Age of Wonders: Planetfall - Revelations expands the turn-based strategy experience of the base game with new empire-building tools and tactical combat options centered on ancient technology and faction conflicts. Players manage colonies, research technologies, and engage in turn-based battles across planetary maps while pursuing victory through domination, diplomacy, or other objectives. The expansion introduces the Heritor secret technology path, which revolves around entropy damage that targets machines and essence mechanics that allow units to drain resources from enemies for powerful abilities and summons.
Gameplay
Core gameplay revolves around exploring planetary sectors, developing infrastructure, and commanding armies in detailed tactical encounters. Revelations adds the Anomalous Sites system, where players investigate over thirty mysterious locations filled with traps and hostile forces to claim rewards and make faction-specific choices that influence outcomes. These sites integrate with existing secret technologies and provide unique narrative branches during campaigns.
The Heritor technology line emphasizes essence management. Units equipped with this tech drain essence from defeated foes to fuel abilities, craft entropy weapons, and call in specialized reinforcements. New map features such as Essence Gashes and Es'Teq Wells grant combat bonuses or temporary abilities when controlled. Pickups like the Holopad deliver diplomatic influence, while Imperial Defenses including the Soul Beacon, Cluster Mine Launcher, and Firestorm Missile Silo can be captured to strengthen colony defenses through new operations.
Additional threats appear as roaming dangers. Reapers function as robotic hunters that target any forces on the map, while Megasow and Piglets represent aggressive bio-engineered creatures that consume resources and units alike. The Forgotten serve as an NPC faction of unstable entities that were never intended for resurrection, adding unpredictable encounters during empire expansion.
Game Modes
Revelations includes two new campaigns that together deliver more than ten hours of story-driven content focused on the awakening of the Es'Teq dynasty and the ambitions of their Heritor descendants. These campaigns feature custom maps, questlines, and integration with the new Anomalous Sites and secret technology systems.
A dedicated Tomb World scenario challenges players to survive waves of Heritor aggression in a high-pressure environment. This mode also incorporates a multiplayer questline that supports additional participants in cooperative or competitive play. Skirmish and random map options from the base game remain available, allowing the new mechanics and units to appear in standalone matches.
New Factions and Mechanics
The Heritor secret technology stands as the central addition, offering a distinct playstyle built around entropy effects and essence harvesting. Players can research and deploy units that excel at weakening mechanical opponents while generating resources mid-battle. The Forgotten NPC faction introduces varied unit types that appear as environmental hazards or potential allies depending on campaign choices.
Orbital Relays provide infrastructure upgrades that enable rapid unit movement between sectors, though enemy sabotage can disrupt these networks. Free updates accompanying the expansion grant all owners access to Imperial Defenses and their associated operations, extending defensive options across colonies without requiring additional purchases.
Is It Worth Playing?
Revelations delivers targeted additions that enhance empire management and combat variety for players already familiar with the base game's systems. The new campaigns and scenario provide focused single-player experiences, while the Heritor technology and Anomalous Sites encourage experimentation with different faction combinations. Steam user reviews rate the expansion Very Positive based on feedback from dozens of players, highlighting the fresh mechanics and campaign length as strengths. Those who enjoy deep turn-based strategy with empire building and tactical depth will find the content integrates cleanly into existing play sessions. The expansion remains available as a standalone purchase for the PC version of Age of Wonders: Planetfall.
