic to enchant your armies and evolve your people! See your people physically change as they morph into angelic beings or scions of chaos to face their enemies.
• Seek glory through brutal domination, cunning alliances, or ultimate arcane knowledge, and write your legacy into the very fabric of the realm itself!

Strategy Meets Role-Playing Like Never Before

• Every choice opens up new possibilities and tactical advantages; deep, multilayered strategy allows you to try new tactics or explore new powers at every turn.
• Tactical turn-based battles bring your armies to life, showcasing their power in an environment shaped by your decisions. From skirmishes with roaming monsters to vast sieges with dozens of units on each side, with the addition of a morale system and more features, every battle brings a fresh challenge.
• Tremendous variety in empires, units, and environments keep the game endlessly replayable. Age of Wonders is more moddable and open-ended than ever in the series’ history.

Make Your Mark on a Vast, Reactive World

• Explore a new realm with each game—or create your own! Challenge new variations and combinations of locations and features, from frozen wastelands ruled by ice queens to desolated ruins where dragons roam.
• A new event system provides unexpected levels of storytelling for 4X games. See your decisions shape the world around you, from growing cities and roaming armies to world-warping magic effects.
• Guide your empire to greatness—but the story doesn’t end with your victory or defeat! Ascend your rulers to an in-game pantheon and unlock ways to further customize your experience. Encounter your own creations as potential rivals or allies in subsequent games, and experience the next chapter in your own story!