Age of Wonders: Planetfall - Invasions is a strategy expansion for the turn-based 4X title Age of Wonders: Planetfall on PC. It introduces new factions, environmental hazards, and large-scale multiplayer scenarios set in the aftermath of the Star Union collapse, where players manage commanders, units, and territories across planetary maps.
Gameplay
Players control commanders leading armies through exploration, resource management, and tactical combat on procedurally influenced maps. The core loop revolves around expanding influence, researching technologies, and engaging in battles that blend ranged, melee, and special abilities. The Shakarn faction stands out with units from the Zardas caste that employ holographic disguises to mimic enemy forces and sow confusion. Brutal Domok units provide direct overwhelming force in close quarters. These mechanics encourage deception and disruption alongside conventional military advances. Environmental catastrophes add layers of unpredictability, with events such as pirate uprisings, superstorms, and solar flares forcing adaptive decisions mid-campaign or match.
Therians appear as an NPC faction of warriors who have fused animal DNA into their own biology. Ruled by the enigmatic Deer, they operate as a rogue militia capable of colonizing new worlds. Encounters with them test diplomatic or combative strategies, as they function effectively whether allied or opposed. Voidbringer Invasions introduce a late-game threat where trans-dimensional forces deploy enthralled legions via beacons. Players must locate and destroy these structures or risk conversion and loss of control over their empire.
Game Modes
Standard single-player campaigns receive two additional maps focused on the Shakarn invasion of the Egalitarian League of Planets. These scenarios place players in command of lizardmen forces navigating human strongholds and unexpected alliances. Conquered Worlds operates as a team-based juggernaut mode. One participant begins with a massive empire while the remaining players form an alliance to dismantle it. Roles can shift as the dominant position changes hands, creating shifting objectives across sessions.
World Events integrate into both campaign and skirmish play, triggering over twenty distinct catastrophes that alter battlefield conditions. These require players to adjust unit compositions, movement patterns, and defensive priorities on the fly. The mode supports both solo progression and multiplayer coordination against shared threats.
Factions and Mechanics
The Shakarn represent the primary addition as a fully playable race of conniving lizardmen. Their toolkit emphasizes infiltration through disguise units and raw power from heavy hitters, allowing varied approaches to conquest. Therians expand the roster of neutral or hostile entities with their accelerated evolution traits, creating dynamic interactions during exploration and combat. Voidbringer mechanics scale difficulty in longer games by spawning escalating armies that demand coordinated responses across multiple fronts.
These systems integrate with existing planetary colonization and diplomacy frameworks. Commanders balance short-term survival against long-term empire building, with new tools for sabotage and sudden environmental shifts changing the pace of matches.
Is It Worth Playing?
The expansion delivers targeted additions that refresh the strategy experience for those who enjoy faction variety and unpredictable events. Steam user reviews rate the DLC as Mostly Positive based on available feedback. It suits players seeking deeper single-player campaigns or competitive multiplayer scenarios with alliance mechanics. Those who prefer stable, predictable sessions may find the World Events and Voidbringer threats disruptive. The content remains available as a standalone purchase for the base game, with no ongoing seasonal support confirmed after its 2020 release. It appeals most to fans of detailed turn-based empire management who value the new invasion-focused content and team overthrow mode.
