Publisher Paradox Interactive shared on Thursday that Europa Universalis V is its next big grand strategy game, bringing the first new entry in the series in well over a decade since 2013's Europa Universalis IV.

First teased as "Project Caesar," many players rightly guessed that the project would be a new Europa Universalis game, based on the iconography and time period that the teasers seemed to reflect.

You can check out the reveal trailer for Europa Universalis V below:

Europa Universalis V's development has been led by Paradox Interactive's Tinto studio for the last five years in Barcelona, Spain, a team which itself is overseen by longtime Paradox veteran Johan Andersson.

Europa Universalis V starts off in the year 1337 just ahead of the Hundred Years' War. Players are allowed to choose from "hundreds" of different groups in starting off their campaigns, picking prosperous nations or local warlords to take through the ages across over 500 years of history.

In the press release for the game, Paradox notes that players can expect classic empire building, with "deeper" diplomacy systems and other gameplay improvements, allowing you to conquer the world through trade and words or steel and fire.

Europa Universalis V is promised to have the largest, most detailed game world in the series yet, with more nations and more accurate geography.

There's no exact release date for the game right now, which is simply stated to be "coming soon," but you go can go ahead and wishlist Europa Universalis V on Steam.

Outside of grand strategy, Paradox Interactive is also publishing the upcoming and role-playing game Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2. After repeated delays and essentially being rebooted under a new developer, Bloodlines 2 is now slated to launch in October 2025 across Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PlayStation 5.

The long-awaited Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 is getting one more delay, and will now be launching in October 2025.

That news comes via the latest game update from the developers at The Chinese Room and publisher Paradox Interactive. A more exact release date will be coming at some point in the future.

You can check out the update and snippets of gameplay footage in the video below:

"The status of the game right now is that the game is done," says Marco Behrman, executive vice president of the World of Darkness IP. "We are currently focusing on bug fixing, stability, and performance so we can deliver the best experience to you guys once it releases."

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 has had an extremely long road to completion, first being in development at Hardsuit Labs before being delayed out of 2021, with Paradox Interactive then confirming that Hardsuit Labs would no longer be leading development.

Things were quiet for years until an update confirmed that The Chinese Room was now leading the game's development, heavily revamping multiple aspects of Bloodlines 2, including the player character, while keeping the Seattle setting.

The game was then planned to launch at some point last year, before being delayed out of 2024.

In Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, players take on the role of Phyre, a vampire Elder that wakes up in Seattle after going missing. Phyre is then drawn into the schemes of the city's denizens as a fierce storm buries Seattle under a blanket of snow.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 is coming to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store) and PlayStation 5. Time will tell if it joins the ranks of the best Xbox games and the best PC games available.

What you need to know

• Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 is being delayed out of 2024, and is now expected to arrive at some point in 2025. 
• This role-playing game was first in development at Hardsuit Labs, before development restarted at The Chinese Room in 2021. 
• The game centers around an Elder vampire named Phyre waking up in Seattle during a snowstorm as a vampiric power struggle unfolds.

The long-awaited bloodsucking sequel role-players have hoped after for years needs more time before it's ready. 

Developer The Chinese Room and publisher Paradox Interactive shared the news on Tuesday that Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 was being delayed past its expected Fall 2024 release window, and will now be launching at some point in the first half of 2025. This delay is for overall quality and polishing, and the game is currently in the "late production" cycle of development, per creative director Alex Skidmore.

"Earlier this year, Paradox reaffirmed its commitments to making quality games. That's especially true for Bloodlines 2. It's an important game to Paradox Interactive, and to World of Darkness," says Mattias Lilja, deputy CEO at Paradox Interactive, in a development update video. You can watch the video below:

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 has had a long road to launch. The sequel to 2004's cult classic role-playing game was first announced back in 2019, with Seattle-based studio Hardsuit Labs leading development. In February 2021, after some key departures, Paradox Interactive announced that the game was being delayed out of 2021 and that Hardsuit Labs would no longer be working on it. 

In 2023, the title was revived with the news that The Chinese Room had taken over development. The Chinese Room kept the Seattle setting for the game, but altered many other aspects including the gameplay and especially the narrative. 

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 now sees players take on the role of a reawakened Elder vampire named Phyre. Seattle is undergoing vampiric political turmoil as well as as a massive snowstorm that is rolling in. 

Whenever it arrives, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 is slated to be available on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (including Steam and GOG), and PlayStation 5.

Analysis: Hoping for the best

This game has had an extremely tumultuous development cycle, and I've got a fair bit of skepticism at a long of things. Ultimately however, it's clear Paradox and The Chinese Room want this game to be a success, so I'm hopeful that this delay means a more polished gameplay experience and a tighter narrative that rewards player actions. 

The original Bloodlines is renowned for the freedom it granted players, and there's a good reason for the modern joke that every time you mention it, someone reinstalls it. I've been hopeful for the sequel ever since former editor Carli Velocci wrote a preview about what to expect. Even if the game has changed massively, Seattle is calling for blood. 

What you need to know

• Prison Architect, a popular prison management simulator, received its final update in 2023 eight years after it was initially released.
• Paradox Interactive and Double Eleven revealed "the next chapter" of Prison Architect, a 3D sequel. 
• Prison Architect 2 will be available on March 26 on Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 for $39.99. PC players can preorder now.

Prison Architect has solidified its place in the hearts and minds of fans of indie games and management simulators alike. The game allowed players to serve as a warden and then construct and control a prison as they saw they fit. 

Sadly, in 2023 Prison Architect received its final major update, dubbed the Sunset Update. At the end of that trailer was a bit of a teaser, showing one of the 2D sprites from the prison simulator as they warped into a 3D version of themselves. While the Sunset Update may have been the end of Prison Architect, it was only just the beginning of Prison Architect 2.

The official reveal for Prison Architect 2 is finally here, and it is bundled with additional information and even a proper reveal trailer. Paradox Interactive and Double Eleven have teamed up for Prison Architect 2, which will launch on Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 consoles on March 26, 2024. As was teased in the Sunset Update trailer, Prison Architect 2 will be a 3D successor to the original game. The changes don't stop with the jump to 3D, though. Prison Architect 2 will feature more options for player control in a deeper simulation, with players facing all new challenges from an overhauled inhabitant behavior system.

Prison Architect 2 leans into the managerial gameplay that played a role in the popularity of its predecessor, requiring players to make the most of their limited resources to manage and build a prison in 3D that is safe, self-sustaining, and secure. New build tools with allow players to create the correctional facility of their dreams (or nightmares, depending on how you feel about the prison industrial complex.) 

The choices made by the player will affect everything from daily schedules to widespread policies that will have lasting effects on a new generation of inmates, who can forge relationships and scheme their escapes based on wants and needs. The level of control the player has over the prison matters, with long-lasting impacts on the inhabitants of your correctional facility. That is if you can find a way to pay for it.

In addition to the new 3D prison environment and smarter inmates, Prison Architect 2 is expected to offer players more freedom and deeper simulation mechanics paired with the classic gameplay elements that made the first so beloved. In a statement from Gareth Wright, Game Director at Double Eleven, players can look forward to "staple and much-loved features" returning as players "manage inmates, quell riots, and prevent escapes." The ability to share your prison creations will also return, and Prison Architect 2 will feature cross-platform support for community sharing.

Unlike its predecessor, Prison Architect 2 will be released on consoles and PCs via Steam simultaneously when it launches on March 26. Players on PC, however, can preorder Prison Architect 2 starting today for $39.99 / £34.99 / €39.99. Console players will need to wait a little longer before they can get those preorders in. While Prison Architect was previously a Games with Gold title and part of the Xbox Game Pass lineup, there has not yet been any indication that Prison Architect 2 will be included as part of the subscription service. 

Have you ever watched situations unfold in Star Trek and thought "If only I had been in charge?"

Star Trek: Infinite puts that idea to the test, allowing players to revisit a large chunk of Star Trek history in a grand strategy format by guiding different civilizations through force or peace. It has solid ideas and fun empire management mechanics, as well as a lower than usual price point. 

Unfortunately, a large number of bugs bring down the overall experience, causing serious issues for when you try to complete missions or scale production lines across your controlled worlds. There's fun to be had, but Star Trek: Infinite needs a few big fixes before it could become a must-play.

Disclaimer: This review was made possible by a review code provided by Paradox Interactive. The publisher did not see the contents of this review before publishing.

What is Star Trek: Infinite?

Star Trek: Infinite is a grand strategy game developed by Nimble Giant Entertainment and published by Paradox Interactive. Players assume control of one of four powerful factions in the Star Trek universe — the Federation, Klingon Empire, Romulan Star Empire, and Cardassian Union are all available — and guide their chosen faction through history. 

You'll build fleets and starbases, colonize worlds, manage populations, and through force or diplomacy, eventually integrate weaker civilizations and smaller factions into your space-faring kingdom. Naturally, each faction has advantages and disadvantages, with the Federation encouraged to peacefully approach new cultures and act defensively. Meanwhile, the Cardassians may take a more unsubtle approach in acquiring new pre-populated worlds. All of this requires managing dozens of resources in a careful balancing act. 

Star Trek: Infinite — Gameplay and customization

No matter who you're playing as, you must balance resource consumption with the growth of your empire, surveying solar systems and colonizing worlds to keep your population from getting too cramped. 

I appreciate the game's structure here, as it simplifies a tremendous amount of information, offering multiple ways of automating your output. For example, you can designate a planet to be a Mining World and let the game AI choose the best ways to improve it over time. It's a good balance, providing minute details to tweak for veteran players like me without being too overwhelming for newcomers. 

As mentioned above, each faction in Star Trek: Infinite has some unique qualities that allow you to play in different fashions, but you've still got options no matter who you've chosen. This ties in with the Mission Tree, which can allow you to take the Star Trek timeline down different avenues, exploring things that did happen or might've happened in other circumstances. 

For example, you could eventually build the Federation in such a way that it becomes a more militarized entity, leading to offensive campaigns that bring peace to the galaxy... by force. It's a shame then that the Mission Tree is designed in an obtuse fashion. There's a large number of events that appear from time to time with absolutely no details on how you're actually supposed to proceed, leading to frustration as you have to hunt through the Mission Tree for any clue that something could be connected to a timed event that's popped up. 

Unfortunately, there's also an absolutely massive amount of bugs right now. Some of these are fairly minor issues, such as needing to reselect a ship before it could be ordered to move. Others are far more massive, such as hearing the AI advisor say one of your characters has died without telling you who it is, suddenly losing the ability to move a fleet that's somehow become stuck in a system, or even (perhaps most egregiously) being unable to finish a mission despite filling every requirement.

Star Trek: Infinite — Visuals and audio

Star Trek: Infinite doesn't feature cutting-edge visuals, but given the zoomed-out approach, it really doesn't need to. The visuals are mostly fine, with decent-looking ships, star systems, and nebulae across the vastness of space that you'll explore. Static images are used for most species and worlds, and while there's definitely a bit more repetition here than I'd like, it's never so egregious as to be immersion breaking. 

The soundtrack is a bit understated but still extensive, with a large number of tracks that fit the quiet mood you'll usually be in as you manage your empire. You can also directly select which tracks you'd like to hear on repeat, which is a nice touch.

It's also worth mentioning that the game has a very lengthy load time when you first boot it up, averaging around 50 seconds on a Samsung 850 SSD. After that loading however, subsequent loads to different save files only took a couple of seconds, so it's not an issue outside of when you first sit down to play. 

Star Trek: Infinite — Accessibility and approachability

Star Trek: Infinite doesn't have a large number of accessibility options, but players can tweak their playthrough to make things easier, adjusting the difficulty, AI advisor, and game speed to make things more hectic or relaxing.  

All of this combined with a simplified structure mean that it's fairly easy to learn and understand compared to something like Stellaris. This does come at the cost of not having as many gameplay options or mechanics to play around with, but DLC support could change that over time.

Similarities to Paradox's sister title Stellaris will abound, and rightfully so. The Star Trek IP isn't just used for set dressing here, though, and instead feels real and well-utilized. Ethical dilemmas and mysterious problems crop up from time to time and they feel like situations that would've appeared across the shows, especially The Next Generation.

Star Trek: Infinite — Should you buy?

Overall, I do like playing Star Trek: Infinite, but that comes with a healthy number of asterisk marks. There's a lot that isn't explained to the point that it's hard to tell if an issue is actually a bug or not, while a large number of unambiguous issues weaken what is otherwise a decent strategy title. 

Steadfast Trekkies will have fun, as will anyone looking for a watered-down, less-punishing entry point into grand strategy games. It's also aided by the low cost of entry, at less than half the price of most big games. Is it one of the best PC games for strategy fans? Perhaps not now, but I'm looking forward to seeing how Star Trek: Infinite evolves through future updates and mod support in the months ahead. 

What you need to know

• Cities: Skylines 2 is a follow-up to the popular city-building simulator Cities: Skylines, developed by Colossal Order and published by Paradox Interactive.
• The game was planned to be released on PC and consoles simultaneously on October 24, but Paradox Interactive has announced that the console versions of the game have been delayed until Spring 2024.
• The PC version of Cities: Skylines 2 will still release on October 24 as a day-one addition to PC Game Pass.
• The PC system requirements for the game have also been increased.

Paradox Interactive has announced that the Xbox and PlayStation versions of Cities: Skylines 2 have been delayed until Spring 2024. However, the PC release is still on track to launch on October 24 on Steam and the Microsoft Store. In a joint statement from Colossal Order and Paradox Interactive shared on the official game forums, the developers stated, "We have realized that we need more time to reach the quality targets we have set for Console."

If you plan to make the jump to play Cities: Skylines 2 on PC, you will want to check that your gaming PC can handle the newly announced recommendation specs.

The new specs are higher than what was previously announced for Cities: Skylines 2. This is reportedly due to the original specs being announced while the game was in development, and the final version of the game needs higher specs for a better player experience. "Cities: Skylines 2 is a next-generation title and therefore has certain hardware requirements." said Paradox Interactive forum staff.

Paradox Interactive will be initiating refunds on Cities: Skylines for players who pre-ordered the title on consoles. In an FAQ on the game's forums, staff for the publisher explained that users will not need to do anything to trigger the refunds, as they are being processed automatically according to each platform's refund policy. Store pages are also being updated to disable pre-orders for the console version.

It's not all doom and gloom for Cities: Skylines fans, though. The PC release of the game on Steam and the Microsoft Store is still on track for the original October 24 release date. Cities: Skylines 2 has been announced as a Day One Xbox Game Pass addition, and the game will still launch on PC Game Pass when it becomes available in the Microsoft Store. The Xbox version of Cities: Skylines 2 is still expected to join the subscription service roster when it releases in the Spring of 2024. 

Analysis: Better late than never.

A delayed game is eventually good, but a bad launch can stick with a title forever. It's better that Paradox Interactive and Colossal Order chose to delay Cities: Skylines 2 rather than push it out in a bad state. However, the new spec list to play the game on PC is certainly raising alarm bells even about the PC version's optimization. 

I'm not quite ready to feel like my gaming rig, equipped with a 5800x and 3070TI, is already outdated for FHD recommended settings.

Let us know in the comments if you will be playing Cities: Skylines 2 on PC, or if you plan to wait for the console release before you begin crafting your virtual utopia.

What you need to know

• Cities: Skylines 2 is a city-building simulation game that will launch on Xbox and PC Game Pass on October 24 2023.
• Cities: Skylines 2 features an updated engine that allows for more realistic graphics, dynamic weather and advanced customization options for buildings, roads and citizens.
• The game also introduces a new district system that lets players create different zones with their own policies, services and cultures. 

The Xbox Games Showcase was packed back to back with new announcements, amongst them the release date and a new gameplay trailer for Cities: Skylines 2, a sequel to the popular city-building sim developed by Colossal Order. 

Cities: Skylines 2 wasn't a surprise announcement, but we were bowled over by the sheer amount of customization shown in the trailer. It promises that every skyscraper, roundabout, district and city will be tailored by the player, "if you can dream it, you can build it".  We took some interesting shots of building and city management seen in the trailer, and it's really incredible the level of detail you can drill down to.

The original Cities: Skylines was released in 2015 and allowed players to create and manage a city, controlling zoning, road placements, public services and public transportation amongst other things. Since then it's received several expansions and DLCs adding content to the game and reported over 12 million copies sold as of June 2022, so the sequel has some high expectations amongst fans. 

Most noticeable in the new trailer was the dynamic weather on display against the stunning city backdrops, showing new depths to the game not seen before. This is just one of many new features fans can expect of the sequel, which will let you make choices that have an effect all across your cities. From building giant skyscrapers to following the lives of individual citizens, the world really is your own 'crafted in 4K' oyster.

Cities: Skylines 2 launches on October 24, 2023 day one to Xbox Game Pass, and also on PC and PlayStation consoles. 

What you need to know

• Age of Wonders 4 is a fantasy strategy game developed by Triumph Studios and published by Paradox Interactive.
• The first content pack, Age of Wonders 4: Dragon Dawn, adds a new leader type, units, magic, and more. 
• Age of Wonders 4: Dragon Dawn is set to launch on June 20, 2023. 

Ready to take your fantasy reign of power to the next level?

Age of Wonders 4: Dragon Dawn is the first major content pack included as part of the expansion pass for Age of Wonders 4. As the name suggests, this pack is all about dragons, granting players new ways to lead armies and unleash devastating magic upon their foes. 

The content pack — the first of four planned DLC launches, with Empires & Ashes, Primal Fury, and Eldritch Realms slated for Q4 2023, Q1 2024, and Q2 2024 respectively — includes a new leader option in the form of Dragon Rulers. There's also a new "Lizardfolk" appearance available for factions, with the Tome of Evolution and the Tome of Dragons allowing you to evolve your forces and directly summon mighty dragons.

Finally, this also introduces a new realm option called "The Ashen War," which has six Elder Dragons in conflict. Paradox Interactive and Triumph Studios previously indicated that Age of Wonders 4: Dragon Dawn would be launching at some point in Q3 2023, and now it has a release date of June 20, 2023. For anyone that hasn't bought the expansion pass, this lone DLC can be purchased separately for $10.

In our Age of Wonders 4 review, managing editor Jez Corden wrote that "If you're a long-time 4X strategy game fan, Age of Wonders 4 absolutely has to be on your radar. Even if you're not a typical turn-based strategy game fan, the fantasy elements may be enough to suck you in and turn you into a convert."

Age of Wonders 4 is currently available on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5.

Windows Central's take

This is another strategy game that I really need to make time to try out. The aesthetic is great, and I'm always a sucker for different ways of painting a map my favorite color. Throw in dragons and that only becomes more true. 

Age of Wonders 4 is the next entry in the long-running series from Triumph Studios, also known for the excellent (and underrated) Overlord franchise. 

Age of Wonders at its core is a 4X strategy game, analogous to titles like Civilization. The games revolve around turn-based play, where careful management of your empire's expansion, its resources, and its population goes hand-in-hand with military tactics and careful diplomacy. 

Where Age of Wonders diverges a bit from Civilization and other similar games, though, is with its XCOM-like combat gameplay options, and its high-fantasy setting. Instead of progressing through real-world ages of humanity, Age of Wonders allows you to become the overlord of an undead army, an industrious architect king of a dwarven subterranean megalopolis, or a high priestess over a magical elven empire. 

Age of Wonders 4 aggressively leans into its magical setting to produce a truly wild range of complexity and depth that I found initially daunting, before eventually getting thoroughly addicted. 

This review was conducted on Xbox Series X, using a code provided by Paradox. 

Age of Wonders 4 Review: The Good Stuff

Age of Wonders 4 is an ambitious fusion of several genres, incorporating XCOM-style turn-based strategic battles, with Civ-like empire management. There's also an impressive effort to bring some authentic RPG depth to proceedings too, with a lore-heavy campaign with surprisingly high-quality narration, a-top mini boss battle events and light dungeoneering. It's unusual that a game can dive into several genres simultaneously and hope to emerge with something coherent, but Triumph Studios have lived up to their namesake here. Age of Wonders 4 is, indeed, pretty triumphant. 

I should preface this by saying I'm by no means a hardcore 4X player, so if you're looking for something that goes super in-depth perhaps you'd be better served elsewhere. However, if you're a casual strategy enjoyer who has played games like Gears Tactics or XCOM and feel as though you might like to branch out, do read on. That's essentially the boat I'm here, as someone who has enjoyed games like Stellaris and Civilization in offline play, Age of Wonders 4 felt incredibly welcoming as a newcomer to the franchise. Tutorial panels in the game's introductory campaign scenario made it easy to get to grips with the gameplay loop, while view button tooltips gave me access to more in-depth explanations. 

It's difficult to overlook the comparisons to Civilization, because it does sport many of the same ideas. It's hexagonal grid serves as the game's primary overlay for developing your empire. Your cities and associated provinces with grow in complexity dynamically over the course of the game as you build new facilities, growing towering arcane spires and thematically-consistent gothic ramparts, depending on the way you design your starting race. Indeed, you can pick from a decent selection of races, from rat people to regular old' humans, and then customize their color themes, alignments, and gameplay style to fit within a range of typical fantasy tropes. 

For my initial attempt, I figured I'd try to recreate my undead warlock from World of Warcraft and build him up as an evil overlord of a massive undead goblin army. As part of the game's research tree, you can add deep customization to your empire's gameplay and thematic style. I found myself investing in all sorts of "evil" knowledge tomes for my library, developing a variety of necrotic magic powers to deploy both on the world map and during active combat scenarios. Some of the spells can even be maintained permanently, provided you've set up sufficient resource income to maintain them. 

The gorgeous world map design is dotted with events, ancient wonders that need to be captured (often guarded by bosses), and all sorts of resource nodes and features. It delivers that RPG-style fantasy incredibly well as a result. Exploration goes beyond simply being a strategic necessity, and often offers rewards like magical weapons and gear that you can equip directly onto your special hero unit characters. These more powerful soldiers gain access to a variety of spells and passive bonuses you can choose as your empire grows. My main overlord grew from simple magi to necromantic shadow lord by the end of my first game, with the ability to resurrect the dead to add infinite units to my immortal armies. I barely dabbled with the other gameplay styles as of writing, but faced many of them in combat. Magical elves, nature-wielding barbarians, rogueish goblins — if there's a fantasy civilization stereotype you can think of, you can most likely build your own in Age of Wonders 4. 

I initially did find myself overwhelmed with the sheer volume of gameplay features at my disposal, but Age of Wonders 4 offers an array of options to reduce the pressure. You can set your towns and cities to automatically develop and expand, based on criteria you set. You can also complete combat phases instantly based on random chance vs. your combat rating, or even watch them play out in real-time in auto-battle mode. You can also, of course, take control at any time you so desire. 

The combat phases are especially fun as you get into the mid and end-game, given that you'll have some truly insane magical powers to leverage, complete with giant summonable creatures that can completely turn the tide of battle. It can be incredibly daunting to try to figure out the strengths and weaknesses of every unit and monster on a battlefield, where dozens of units can swarm the field all at once. The auto-battle mode can help offset some of the cognitive load, while also informing you on strategies you may not have thought of. Auto-battle made me realize how important buffs and debuffs are in combat, for example. Empowered armies through spell enchantments become incredibly dangerous. Everything costs resources, of course. Mana conduits, ancient wonders, and specifically constructed arcane towers can boost your spell potency while negating those of your enemies. 

Much like Civ, Age of Wonders also allows for various types of victory conditions. Whether it's through the pursuit of magical arcane knowledge, winning via expansionism and sheer dominance, or simply destroying every other empire on the board. Whichever victory condition you pursue, the path toward that goal is incredibly rewarding. The volume of unique biomes, locations, and randomized events keeps the game from feeling repetitive. 

It's proving difficult to keep the review succinct while also impressing how much breadth there is to be found in Age of Wonders 4. I've played for almost a couple dozen hours and I feel as though I've barely scratched the surface, with each turn offering fresh angles and perspectives. It's a game that isn't ashamed to go hard on complexity, but it respects your time while doing so, offering heaps of explanations and automation features to allow you to focus on the parts of the game you find to be more enjoyable if the busy work isn't your bag. 

As much fun as I'm having with Age of Wonders 4, there are some pretty stark downsides to the game on Xbox Series X, that make me feel inclined to recommend that you should opt for the PC version if you're able to do so. 

Age of Wonders 4 Review: The Bad Stuff

The biggest issue I have with the game on Xbox Series X is the performance. This is a complex game, with lots of moving parts, calculations taking place, and so on, but it's hard not to be disappointed with the performance. The game comes with a "performance mode" and "resolution mode" presets. Naturally resolution mode presents a sharper image, which radiates the game's gorgeous, colorful art style in all of its Warcraftian glory. However, you will tank the frame rate for the privilege. To make matters worse, the "performance mode" is only performant for the early to mid-game. Once you and your opponents have built up your cities and your armies, you can expect the frame rate to drop dramatically. Upon occasion, my game got stuck to the point of simply crashing too, because it was having so much trouble maintaining the simulation. It's hard to tell whether it's an optimization issue or if the Xbox Series X has already hit its processing limit this early into the gen. Either way, Age of Wonders 4 doesn't run particularly well on it. 

Another gripe I have is with the gamepad controls. They're by no means awful, but the cursor snapping could be a little clearer. You cannot play Age of Wonders 4 on Xbox with a mouse and keyboard, leaving you forced to use a controller. For the most part, the controller controls are decent, but when there are multiple objects and tooltips occupying the same hex on the grid, it can be unclear what you've got selected. 

The combat menu is also a little unclear at times. Age of Wonders 4 sports XCOM-style action points for its combat turns, but I was unable to figure out how to undertake attacks on different units with my remaining action points. I've seen the computer perform such actions, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to solve it. The UI often suffers from a lack of information. Sometimes the game tells me I can annex a new region for my empire, for example, but when I try to build on said region, it often won't let me, while also not offering an explanation. 

Some of these gripes will be solved by online guides after the fact, but while we wait for those to crop up, you may find yourself frustrated more than once playing on Xbox over PC, most likely.

Age of Wonders 4 Review: Should you buy?

Age of Wonders 4 is an excellent 4X strategy game that really captures that "just one more turn..." addictive gameplay loop Civilization and other games in the genre do so well. Age of Wonders 4 takes it a step further, incorporating its own brand of immersive lore and overworld diversity that injects a genuine air of "RPG" into proceedings. 

While the performance leaves a lot to be desired on Xbox Series X|S consoles, there's nothing here that can't potentially be solved with a few update patches. As I was writing this article, initiating combat with two large armies caused my game to crash once again. The instability of the client is a frustrating hindrance on what is otherwise a truly, bewilderingly coherent game, despite the vast array of elements Triumph has sought to incorporate here. 

If you're a long-time 4X strategy game fan, Age of Wonders 4 absolutely has to be on your radar. Even if you're not a typical turn-based strategy game fan, the fantasy elements may be enough to suck you in and turn you into a convert. My only suggestion would be to await those performance patches on Xbox Series X|S because right now, the frequency of problems is far too high to gloss over. 

Paradox Interactive teamed up with Xbox to share updates on a few previously-announced games, while also revealing some new titles for players to look forward to. 

Paradox is known for its prolific strategy and simulation games, which range from deep space sims like Stellaris to historical 4X experiences like Europa Universalis. The firm also revealed brand new titles from some of its teams, included a much-anticipated follow-up to Cities Skylines. 

Many of these games are launching day and date into Xbox Game Pass across both PC and console, too, and will doubtless become some of the most anticipated upcoming Xbox games and upcoming PC games as a result. 

The Lamplighters League

Developed by Harebrained Schemes, The Lamplighters League and the Tower at the End of the World is a turn-based adventure game taking place in 1932. Players can use the real-time exploration phase to take out specific targets and scout out the terrain ahead of a firefight. The Lamplighters League is coming in 2023 to Xbox Series X|S and PC. It’s also launching day one in Xbox Game Pass. 

Crusader Kings 3: Tours and Tournaments

In-depth medieval intrigue similar Crusader Kings 3 is getting a role-playing themed expansion called Tours and Tournaments. Players will be able to become champions of various tournaments across realms, or manage grand weddings and other events directly. This can even be used as a cover for more sinister aims. Crusader Kings 3 is currently available on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC, and is also currently available in Xbox Game Pass. Tours and Tournaments does not currently have a release date, but you can wishlist it right now. 

Life by You

Paradox Tectonic is working on Life by You, a game that appears to be a Sims-style game about making characters live the lives you want them to. A full reveal is planned for March 20, 2023.

Across the Obelisk: The Wolf Wars

Across the Obelisk is getting a distinctly wolf-themed DLC, adding a new pet, character, map and more for players to enjoy. It’s launch on March 30, 2023.

Mechabellum

This new mech war game is headed to PC in early access on May 11, 2023.

Knights of Pen and Paper 3

The latest entry in this pixel art, retro-styled RPG series is launching tomorrow.

Surviving the Aftermath: Rebirth

In case things were too easy in the apocalypse, this expansion is adding The Blight to Surviving the Aftermath. The Blight infects the ground, creating dangerous new threats in the form of infected creatures that players will have to overcome.

Cities: Skylines 2

A cinematic teaser trailer confirmed that yes, Cities Skylines 2 is on the way. This follow-up to the wildly successful Cities Skylines is slated to launch at some point later in 2023. When it does, it’ll be available day one on Xbox Game Pass.

Europa Versalis IV: Domination

An expansion is coming to Europa Versalis IV, focused on adding new mechanics and missions to countries like Spain and China.

Age of Wonders 4

This upcoming fantasy 4X game from Triumph Studios got a new stylized trailer, showing the terrible magic and powerful factions players can unleash. Age of Wonders 4 is slated to launch across Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PS5 on May 2, 2023.

Stellaris: First Contact

A new DLC is coming to Paradox Interactive’s epic 4X sci-fi strategy title. Tilted First Contact, it’s focused, quite fittingly, around what happens when space-faring explorers make first contact with a new species. It’s launching on March 14, 2023.

To see the full show, check out the embed above for first looks at various upcoming titles, including Cities: Skylines 2, Age of Wonders 4, and many more. 

Microsoft and Paradox have enjoyed a close relationship in recent years, with titles like Crusader Kings 3 and Cities Skylines enjoying strong runs in Xbox Game Pass. 

What you need to know

• Paradox Interactive is getting an announcement show presented by Xbox. 
• A "slate of content" for existing games will be announced along with a "new batch of Paradox Arc titles."
• The Paradox Announcement Show will take place March 6 at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT.

Paradox Interactive, a gaming company that primarily develops for PC with games like Cities: Skylines and Crusader Kings III, is getting its own Paradox Announcement Show 2023. The showcase is being produced "in partnership with Xbox" and will feature reveals for brand new games as well as established game announcements. This show will premiere on the Paradox Interactive YouTube and Twitch channels on March 6 at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT.

"Hosted by Paradox CEO Frederik Wester, the show will include major announcements by Colossal Order and Harebrained Schemes, as well as a teaser from Paradox Tectonic. The publisher will also reveal a slate of content coming to Crusader Kings III, Europa Universalis IV, and Surviving the Aftermath, as well as the next batch of Paradox Arc titles."

But the show isn't just about announcing updates to Paradox Interactive's established video games. Along with announcing brand new updates, free updates, and other Paradox Interactive news there will be some "reveals of new games" as well. 

Paradox previously revealed Age of Wonders 4 and Surviving the Abyss for Xbox and PC. Perhaps we'll get additional information for these upcoming adventures during the showcase. 

If you're a fan of Paradox Interactive games or a PC player looking for what's coming next to the platform, you'll want to tune in and see what gets announced at the Paradox Announcement Show 2023. 

More about Paradox Interactive

Paradox Interactive has been around since 2004, making games primarily for PC. The company has various gaming studios, which work on different titles whether they are creating updates for established games or developing brand-new games. Colossal Order is one of these studios and is best known for developing the popular Cities: Skylines city-building game. Another studio within the Paradox Interactive umbrella is Harebrained Schemes, which has worked on both The Shadowrun Trilogy as well as BATTLETECH. 

What you need to know

• Cities: Skylines is a critically-acclaimed city builder available across PC and consoles.
• On Wednesday, Colossal Order and Paradox Interactive announced Cities: Skylines Remastered for Xbox Series X|S and PS5.
• The current-gen optimized edition will bring UI and UX improvements, graphical upgrades, and support for much larger cities.
• It'll release as a separate edition on Feb. 15, 2023, and will be given for free to current Cities: Skylines console owners.

One of the only decent city builder and management games on consoles is Cities: Skylines, but don't let the scarcity of the genre fool you — Cities: Skylines is a critically acclaimed, much beloved city builder, and the teams at Colossal Order and Paradox Interactive are about to deliver a sizeable upgrade to current-gen console players.

On Wednesday, Cities: Skylines Remastered was announced, a brand-new edition of the gargantuan sim, which optimizes the title to look and run better on Xbox Series X|S and PS5 consoles. Players can look forward to a number of improvements to the Cities: Skylines experience when playing on the latest and greatest consoles, including:

• Increased graphical performance, although exact upgrades weren't detailed
• Support for up to 25 tiles when building cities, instead of just 16 on Xbox One
• A built-in map editor
• Various UI and UX improvements, including a quick selection tool, precision placements, distance indicator, and more advanced snapping options
• An environmental controls panel

Cities: Skylines Remastered officially releases on Feb. 15, 2023 for Xbox Series X|S and PS5, and will retail for USD $39.99. However, existing console owners need not fork up the cash to upgrade, as the new and improved Cities: Skylines will be given to current players for free, including all DLC and expansions up to Cities: Skylines Airports released this time last year. Remaining DLC will be released for Cities: Skylines Remastered in the coming months.

Cities: Skylines has long been one of the greatest city management sims on Windows PCs, and its console port was genuinely excellent. Now, the game is being freed from the constraints of the previous generation, and will be able to take advantage of the added power of Xbox Series X and S consoles. For many, this alone will be enough to rocket the game back up to the top of the best Xbox games currently available.

What you need to know

• Stardeus is a new colony sim, being published by Paradox's indie label "Arc." 
• Developed by Kodo Linija, Stardeus looks like a mash up between colony builders like Rimworld and Factorio. 
• The game will launch into Steam early access on October 12, 2022. 

Announced today, Stardeus is joining Paradox's indie label "Arc" and heading towards Steam early access for PC on October 12. 

Stardeus is essentially a colony builder, taking inspiration from games like Rimworld, complete with procedurally generated events in a simulated world full of overlapping and intersecting systems. 

The developer notes that the game will be in early access for 2 to 3 years, and will initially focus on balancing the game's systems in a single "Wrecked" scenario. Players will have to use their limited resources to reconstruct a floating, derelict ship in space, utilizing A.I. robotic drones as well as human crewmen. 

The game's trailer showcases a range of features, including ship hydroponics for growing food, a thoroughly dynamic ship construction system, alongside management layers for things like hunger, oxygen levels, power, and more. Some of the dynamic events include alien invasions, asteroid storms, space pirate attacks, and more. The trailer offers a glimpse at early game situations with a half-destroyed ship, towards later-game stages with a full-blown cruiser, complete with shields and weaponry. 

The game has been in a closed alpha state for some time as an independent project. Joining Paradox's indie label should help the game receive some much-needed support on the ops side, as it heads into early access next month. There's no word on pricing yet, but you can wish list the game over on Steam for Windows PC via the link below ahead of its inclusion into early access. 

What you need to know

• Crusader Kings 3 is a strategy-simulation title that first launched for PC in 2020.
• Paradox Interactive announced on Tuesday that Crusader Kings 3 is coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PS5.
• Crusader Kings 3 will take advantage of the newer consoles' hardware, with extremely fast loading times.
• Crusader Kings 3 will also launch into Xbox Game Pass.

Paradox Interactive is bringing its strategy simulation title Crusader Kings 3 to new platforms. As revealed during the Xbox Gamescom 2021 showcase, Paradox Interactive is partnering with Lab42 to bring Crusader Kings 3 to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PS5. It's also launching into Xbox Game Pass, fitting enough, considering the PC version launched into Xbox Game Pass for PC. You can check out the announcement trailer below.

Crusader Kings 3 is only coming to current-generation consoles and as such, is taking full advantage of the latest hardware these machines offer. Both the Xbox and PS5 versions offer super-fast loading times thanks to the internal SSDs, while the PS5 version utilizes the DualSense haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.

Paradox Interactive notes the success of the console port of another strategy game, Stellaris, as a factor in bringing Crusader Kings 3 to console. No release window was revealed for the game however, meaning it likely won't be available on consoles in 2021.

In our review of Crusader Kings 3 on PC, staff writer Rich Edmonds said that "If you're new to the series, now's a great time to enter the franchise. Crusader Kings III is easily the most newcomer-friendly, offering a tutorial with plenty of pop-ups (ala Stellaris) that help you get accustomed to how everything works. It won't hold your hand throughout each game, but you won't feel cheated because your family rein ended due to not being sure what this specific mechanic did."

Paradox Interactive is the publisher behind incredible games like Crusader Kings 3, Cities: Skylines, and Stellaris, many of which are even available through Xbox Game Pass on Xbox and PC. Today, Paradox held its (usually) yearly PDX Con event, which was all-digital this time around, to announce all the biggest things coming from in the future. To make sure you don't miss a thing, we've rounded up everything announced at PDX Con 2021 for your convenience.

All the biggest announcements at PDX Con 2021

While there were many announcements and updates at PDX Con 2021, four in particular stood above the rest. Here are the biggest announcements at PDX Con 2021 you should definitely keep an eye on.

Victoria 3 — Coming to PC and Xbox Game Pass for PC

The biggest announcement at PDX Con 2021 was undoubtedly the reveal of Victoria 3, which marks the return of the long-dormant Victoria grand strategy series after over a decade-long hiatus. If you're a fan of grand strategy games, Victoria 3 is absolutely one to keep an eye on.

If you want to know more about Victoria 3, check out our Victoria 3 announcement post. Here's a quick breakdown of what you need to know about Victoria 3.

• It's an In-depth society simulator with over 100 societies to choose from.
• Accurate industrial era world with detailed population individuals, groups, and interest groups.
• There are layers of politics, science and tech, and economics to unravel.
• There's a focus on diplomacy and negotiation over war and aggression.
• Multiple ways to play from economic micromanaging to political manipulation.
• You can choose between different society sizes with minor, major, and great powers.

Victoria 3 doesn't have a release date yet, but it looks like it could be an incredibly exciting addition to the growing grand strategy genre. Players who are more than happy to sink hours into a single game should keep their eyes on Victoria 3, which is coming from Paradox Interactive at some point in the future. Victoria 3 will be PC-only, but it will be available through Xbox Game Pass for PC. You can see more images of Victoria 3 below.

Empire of Sin — "Make It Count" expansion

Empire of Sin already made headlines recently by announcing its first major free content expansion, The Precinct. Still, Paradox made it clear Empire of Sin isn't done impressing by announcing its very premium paid expansion at PDX Con 2021, called Make It Count.

Here's what you need to know about Empire of Sin: Make It Count.

• Adds a new boss with Murder, Inc. founder Meyer Lansky.
• Adds a new profession called The Fixer, which specializes in conflict mediation, area control, streamlined economics, and loan sharking.
• Has a new racket with loan sharks, which grants passive income out of existing storefronts, requires a Fixer, and adds a new layer of risk and reward.
• New maps, missions, and much more additional content.

Empire of Sin: Make It Count currently will arrive alongside the free "The Precint" update sometime in 2021, and it should be included with the Empire of Sin Expansion Pass, which you can get in the game's Premium Edition. If you want to see more of the Make It Count premium DLC, you can check out some additional images below. Empire of Sin is available through Xbox Game Pass on PC, console, and Xbox Cloud Gaming.

Crusader Kings III — "The Royal Court" expansion

Next up we have Crusader Kings 3, an already excellent grand strategy game that is getting its next paid expansion with The Royal Court. This should definitely be an exciting addition for Crusader Kings 3 players, as a ton of sweet new content is included.

• Adds The Royal Court, a new player hub where successes and achievements can be seen.
• Build up the grandeur of your Royal Court by spending money, holding court, receiving gifts, and more.
• Collect items and artifacts that have age, histories, and can even decay over time.
• Fill new court positions like the antiquarian, tutors, and food tasters.
• Huge changes to culture and ethos, including hybrid cultures and cultural divergence.
• Huge updates to traditions, which can provide niche effects to cultures and are more separated from religion.

Crusader Kings 3: The Royal Court doesn't have a release date yet, but it should be included in the Crusader Kings 3 Expansion Pass, which you can purchase in its Royal Edition. If you want to see more of The Royal Court paid DLC, you can see more images below. Crusader Kings 3 is available through Xbox Game Pass for PC.

Prison Architect — "Second Chances" expansion

Prison Architect is a charming game on Xbox and PC that has a surprising amount of depth. At PDX Con 2021, Paradox announced Prison Architect's fifth DLC expansion, called Second Chances. As the name implies, Second Chances is all about prisoner rehabilitation.

Here's what you need to know about Prison Architect: Second Chances.

• Prisoners now have a reoffending rate that wardens need to monitor.
• Multiple factors contribute to a prisoner's reoffending rate, which can either fine or reward the player.
• Different reformation programs are available like therapy dogs, consultation, conflict resolution, and civilian mentorship.
• Two new job room types: bakery and restaurant, which give prisoners real-world job experience.
• Wardens can now adjust wages for all job types, monitor reoffending rates for the whole prison or individuals, customize prisoner uniform colors, and more.

Prison Architect: Second Chances launches on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation on June 16, 2021. The Switch release follows closely behind on June 29. Prison Architect is available through Xbox Game Pass for PC. You can see more pictures of Prison Architect: Second Chances below.

All the announcements at PDX Con 2021

It's easy for smaller announcements to slip through the cracks left behind by headlining news like Victoria 3. Of course, we're helping ensure you don't miss anything with a list of all the announcements at PDX Con 2021.

Hearts of Iron IV five-year anniversary & "No Step Back" update

Cities: Skylines "Trains Stations" & "Bridges & Piers" Content Creator Packs — Available today

Stellaris: Console Edition Expansion Pass 4 & five-year anniversary — June 17

Surviving Mars soundtrack vinyl release

Pre-order the Surviving Mars vinyl soundtrack from here.

Empire of Sin: Make It Count

Crusader Kings III: The Royal Court

Prison Architect: Second Chances — June 16 & June 29

Victoria 3

Paradox Interactive is a legendary publisher behind some of the best strategy games ever. For fans of simulation, strategy, and mangement, Paradox Interactive is responsible for some of the best PC games and best Xbox games.

What you need to know

• Paradox Interactive held their own game event called PDX Con to stage a ton of new game announcements and updates.
• The biggest announcement of the show was the reveal of Victoria 3, a long-dormant grand strategy game franchise returning to PC.
• Victoria 3 is a society simulator that lets players dive deep into the management of economics and politics in a realistic world.
• The extremely ambitious grand strategy game is heading to PC at some point in the future, and will come to Xbox Game Pass for PC.

Paradox Interactive is having a productive day with their PDX Con 2021 digital game event. A ton of stuff is being announced today, but of course Paradox Interactive had to have one huge announcement stashed up its sleeve. The headliner at this year's PDX Con is none other than the valiant return of the long-dormant Victoria grand strategy series. That's right, Victoria 3 is official, and brings with it all the modernizations and improvements that over a decade-long hiatus brings to gaming. Fans of Paradox Interactive's other genre-leading grand strategy games will definitely want to keep an eye out for this one.

Victoria 3 is an in-depth society simulator, which means it takes a different approach from other Paradox grand strategy games like the excellent Crusader Kings 3. Rather than focus on war and bloodlines, Victoria 3 is all about managing a country's economics and politics. Control your government's policies and laws, and micromanage to your heart's content all the way down to individual people. Victoria 3 is setting out to be one of the most ambitious grand strategy games ever, and it just might deliver.

Some of the features of Victoria 3 include:

• An accurate world evolving through a century. Victoria 3 is set during a quickly evolving world between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with realistic borders and map evolution and even accurate population growth.
• Play as anyone. Victoria 3 allows you to play as over 100 different societies, letting you play however you want. Societies are divided between minor, major, and great powers, and every jump in power massively changes the way the game plays out for you. Do you want to play as a powerful empire with a huge military and lots of influence? Or would you rather carefully manage a smaller country's economy and relationships?
• Realistic populations. The people in Victoria 3's world are more than a mass of numbers, with even individual people having identities, ideologies, political affiliations, and varying amounts of influence. People are divided into ever-changing and evolving population and interest groups, which can have massive effects on your government's power and the health of your country.
• Advanced economics. To help elevate your country to the greatest it can be, you'll need to monitor your economy carefully. Imports, exports, taxes, and more all contribute to how powerful your country can be. You can ever control the economics for single buildings in neighborhoods for ultimate control.
• Diplomacy and politics. Internal politics will be a constant battle for control between varying groups of power, and you'll have to constantly manage the state of your country as you drive it in the direction you desire. External diplomacy will allow you to negotiate with other countries without resorting to war in a complex and fully-fledged diplomacy system.
• Industry and science. It's not enough to simply maintain your country's health - you also have to help it grow. Guide your country through the industrial revolution by research new technologies, ideologies, and more. Be careful, though, new ideas can be dangerous in the right hands.
• And so much more. I've barely scratched the surface of everything Victoria 3 entails. Like one expects from a grand strategy game, Victoria 3 will let you dive as deep as you want with severe levels of micromanaging or play it casually and let the dice fall where they may.

Victoria 3 is a daunting game, to say the least, with a sheer number of interlocking and intermingling systems giving players unyielding control over an incredibly realistic world - but not without a variety of obstacles and challenges to overcome. The most interesting part of Victoria 3 is that it does everything it can to avoid war, and actively encourages players to turn to diplomacy and negotiating to get their way before resorting to bloodshed.

Victoria 3 does not have a release date at this time, and is likely not too close to being finished. When it is complete, however, Victoria 3 will be a PC-only game releasing on Steam, the Paradox Store, and the Microsoft Store. Interestingly, it seems that Victoria 3 will join Crusader Kings 3 and launch on Xbox Game Pass for PC. Since grand strategy games can often be intimidating to newcomers to the genre, Victoria 3's inclusion in Xbox Game Pass makes it far more accessible.

If Victoria 3 successfully balances the wide number of systems in its incredibly complicated world, it could easily become one of the best PC games around. If you want to see more of Victoria 3, you can see some screenshots below. Also, make sure you don't miss anything by checking our guide to everything announced at PDX Con 2021.

What you need to know

• Surviving Mars is a city-building survival game set on the titular red planet, developed by Haemimont Games.
• During Paradox Insider 2021, we learned that Abstraction Games is taking over development of new content.
• An expansion is coming sometime later in 2021, while Surviving Mars has crossed 5 million players since launch.

Surviving Mars, a space-based survival city-building title, was originally developed by Haemimont Games and published by Paradox Interactive. Today, during the Paradox Insider 2021 showcase, we learned that the development reins have been passed to Abstraction Games, a studio that has worked in a support capacity on different projects like Mass Effect: Legendary Edition.

Looking ahead, a free Tourism Update is coming on March 15 for all players. These include special holidays, hotels and amusement parks and even rover safaris for boosting tourists' satisfaction. Launching the same day is the In-Dome Buildings Pack, something that Paradox Interactive teamed up with modder Silva. Finally, Surviving Mars will be getting a major expansion, which is tentatively slated to arrive later in 2021.

"Since the launch of Surviving Mars: Green Planet, our players have been asking what's next for Surviving Mars. The Tourism Update is just the beginning. The game is in good hands with Abstraction, they're a team of veteran developers with years of experience making AAA titles and are passionate about Surviving Mars," Magnus Lysell, Product Manager for Surviving Mars at Paradox Interactive said.

Additionally, Paradox Interactive confirmed that Surviving Mars has crossed 5 million players since launch. Surviving Mars is currently available in Xbox Game Pass, so you can try it out right now on console or PC if you're subscribed.

What you need to know

• Paradox Interactive held Paradox Insider 2021, showing off updates and new content for several big games.
• We've rounded up all the announcements so far right here.

Paradox Interactive is responsible for publishing some of the best PC simulation games available, so anyone into this games needs to check out the Paradox Insider 2021 showcase, which is providing some meaningful updates on multiple PC titles. We've rounded up all the different announcements so you can quickly check out the major headlines.

Paradox Insider 2021 Europa Universalis 4 Leviathan expansion is detailed

The Leviathan expansion for Europa Universalis 4 is bringing new diplomacy features such as Currying Favors, as well as quality of life fixes and new elements meant to increase strategic potential during the early to mid-game period. There's also a subscription plan coming, so for $5 a month, players can access every piece of content in the game, both current and future.

Paradox Insider 2021 Stellaris continues growing

The Lithoids Species Pack is coming to Stellaris: Console Edition on March 25. Meanwhile, the Nemesis expansion was also shown off, which is coming on April 15.

In the Nemesis expansion, players can choose to become the great threat burning down the galaxy, or the Custodian standing in the way of destruction. You can see more details and wishlist the expansion on Steam right now.

Paradox Insider 2021 Surviving Mars revived with a new developer

Surviving Mars is back in active development. Paradox Interactive revealed that Abstraction Games is taking charge, with updates right around the corner for March 15 and a new expansion coming later in 2021.

Paradox Insider 2021 Empire of Sin comes to Xbox Game Pass

If you're been looking to try Empire of Sin, the XCOM-like title about running your own gang, you're in luck, as Empire of Sin is coming to Xbox Game Pass, for both console and PC, on March 18.

Paradox Insider 2021 Crusader Kings 3 gets Viking DLC with the Northern Lords Flavor Pack

A cold wind blows as Crusader Kings 3 is expanding with the Northern Lords Flavor Pack. As the name implies, this DLC brings Norse-related features like new character art, decisions, events, music and more. The Northern Lords Flavor Pack is set to be available on March 16 for $5. Crusader Kings 3 is currently available in Xbox Game Pass for PC. Combined with the best Crusader Kings 3 mods available right now, this means players have more to explore than every before.

This is one announcement many hoped for and still didn't see coming. After all these years, a sequel to Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines is one the way. It's been delayed heavily due to multiple factors, but with the development team taking its time, this could end up as one of the best Xbox RPGs available.

In the meantime, there's a lot to go over as you start considering just what kind of bloodsucker you'll be in the Seattle underworld. Here's everything you need to know about Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2.

What is Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2?

Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2 is a role-playing game being published by Paradox Interactive. It was originally being developed by Hardsuit Labs but that shifted after the game was delayed out of 2021 and the current lead developer is unknown. It's a sequel to the 2004 Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines, a game that was notoriously buggy at launch but became a cult classic due to its setting and deep role-playing elements.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 trailers

You can check out the original announcement trailer for the game below:

In May 2020, Paradox Interactive released a separate trailer that has everyone in Seattle dancing until they're dead. Quite literally.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 gameplay and features

Like the original game, Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2 places a hefty emphasis on role-playing in the World of Darkness, with your chosen stats and skills heavily affecting how you can interact with the world. Unlike the original title, which revolved around the vampires of Santa Monica, California, this game is set in Seattle, Washington.

The player character is a Thin Blood vampire, turned against their will in a Mass Embrace, something considered terrorism in the dark secret world of vampire clans. The story is still heavily under wraps but revolves around the player character figuring out which groups to side within the wars surrounding the city's blood trade.

There are five clans to pick between: Brujah, Tremere, Toreador, Ventrue, and Malkavian. Each comes with different advantages, disadvantages, and unique powers at its disposal.

Separate from the vampire clans, there are multiple factions in the city, and players can join one, none, or multiple factions, which will impact how the story unfolds.

Some post-launch story content collectively referred to as the Season of the Wolf will consist of two story-packs and one expansion. Given the name, it's heavily implied this will focus on werewolves interfering with the vampire clans in Seattle, as werewolves are a major threat to all but the most powerful vampires in existence.

When is Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2's release date?

Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2 was originally scheduled to release sometime in 2020. As a result of the global pandemic and the game's creative director being fired, the release date was initially pushed out to some point in 2021. Paradox Interative then announced in February 2021 that Hardsuit Labs was no longer leading development and that the game's release window was being pushed out of 2021, meaning it'll be here at 2022 at the earliest.

Xbox Series X/S

Main

• Xbox Series X: Everything we know
• Best games coming to Xbox Series X/S
• List of Xbox Series X specs
• What is the Xbox Series X release date?
• How much does Xbox Series X cost?
• Why you can't preorder Xbox Series X yet
• Best Xbox Series X Headsets

What you need to know

• Prison Architect is a popular prison management simulator that's currently owned by Paradox Interactive.
• The game has received a ton of support since its launch in 2015, and is currently prepping its latest expansion for release.
• 'Going Green' will introduce farming, renewable energy sources, new kinds of contraband, and more to the game.
• A free update, 'The Glasshouse,' launching alongside 'Going Green' will include UI / UX improvements, new building types, and more.

Management-style simulators aren't for everyone, for sure, but Prison Architect has always possessed an intriguing kind of charm and gameplay loop that led to it becoming a surprise hit with gamers. Prison Architect has released a multitude of expansions and updates since its launch in 2015, and was even acquired by Paradox Interactive in 2019. Now the latest expansion has been announced: Prison Architect is officially "Going Green." Check out the new announcement trailer below!

Going Green introduces a ton of new features to Prison Architect that will change the way players can manage their prisons, while also introducing new obstacles to overcome. Here's a quick overview of what Going Green will include:

• Green energy sources. Prisons can abandon power sources of old in exchange for clean, renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and solar / wind hybrid. And, just like with renewable energy nowadays, excess power produced by your prison can be sold back to the power grid using the Power Export Meter.
• Farming is here. Going Green introduces a new kind of prison labor that allows your inmates to grow wheat, potatos, and much more. You can either sell produce for some extra income, or use said produce to help feed your inmates.
• New rooms for farming. As part of farming, a bunch of new outdoor rooms have been added. Fruit Orchard, Farm Field, and Vegetable Allotment all help you get the most out of your farms. Other rooms like the Pantry and Shed help to store produce and other farming-related items. Players can also recruit Farm Workers to their staff.
• Recreational farming. Inmates can find joy in gardening and seek to do it recreationally by growing flowers and other plants. Having farming can also improve your inmate's moods.
• Not all is well. Of course, farming comes with the risk of new contraband. Inmates can now secretly grow new crops and herbs to create booze. On top of that, your farm fields can actually end up becoming gang turf, so be careful!

There's also a free update launching alongside Going Green, called the Glasshouse, which will add some quality-of-life and community improvements, new objects, recycling, and two new employees with the Shepherd and Bowtie Bandit K9 units.

Going Green is a paid expansion launching simultaneously on PC, Xbox, PS4, and Switch on January 28, 2021.

If you're looking for a different kind of simulator game to play on PC, check out our list of Best Simulation Games for PC for some of our top picks.

What you need to know

• Stellaris is a top-rated 4x grand strategy game from genre legends Paradox Interactive.
• The game gets a never-ending stream of new expansions, updates, and content packs, and the latest has just been announced.
• MegaCorp is a part of the game's third expansion pass and brings corporate slavery and greed to Stellaris: Console Edition.
• You can buy the expansion pass now, but MegaCorp doesn't release until January 26, 2021.

Stellaris: Console Edition is prepping its next major expansion with MegaCorp, the latest update to be a part of the game's Expansion Pass Three. MegaCorp adds another new way to play to Paradox Interactive's already-massive 4x grand strategy game that's available on Xbox, PC, and through Xbox Game Pass. If you want to embrace capitalism and corporate greed, then MegaCorp is exactly what you've been waiting for in Stellaris. You can check out the announcement trailer and specific information about the expansion below.

• New civics and government types. Embrace corporate culture with new civics and government types that translate trade into wealth and wealth into power.
• Megacities. Increase the population of civilizations far beyond capacity until a single city can span multiple planets.
• Caravaneer fleets. These nomadic traders prefer to stay separate from corporate and government policies and are just as likely to scam you as they are to sell to you.
• Big buildings. Additional megastructures have been added so that you can make every bigger (including your civilization's poverty rates).
• Slave market. You can buy and sell slaves through the Galactic Market and do with them as you please.
• Other changes. New perks, advisors, music, and more all round out the latest Stellaris expansion.

MegaCorp isn't here yet, but it's releasing for Stellaris: Console Edition on January 26, 2021. Until then, you can already purchase the Expansion Pass Three, which will include MegaCorp, and play Stellaris: Console Edition through Xbox Game Pass. There's a lot going on in Stellaris, a game that you can lose hours to, so make sure you're preserving your immersion with one of the Best Headsets for Xbox Series X|S.

What you need to know

• Surviving the Aftermath is a survival strategy game developed by Iceflake Studios and published by Paradox Interactive.
• Surving the Aftermath is now available on Steam Early Access.
• Update 11 is bringing some new features and quality of life improvements for players to enjoy.

While survival strategy game Surviving the Aftermath has been available in early access on the Epic Games Store and Xbox Game Preview, today it launches into Steam Early Access. In addition to a new early access platform, Update 11 is here, bringing some new features and improvements to combat.

There's a new trailer celebrating the launch of the game into Steam Early Access, which you can see below.

Update 11 introduces branching questlines, meaning there are different missions that players will choose between depending on the routes and options taken. Combat is also seeing some changes, as bandits are a lot tougher now and can regenerate health. Outside of these major additions, there are some subtle improvements to the tech tree, colonist info panel and several other features.

Paradox Interactive and Iceflake Studios are continuing to work on Surviving the Aftermath, which is scheduled to leave early access and launch in full at some point in 2021. When it does, it'll be available on PC platforms, Xbox One and PS4.

PC Gaming

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What you need to know

• Empire of Sin is an upcoming strategy game from Paradox Interactive, coming to current-gen consoles and PC.
• It's in the same vein as XCOM, Gears Tactics, and more, but set in the 1920's with Mafia-vibes.
• The game has looked quite promising when previewed in the past, but we still don't have any release date information.
• The game has now quietly appeared on the Microsoft Store, complete with some new screenshots for players to view.

Empire of Sin impressed us when we got a closer look at the game at E3 2019, but we haven't heard much about the game since then, other than an estimated "Fall 2020" release window, which could be any time in the next few months, or we haven't been told about any possible delays that have happened. The former seems more likely, fortunately, as Empire of Sin has quietly appeared on the Microsoft Store, indicating that the game can't be too far out from release.

As well as having a new page on the Microsoft Store for the Xbox One, there are also some new screenshots to enjoy of the game. If you're interested, definitely go take a peek at the game's Mafia-inspired art style, as well as an example of how dialog will work in the game, with multiple options provided to the player. We still don't know when Empire of Sin is coming out, but we do know it'll come to Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Switch when it does, giving players plenty of choice on which platform they wish to play on.

If you're interested, you can also bookmark their official website to keep an eye on any new information, but of course we'll be on the lookout for the latest gaming news as well.

Strategy games are seeing a sort of resurgence of late, which is brilliant for genre fans like me who have felt lost on the sidelines with barely a new game to enjoy. That is until we got Stellaris, Galactic Civilization 4, Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, and now Crusader Kings III.

The Crusader Kings franchise was first launched in 2004 by Paradox Interactive with a sequel hitting stores in 2012. Like clockwork, we're getting the third instalment a full eight years after the beloved Crusader Kings II and Paradox promised much in terms of improvements to make the game more in-depth for long-time fans, as well as welcoming to series newcomers.

Has Paradox struck a balance between the two, or is Crusader Kings III but a prettier version of its predecessor, without much added to improve the formula? Our review will hopefully help you decide before picking up a copy of the dynasty simulator.

Crusader Kings III is almost the perfect sequel to CKII

From the age of Viking raids to the fall of Byzantium, Crusader Kings III promises to take you on a journey throughout history. A basic summary of the adventure would be: you're tasked with heading up a medieval dynasty and the goal is to keep it running for as long as you can — taking down enemies, forging alliances and engaging in wars along the way.

It sounds epic, but so too is the experience of playing through. I've poured so many hours into CKII and even more into it with the A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) mod installed. While it certainly felt like a classic, with an aging UI that was more of a mess than it was streamlined, I loved every minute of each playthrough.

For newcomers to Crusader Kings, the second instalment had a steep learning curve. You were essentially thrown into the wild and told to last as long as you can. It was a blast for experienced players, but daunting for new players. This is something Paradox had in mind when drawing up Crusader Kings III on sheets of parchment.

This was the first improvement I noticed. The entire UI and overall look of the game have been revamped. Crusader Kings III looks gorgeous, even from the main menu. Paradox clearly had a plan as to what should be improved, what should be refined, and what should be added. Moving from the older game, it doesn't feel like anything has been cut.

There are plenty of options to play with, but once you've got your system configured and are good to go, the tutorial is the place to start. Once you're done with the basics of the game in Ireland, you could continue with that playthrough or start fresh, choosing an area of land to rule over from the known world.

The best part of Crusader Kings II has, for me, been the characters. The sheer number of traits you can have is ridiculous. It's easy to create a family of truly broken people and sit back and watch while they plot to assassinate one another. This mess of a system was always part of the game and it's even better in CKIII.

Characters and dynasties have been given more of a focus here. So much so that Tywin Lannister would have the time of his life. You can create some whacky families and courts with numerous lost souls. And personality traits can be passed on, so it's always wise to look at characters closely before inviting them to court to marry off your children. Unless you wish to keep it within the family, which itself can unlock a whole host of issues.

I almost became protective over my newly found dynasty, filled with newly added 3D character models. I wanted the very best of the best for my children, even if they didn't agree with my methods. I wanted my vassals to fall in line and treated them accordingly when they didn't do as I asked. Even interacting with other people in CKIII feels more personal, since they're literally moving instead of a portrait painting.

There's plenty to do as well. CKIII will throw a host of events at you, some are truly whacky and can even add traits to your character or destroy relations with a neighbor you so tirelessly formed over a period of years. Some of the scandals are brilliant to play through and the game will have no issue keeping you gazing at the screen. Even quiet periods of peace have so much content to digest.

Creating a lasting dynasty in Crusader Kings III

To help shape your dynasty head, there are some lifestyles you can choose to focus on, earning experience points to unlock perks and upgrades that affect your character. This is also where CKIII feels more like an RPG than a pure strategy game. It's like Paradox took the best parts of the RPG and strategy genres and mashed them together.

This new RPG system will keep you on track since you won't be able to stray from your personality traits, else you become stressed. This new stress mechanic fits, and the more stressed you become, the higher the chance you'll lose your life. It adds weight to decisions you make and that's fantastic.

When you're not at peace, you'll experience the same old Crusader Kings battle system. This time it's a little different as, to raise levies, you need to set a meet point of sorts, where all forces will congregate. Then it's a case of who has a larger force, but you'll also be taking knights into battle. These special soldiers and any other troops you can raise on top of mere peasants will help turn the tide.

But once you've started to build up your dynasty and have numerous holds under your belt, it's when the game really comes alive with the dynasty system. People within your court who grow in power could look to form their own houses that then provide you with stuff, including renown. This is new to CKIII and is basically a resource generated by everyone within your dynasty. You can use it to force your will upon your subjects.

Both warfare and peaceful periods feel less hectic, thanks to allowing other characters to do some of the work. Overarching features like religion and culture are very influential to those who fall under either. You can form your own religion if you find the ones already running to be a little too restrictive. Culture is what decides what special unlocks (buildings, units, etc.) you have available to you. The dominant ruler of a culture decides on what will unlock next.

Crusader Kings III is always running and there's always something to do. Whether you need to boot some moron from your court, try and secure the perfect bride, or try to make contact with a new ruler of a plot of land you have your eyes set on. Each game can feel completely different, depending on the events you play through, and the stress will make you weigh options more carefully.

How Crusader Kings III keeps the gameplay loop feeling fresh is that there are so many possibilities. Your daughter who you married off to some guy on the other side of the world, securing a title and some land for the future, may simply decide she can never forgive you and goes off to form her own path. I speak of experience, so in CKIII fashion I had her killed.

I see some strong support for modding here, which should help make Crusader Kings III feel fresh even in the 100th playthrough. Paradox will undoubtedly release free patches and commercial DLC too, so you can expect to see more ingredients thrown into this beautiful mix. CKIII fixed many issues with CKII without sacrificing much in gameplay.

Where Crusader Kings III falls a little short

I'm still not sold on the combat. It's okay and gets a pass, but you may find yourself scratching your head as you try and co-ordinate efforts and armies with allies to take down larger forces. I actually killed my friend who had been an ally for decades, after watching him stroll his forces by while my army got decimated. Not cool, man.

Then there are the doom stacks that appear from the meeting points. I was more a fan of the levy generation that came from all the smaller holdings that had to then be assembled somewhere as a larger force. This allowed you to take on more powerful foes who were less organized.

The naval movement has also been simplified, which could be seen as a positive with the substitute of needing ships with a gold embark fee. Seems like we have Amazon Prime in Crusader Kings III with armies and ships being delivered right to your door. These are small gripes I had, personally, but neither had large impacts on my games and I largely forgot about them later on.

I want to be Vikings and role-play as Ragnar with a fleet of hungry, ravaging men and women, ready for the pillaging. Come on, Paradox!

You should buy Crusader Kings III

Crusader Kings III is quite the experience. It's an RPG come strategy with a dynasty simulator thrown into the mix. It's like TaleWorlds Worlds turned Mount & Blade into a strategy game with more of an overview, realm management theme. This is a sound compliment since Mount & Blade is an exceptional series of games.

Paradox has been on a roll lately with the success of Stellaris and now Crusader Kings III. For those who beloved Crusader Kings II, there's is much of the same here, but with a new lick of paint and improvements to the underpinnings of the game. There's more to do, everything seems easier to handle as you grow your empire, and it all still feels as deep.

If you're new to the series, now's a great time to enter the franchise. Crusader Kings III is easily the most newcomer-friendly, offering a tutorial with plenty of pop-ups (ala Stellaris) that help you get accustomed to how everything works. It won't hold your hand throughout each game, but you won't feel cheated because your family rein ended due to not being sure what this specific mechanic did.

This is the best Crusader Kings game we've had to date and is a must-have for any strategy or RPG fan.

What you need to know

• Surviving the Aftermath is a fantastic community-building survival game.
• It's in Early Access and Game Preview right now, but regularly receives updates to add new content.
• Update 9: First Settlers revamps the early-game mechanics by giving players starting Specialists.
• It also adds new options in the Tech Tree to build ranches in order to raise livestock for your community.

If you're a fan of survival games, especially ones that has players carefully cultivate a struggling group of people into a strong community, Surviving the Aftermath is a game that cannot be missed. Developed by Finnish studio Iceflake Studios (which was recently acquired by Paradox Interactive), Surviving the Aftermath is an apocalyptic community-builder in Early Access and Game Preview, and it's already incredibly well put together. The latest update for the game, Update 9: First Settlers, will make some important changes to early-game mechanics, as well as add a new feature.

The highlights of First Settlers includes:

• New early-game mechanics. To start, players will now begin with three Specialists to start with, allowing players to explore the initial area, construct a few basic buildings and utilities, and prepare a makeshift but functional camp before signalling to the other colonists to join them. This should make the early-game less tedious, as players can ensure they at least have the bare minimum before exposing their colonists to the dangers of the world.
• New ranches in the Tech Tree. Interested players can now unlock an additional source of food for their colonies in ranches, which can be built and used to raise various livestock like cows, chickens, and sheep. The livestock first has to be bought from other Societies first, but once you have them you'll have a steady supply of food, as well as secondary products like wool and eggs.
• Wildlife can now be hunted for food. If ranches aren't enough for your colony, or if you prefer a more "naturalistic" approach, wildlife in Surviving the Aftermath can now be hunted and harvested for food. The bigger the animal, the greater the haul.
• Changes to colonist movement and more. Colonists now have greater movement while on roads, so you can make your colony more efficient, and Specialists are now able to carry out more tasks like building, scavening, and carrying. Finally, resources will now slowly decay if left on the ground, especially food, so make sure you have suitable storage areas!

Besides all of the new features in Update 9, Paradox Interactive is also planning to bring Surviving the Aftermath to Steam Early Access in October, 2020, letting even more players try out their survive-them-up. If you need all the details on exactly what's changing in Update 9: First Settlers, you can find the patch notes here. We've included some images of the new update for your viewing pleasure below.

Are you excited by this update? What's your favorite change being made? Let us know in the comments!

Xbox

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• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
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• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 is an upcoming action game from Paradox Interactive.
• Today, the publisher revealed the collector's edition for $170.
• Damsel is also coming back for this latest entry.
• The collector's edition is exclusive to the Paradox Store at the moment.

Today, publisher Paradox Interactive revealed Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2's collector's edition. It's quite a stunning package and confirms that Damsel will be part of the game. You can take a look at the video detailing all the contents below.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 Collector's Edition includes the following.

• Main game
• Detailed map of Seattle
• 7" vinyl featuring the in-game soundtrack
• 28 cm Elif figurine
• Steelbook
• Bloodlines 5th edition core book (Digital)
• First blood preorder pack
• Unsanctioned Blood pack
• Season of the Wolf pass

You'll have to go to the Paradox Store in order to preorder it. It's going to cost you $170 or €170 so it's not cheap by any stretch of the imagination. You can take a look at the Damsel trailer below.

Are you interested in Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2? Let us know. It's getting enhanced for Xbox Series X, too.

Xbox

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• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
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• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Age of Wonders: Planetfall is a strategy game from Triumph Studios.
• The team is known for the Overlord franchise.
• The game is getting another expansion called Invasions towards the end of May.
• You can purchase Age of Wonders: Planetfall for $40 on Amazon.

Recently, Paradox Interactive and Triumph Studios announced ​a new expansion for Age of Wonders: Planetfall. Planetfall is a strategy game from the team behind critically-acclaimed experiences like Overlord. The Invasion expansion launches on May 26 and is available with the ​season pass.​ ​As expected, it's coming to Xbox One and PC.

In Windows Central's review, Brendan Lowry wrote, "In the end, I think you'll love this game if you're a tactics fan and you enjoy some casual strategy focus on the side. If you're a massive strategy fan, though, this game will likely disappoint you."

What you need to know

• Prison Architect is a prison management simulator.
• The game is getting a free expansion on PC in May.
• The "Cleared for Transfer" expansion adds a new layer of complexity to the game.
• You can purchase Prison Architect: Xbox One Edition — which is getting the expansion later — for $30 on the Microsoft Store.

Prison Architect is a pretty interesting prison management simulator and today, the "Cleared for Transfer" expansion was announced. The expansion launches next month, and will be available for free to PC players who own Prison Architect. According to the press release Windows Central received, Cleared for Transfer introduces layers of complexity to inmate management and allows players to assign privileges to a security sector, incentivizing prisoners to improve their behavior while giving players more control over their prisons. This expansion also adds more rooms and other objects players can use to customize their prisons.

Steacy McIlwham, Product Manager for Prison Architect at Paradox Interactive, said the following.

Mark South, Chief Operating Officer at Double Eleven, added the following.

Some of the key features of the expansion are listed below.

• Prisoner Transfers: Prisoners can now transfer between security sectors of your prison.
• Special Privileges: Privileges can be assigned based on the security sector, giving your prisoners a motivation to transfer.
• Room Grading: You can now grade other rooms, such as yards, classrooms, common rooms, and a new gym.
• Custom Security Sectors: Create areas with custom security sectors that can include prisoners from different security levels.
• New Actions: You can initiate actions like shakedowns, tunnel searches, and lockdown.

This seems to be the most significant update Prison Architect has received and I hope it gets many more in the coming months. Are you going to jump back in? Let us know. Let's hope that it hits Xbox One soon!

What you need to know

• Empire of Sin is an upcoming turn-based game based on mob wars.
• It's being developed by Romero Games and published by Paradox Interactive.
• For Mother's Day, the developers have released a video showcasing a new character named Elvira Duarte.
• Duarte is based on designer John Romero's actual great-grandmother.

Empire of Sin takes XCOM-like gameplay and sets it in a world of mobsters and criminal wars. Some of the mob bosses you'll see include famous real-world characters like Al Capone. For Mother's Day today, the developers at Romero Games shared a new video showing off a character named Elvira Duarte. The catch? She's based on John Romero's real great-grandmother. You can take a look at the video showing Duarte below and listen to how this came to be.

With XCOM: Chimera Squad and Gears Tactics already out, this is shaping up to be a strong year for turn-based tactics games. Empire of Sin is currently scheduled to release on Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch sometime later in fall 2020.

Related: Empire of Sin: XCOM meets Grand Theft Auto, set in 1920s Chicago

Xbox

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• What is Xbox Game Pass?
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What you need to know

• Surviving the Aftermath is an Xbox Game Preview game from Paradox Interactive.
• Several updates have added new features and content over the past few months.
• The "Hostile World" update mostly adds dangerous animals.
• Surviving the Aftermath is available for $20 on the Microsoft Store at the Microsoft Store.

Surviving the Aftermath is an apocalyptic survival game from Paradox Interactive. Paradox Interactive is known for strategy games like Cities: Skylines and Stellaris. According to Windows Central's Samuel Tolbert, "since its release, the game has received numerous updates, adding new features like trading vehicles and Twitch integration." However, even more changes are on the way in the Hostile World update.

You can read about the main features below as detailed by Paradox Interactive.

• Bandit attacks: Bandits are at the gate and will attack if you don't give into their demands. Have your colonists fortify your gate and drive them back before the gate is breached. Bandit groups that are strong enough to break your defenses will pour into your colony, wreaking havoc on everything while your colonists try to mount a counterattack.
• Command Specialists: Take command of your Specialists while they are in the colony. You can now order Specialists to go on the offensive and attack invading bandits if your gate is breached.
• Wild animals: Wildlife in the wasteland has become aggressive and will attack your colonists. Viscous beasts will cluster around resources, blocking access until they're defeated. Animals can go on a rampage and storm the colony, damaging buildings and eating crops.
• **Shelter conditions:* Colonists have a mind of their own and will react to the player's decisions. They can even give helpful advice.
• The developer has incorporated player feedback into the game's bartering and trade system. Players can now barter with wider reputation ranges, take advantage of special deals, and more. There are new combat events and buildings on the way.

Surviving the Aftermath is only available on Xbox Game Preview for Xbox One and in early access through the Epic Games Store on PC. It's unclear if or when it's coming to PlayStation 4 or Nintendo Switch at this time.

What you need to know

• Surviving the Aftermath is a Game Preview title from Paradox Interactive.
• Several updates have added new features and content.
• The next update, Hostile World, is adding dangerous animals and more.
• Surviving the Aftermath is currently $20 for Xbox One at the Microsoft Store.

Surviving the Aftermath is a post-apocalyptic survival game from Paradox Interactive. Since its release, the game has received numerous updates, adding new features like trading vehicles and Twitch integration. Even more updates are on the way and Paradox Interactive has released a new teaser detailing some of what players can expect. This sixth update is titled Hostile World and you can check out the teaser below.

Hostile World is adding new dangerous animals, revised trading and more. If you're interested in learning more about the update, Paradox Interactive is holding a Twitch stream at 8 a.m. PDT on April 7.

Surviving the Aftermath is currently in Game Preview on Xbox One and PC via the Epic Games Store.

Xbox

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• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Surviving the Aftermath is a new game from Paradox Interactive.
• It's supposed to be like Surviving Mars, but it's set in a post-apocalyptic environment.
• The title is about to get leaders and societies.
• You can purchase Surviving the Aftermath for $20 on Xbox Game Preview.

Surviving the Aftermath is the next game in Paradox Interactive's "Surviving" brand and will launch in late 2020 on Steam, the Epic Games Store, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. If you're unsure about the title, it's available through the Epic Games Store Early Access and Xbox Game Preview right now. You can purchase it for $20, which appears to be a discounted price until the title launches later this year.

From what Windows Central was told, Surviving the Aftermath is set in a post-apocalyptic world after an asteroid impact, much like Rage 2. In a press release Windows Central received, the next update, titled "Update 4: Great Minds," adds leaders to other societies. Apparently, this is the first step in adding diplomacy and expanding trade. You can read about the major features below.

Society improvements

Technology tree

The technology tree has been rebuilt from scratch and now features five main research lines, with alternative routes and optional sub-branches.

Visuals

Are you interested in Surviving the Aftermath? Let us know. It seems like the game is becoming a deeper experience with every update. We can't wait to see how it evolves closer to launch.

Xbox

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• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
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• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Cities: Skylines is a city-building simulator for Xbox One and other platforms.
• The game just got 'Modern City Center' and 'Downtown Radio' packs.
• They add even more customization to the game if you're a content creator.
• Cities: Skylines is part of Xbox Game Pass.

Today, Paradox Interactive launched a new Content Creator Pack and Radio Station DLC for Cities: Skylines on Xbox One and PC. You can purchase Modern City Center and Downtown Radio through the Microsoft Store for $5 and $4 respectively. However, you can also buy the Downtown Radio Bundle for $8.

The packs contain the following items:

• Modern City Center adds 39 unique models featuring new commercial buildings.
• Downtown Radio adds 16 original songs from Troy Anderson which highlight lounge music.

If you love Cities: Skylines, be sure to check this one out. It makes the game an even larger experience. The title is even part of Xbox Game Pass so you can check it out through your subscription.

Xbox

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• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Xbox Game Pass is a subscription service that gives you access to over 200 games.
• Stellaris joined Xbox Game Pass for PC recently.
• The game is getting even more content with a new expansion soon.
• You can purchase Xbox Game Pass on Amazon.

It looks like Stellaris isn't done getting even more content. Today, Paradox Interactive announced another expansion for the critically-acclaimed experience. The game is an evolution of the 4X grand strategy genre with space exploration at its core. It features complex gameplay, a diverse selection of aliens, and emergent storytelling like many modern titles. According to the publisher, the game contains "engaging moments that reward interstellar exploration" as you traverse, discover, interact, and learn more about the characters you encounter.

The diplomacy-themed expansion, Federations, is coming later this year and focuses on negotiation above all else. The pen is mightier than the plasma launcher with the establishment of a powerful galactic senate. There's also a new species pack called Lithoids available for preorder now. It costs $8 and is launching on October 24.

Xbox Game Pass is a monthly subscription service that costs $10 a month on Xbox One or PC. If you're a new PC subscriber, you may be eligible for a promotion. You gain access to a number of great games and can download them immediately through the Microsoft Store. Keep in mind that only the base game is part of Xbox Game Pass. If you want to play the many expansions, you'll have to purchase them separately. It's easily a title you can spend hundreds of hours playing, maybe more.

Xbox

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• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Xbox Game Pass is a subscription service that gives you access to over 200 games.
• Stellaris just joined Xbox Game Pass for PC.
• It's a critically-acclaimed 4X grand strategy game.
• You can purchase a subscription to Xbox Game Pass on Amazon.

Yesterday, Microsoft announced that Stellaris was coming to Xbox Game Pass for PC. The is an evolution of the 4X grand strategy genre with space exploration at its core. It features complex gameplay, a diverse selection of aliens, and emergent storytelling like many modern titles. According to the publisher, the game contains "engaging moments that reward interstellar exploration" as you traverse, discover, interact, and learn more about the characters you encounter.

Xbox Game Pass is a monthly subscription service that costs $10 a month on Xbox One or PC. If you're a new PC subscriber, you may be eligible for a promotion. You gain access to a number of great games and can download them immediately through the Microsoft Store.

Only the base Stellaris game is part of Xbox Game Pass. If you want to play the many expansions, you'll have to purchase them separately. It's easily a title you can spend hundreds of hours playing, maybe more.

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Surviving the Aftermath is a new game from Paradox Interactive.
• It's supposed to be like Surviving Mars, but in a post-apocalyptic environment.
• It's coming to Xbox Game Preview later this year.

Surviving the Aftermath is the next game in Paradox Interactive's "Surviving" brand and will launch in late 2020 on Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. Luckily, the title will be available through Epic Games Store Early Access and Xbox Game Preview later this year.

Nikhat Ali, the Lead Producer on Surviving the Aftermath and Surviving Mars at Paradox, said the following about the new project.

From what Windows Central was told, Surviving the Aftermath will be set in a post-apocalypse setting after an asteroid impact, much like Rage 2. It's probably going to be like Surviving Mars, but only time will tell. We'll keep you posted as soon as we know more.

Xbox

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• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Cities: Skylines is a city-building simulator that is quite popular on consoles and PC.
• The long-awaited Campus expansion is finally available on Xbox One.
• It adds the ability to introduce more education options to your cities.
• You can purchase it for $13 through the Microsoft Store.

Today, Paradox Interactive launched an expansion for Cities: Skylines called Campus. Campus allows you to construct new area for students like a trade school, liberal arts college, and university. The team said that "players will be able to increase the reputation of their campuses by attracting students." With five types of varsity sports arenas, nine unique faculties, seven new policies, and five new maps, Campus will give you more to do for $13.

We've been testing out the Campus expansion for a few days now and it's a lot of fun. It's a great way to make your city popular and a destination for tourists. While there are certain challenges you have to overcome when dealing with high education, it's well worth the effort.

There are two other packs available with this expansion too. They're mostly geared towards creators and those who love the radio stations in the game. You'll have to buy them separately if you want access. Cities: Skylines is also currently available through Xbox Game Pass.

Xbox

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• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Stellaris: Console Edition is the popular port of the PC strategy game.
• The title keeps on receiving expansions now and then.
• Today, the Utopia content launched on Xbox One.
• You can purchase the expansion for $20 through the Microsoft Store.

Today, publisher Paradox Interactive and developer Tantalus Media launched Utopia, the first major expansion for Stellaris: Console Edition. Utopia adds a lot of new content which focuses on customization, but there's also a focus on genetic modification. The goal appears to be unlocking the full psionic potential of one's species through Transcendence.

Stellaris is an evolution of the grand strategy genre with space exploration at its core. It features complex gameplay, a diverse selection of aliens, and emergent storytelling like many modern titles. According to the publisher, the game contains "engaging moments that reward interstellar exploration" as you traverse, discover, interact, and learn more about the characters you encounter.

Some of Utopia's main features are listed below.

• Megastructures
• Habitat stations
• Ascension perks
• Indoctrination
• Control fallen empires
• Advanced governments

Stellaris: Utopia costs $20 on the Microsoft Store, but if you buy the Deluxe Edition Upgrade, you can get the past expansions and Utopia for $25. You'll need to own the base game for that though.

Xbox accessories you'll love

Every one of these quality accessories is guaranteed to enhance your Xbox experience.

PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller for Xbox One ($20 at Amazon)

PowerA's take on the Xbox One controller is an attractive pickup for budget-conscious gamers that nails all the basics.

Talon PDP Xbox media remote ($20 at Amazon)

The Talon PDP Xbox media remote is great for watching shows on your console.

Xbox One S vertical stand ($10 at Amazon)

Stand your console upright with this accessory.

What you need to know

• Age of Wonders: Planetfall is a strategy game from Paradox Interactive and Triumph Studios.
• The developer is known for the famous Overlord franchise.
• The game runs at 4K resolution on Xbox One X but features a better frame rate option.
• You can purchase it for $50 on Amazon.

A few months ago, Paradox Interactive — the publisher behind games like Cities: Skylines and Surviving Mars — announced Age of Wonders: Planetfall for Xbox One and other platforms. The title is a new strategy experience from Triumph Studios, the team behind critically-acclaimed games like Overlord.

In Age of Wonders: Planetfall, you start off entirely down and out. According to Triumph, the title brings turn-based empire building and tactical combat to a new setting. You emerge from the dark age of a fallen galactic empire to craft a new future for your people. While exploring planetary ruins and encountering other factions that have each evolved in their own way, you'll unravel the history of a shattered race and hopefully, learn from the mistakes of the past.

We've been testing out the game for the past week and can confirm that it features two graphical options on Xbox One X. "Favor Resolution" allows you to run the game at a higher resolution, and it seems like the frame rate is unlocked. It reaches 60 frames per second (FPS), but there are moments where it dips. "Favor Performance" lowers the resolution, but the game appears to run at a locked 60 FPS.

Paradox Interactive is known for creating amazing strategy games and bringing them to consoles. Age of Wonders: Planetfall is quite similar to Surviving Mars, but the fact that there's XCOM-like combat involved is the differentiating factor. If you're looking for a game that is challenging and requires dozens of hours to master, then be sure to give this one a go.

Xbox accessories you'll love

Every one of these quality accessories is guaranteed to enhance your Xbox experience.

PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller for Xbox One ($20 at Amazon)

PowerA's take on the Xbox One controller is an attractive pickup for budget-conscious gamers that nails all the basics.

Talon PDP Xbox media remote ($20 at Amazon)

The Talon PDP Xbox media remote is great for watching shows on your console.

Xbox One S vertical stand ($10 at Amazon)

Stand your console upright with this accessory.

Everything old is new again, especially when it comes to legacy role-playing games.

Paradox Interactive, the publisher behind Crusader Kings II, Stellaris, and other games you've probably spent way too much time playing, announced at GDC Thursday that it'll be releasing Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines II, the sequel to the cult classic action game that debuted in 2004.

The game is being developed by Hardsuit Labs, the company behind the free-to-play Blacklight: Retribution. It's based on the World of Darkness tabletop RPG of the same name, which has thrust players into the political world of immortal vampires, clans, and moral ambiguity since 1991.

Oddly, fans have been expecting an official announcement after an ARG released by Paradox seemed to tease the game.

"Keeping this game a secret for the last few years has been quite the Masquerade for us!" Ebba Ljungerud, CEO of Paradox Interactive, said in a press release. "It's both exciting and relieving to finally let everybody know what we have in store for them."

We got the opportunity to check out a small sampling of the game, which is set to release in Q1 2020. Paradox showed off the first 30 minutes of the pre-alpha build, so things including story elements, gameplay, and key art are subject to change

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You wake up in a courtroom

The first thing you experience in Bloodlines II is a courtroom and you're the one on trial. A bald man in a suit tells you that two weeks prior, you were created in a vampire attack and he wants to know why. A flashback shows that you were walking around Pioneer Square in Seattle when a group of vampires started attacking random citizens and siring new kindred (the series' name for vampires) without the go-ahead of a clan.

But you don't know much more than that and as you recount your story, the upper brass — representing warring clans — start fighting and the whole place goes up in flames. You escape into the Seattle Underground and discover that you have heightened senses and new powers. This is where the game introduces the three play styles you can choose from: Chiropteran, which relies on the power of bats; Nebulation, where you have control over mist; and Mentalism where you use abilities like telekineses to fight and move.

You escape but are confronted by a man with a cellphone. You find out he's being controlled by a mysterious woman who's on the other line and tells you what you are and what you need to do. There's a man on the pier that can help, she says. She also tells you that you need to feed, so you drain blood from the poor man in front of you.

You arrive at the pier after your first combat encounter and come across a man named Dominic. He tells you that there is something mysterious at work in the underbelly of the city and gives you an address to an apartment, but he's soon decapitated by a gray-haired assassin. He's also about to kill you but says that you aren't on his list and he lets you go.

You go to the apartment where you meet another vampire named Dale. He gives you some basics on the world — that there are warring clans and that as a clanless vampire, you're in immediate danger. He tells you to stay out of sunlight and out of the way of normal humans. This is where the "Masquerade" comes in. Vampires must not reveal themselves to humans and to do so is a major violation. He gives you the key to the apartment and lets you go.

At this point, your character can go out exploring, whether it's to feed, fight enemies, find clues to the larger mystery, or to try out your powers. There is a main storyline, but the rest is up to you.

How do you follow up after so long?

It's been 15 years since Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines. The action role-playing game, developed by the now-defunct Troika, became a cult classic post-release and it's easy to see why. Compared to other games at the time, it offered this unique blend of role-playing, narrative, and combat — encapsulating all the best parts of the pen-and-paper tabletop game.

Nowadays, games are extremely good at balancing multiple elements, genres, and play styles so on paper, Bloodlines 2 isn't particularly innovative. However, there are key elements that Paradox and Hardsuit showed off in the pre-alpha build that developers hope will pay tribute to the older game, but expand on it.

For one, key pieces are returning. Hardsuit managed to hook up with Brian Mitsoda, who worked on the original game and is returning as the lead narrative designer. The dark, noir tone is also present, as is the fog.

At the preview, developers explained that they used the last game as a stepping stone, taking elements that might not have been ideal and attempting to perfect them. In the first Bloodlines, for example, you're put immediately into the thick of all the clan and political intrigue that defines the World of Darkness RPGs. The issue is that people entering the game might not be familiar.

"The first game you're just dumped into character creation without a full understanding of what you're getting into," Rachel Leiker, the lead UX and UI designer for Hardsuit, said. "For this game we wanted you to focus on building up your vampire-ness first before we bring you into the whole clan environment because those two can be two different experiences for gameplay."

Fans more familiar with the series won't be missing out on any intricacies. The beginning character creator will allow you to choose how you look cosmetically, but it'll also let you choose who you were before coming down with a case of vampirism. As the game goes on, you'll be able to choose your place out of five clans, figure out the mystery of why you got turned, and how the political climate is changing Seattle.

Those with series experience know that your outer appearance is not only great for cementing your character but also informs how others in the world interact with you. The same goes for Bloodlines II. As you decide whether to feed constantly, what clan to join, your play style, and other factors, it'll change what quests you encounter, dialogue choices you'll get, and generally how people react to you.

Player choice was a key part of the first Bloodlines, and developers wanted to maintain that here. Everything adds to what story you'll get as you progress — things as small as dialogue choices to events in the main story can be impacted by your decisions. It's unclear just how many different play styles, character types, and tracks there are but Leiker said there was "a lot."

"We have built systems and experiences around making sure the player has utter control over the kind of stuff they want to do in the game," she said.

Seattle is great for vampires. It rains all the time

A huge change between the two games is location. The first took place in various places around Los Angeles, while the second takes place in Seattle. The latter city doesn't feature prominently in any of the pen-and-paper campaigns but was chosen because that's where Hardsuit is based. It's also just a great setting for Vampire: The Masquerade, a story that's intrinsically about political conflict and progress vs. tradition.

"There's actually a lot of history there," Martin Ka'ai Cluney, creative director at Hardsuit told me. "Seattle historically is a very pioneer, progressive, traditional town and over the last few years, Microsoft, Amazon, the whole tech thing is affecting Seattle. There's definitely a constant push and pull between progress and tradition. it reflected larger themes that are going on throughout the country and throughout the world ... That constant tension, where there's really no give, was a really good bed for the story."

Plus it looks great at night. And in the rain. Isn't that all a vampire wants?

The deep history and lore is also something you might want. Dominic — that poor sap who got decapitated — has been researching the vampire clans, but also Seattle's history as a city run by criminals. You essentially find a starter pack of research in his apartment. In the world of Bloodlines II, real-world events have supernatural twists, and you can find these bits as you explore. There's also a side quest where you can find all the other humans that were turned the night you were. Everything about this is optional, but it's a huge part of the game not only in terms of gameplay but of depth and meaning. Bloodlines II seems to be a game that's as much about its location as it is about the protagonist.

Final thoughts

It's always tough to say what a game will look like at release when all you have is a pre-alpha build. That being said, there's a lot of promise for fans of RPGs and player choice. World of Darkness has fans not just because you get to play as supernatural creatures (although that's definitely a part of it) but because you can engage with a much larger system of political intrigue and social strategy. Hardsuit seems to understand that freedom and a complex narrative is key to Vampire: The Masquerade and that's incorporated into the game's foundation.

It's unclear how large this game will be, how many tracks there are for players, or even what clans are involved (that'll be revealed at a later date), but based on what's here, there's a lot to look forward to, even for people new to the series.

Bloodlines 2 is now available for pre-order on Steam, the Epic Games Store, GOG, and the Paradox Store for $60. Paradox is also offering a "Season of the Wolf" season pass for $90, which gives players access to additional story content expected to be released after launch. The game is expected to debut in Q1 2020 on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Are you excited for a new Vampire: The Masquerade game? Did you play the first installment? Sound off in the comments below.

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Stellaris is an evolution of the grand strategy genre with space exploration at its core. It features deep gameplay, a rich and diverse selection of aliens, and emergent storytelling. According to publisher Paradox Interactive, Stellaris contains engaging moments that reward interstellar exploration as you traverse, discover, interact, and learn more about the species you encounter during your travels. There are a lot of mechanics to master here, so be prepared for a somewhat steep learning curve when you first dive in. It takes some time to get familiar with the gameplay, but it's quite satisfying once you do.

The game has received exemplary post-launch support from its developer for many months now, and the content drops aren't about to stop anytime soon. Recently, the team announced the "MegaCorp" expansion. The publisher says that "MegaCorp introduces a revolutionary new way to conduct business on a galactic scale though new markets and city planets with state-of-the-art citizen solutions and more marketable human capital. Today, the team released a video detailing the main features in the upcoming expansion. It's expected to launch on December 6, 2018 for PC.

• Corporate Culture: Chief Executive Officers of a MegaCorp can conduct business on a galaxy-wide scale with a host of new civics. This allows you to focus on trade to an unprecedented degree.
• City World: With "Ecumenopolis," players can increase the population density of core worlds to truly epic proportions, eventually creating a planet-spanning megacity. If you've ever wanted to build a structure out of Star Wars, this will give you the chance.
• Caravaneer Fleets: Caravaneers are nomadic interstellar wheelers-and-dealers who stay aloof from galactic politics, and always have a bargain up their sleeve. These individuals are great if you're looking to quickly trade and don't want to journey back to a particular outpost.
• Megastructures: More buildings like the "Matter Decompressor," "Mega-Art Installation," and "Strategic Coordination Center" are coming. This are more variety to the experience and allow you to accomplish even more.
• Galactic Slave Market: This is quite controversial, because hopefully the future will include better rights for everyone. The name is self-explanatory to say the least. You can essentially buy labor for your galactic empire, but it doesn't mean that you should.

Hopefully all of these expansions will be available at launch when the game hits consoles in a few months. Since the game's release in May 2016, it has sold over 1.5 million copies on PC. While success on PC doesn't guarantee success on consoles, it's still a good metric to gauge interest.

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Updated November 20, 2018: Stellaris: MegaCorp should launch on December 6, 2018 on PC.

Stellaris is an evolution of the grand strategy genre with space exploration at its core. It features deep gameplay, a rich and diverse selection of aliens, and emergent storytelling. According to publisher Paradox Interactive, Stellaris contains engaging moments that reward interstellar exploration as you traverse, discover, interact, and learn more about the species you encounter during your travels. There are a lot of mechanics to master here, so be prepared for a somewhat steep learning curve when you first dive in. It takes some time to get familiar with the gameplay, but it's quite satisfying once you do.

The game has received exemplary post-launch support from its developer for many months now, and the content drops aren't about to stop anytime soon. Today, the team announced the "MegaCorp" expansion. The publisher says that "MegaCorp introduces a revolutionary new way to conduct business on a galactic scale though new markets and city planets with state-of-the-art citizen solutions and more marketable human capital."

Hopefully all of these expansions will be available at launch when the game hits consoles. Hopefully Stellaris will be a polished experience on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 at launch.

We'll keep you posted as soon as we receive a concrete release date. Since the game's release in May 2016, it has sold over 1.5 million copies on PC. While success on PC doesn't guarantee success on consoles, it's still a good metric to gauge interest.

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Updated November 14, 2018: Space Race is supposedly coming to Xbox One on November 15, 2018. There will also be a free weekend then.

Surviving Mars is a colony-building experience which tasks you with thriving on the red planet. Today, publisher Paradox Interactive and developer Haemimont Games announced the game's first expansion called "Space Race". Space Race is coming to all platforms later this year.

The companies said that the download focuses on "rival colonies and mission sponsors". Space Race pits Earth's countries and powerful companies against each other as they compete for resources on Mars. You can even steal key colonists or monopolize crucial discoveries.

Recently, Surviving Mars got an update which adds a Creative Mode. You'll be able to have even more resources and not have to worry about surviving all the time. This should make the game accessible to even more players.

If you love games like Cities: Skylines, be sure to give Surviving Mars a go. It's a very challenging experience, but once you master the mechanics it can be quite rewarding.

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Today, developer Haemimont Games and publisher Paradox Interactive launched the free "Sagan" update for Surviving Mars. Surviving Mars is a colony simulator set on the red planet. The download adds more hardcore gameplay options and a new logo that looks like Pac-Man. However, the biggest news has to be the permanent price drop to $29.99 across all platforms.

The update features the following major additions.

• All Outta Luck: Face 24 new challenges in separate playthroughs.
• Not All Wins are Created Equal: Each challenge has a rating and it'll take a lot of skill to an "Excellent".
• How Time Flies: All challenges will now have a time requirement.

Haemimont Games Producer Bisser Dyankov added, "Our players were calling to be able to increase the difficulty for Surviving Mars, so we decided to take it to the next level with a free update for everyone that focuses on challenges. We're also announcing a new look and price for the Surviving Mars brand to better represent the game it has become and reinforce our commitment to responding to the ways that players old and new enjoy playing it."

Surviving Mars is a very challenging game, but once you master the mechanics it can be quite rewarding. There's another patch in the works which adds a creative mode and other features to make the game easier. Right now the issue with Surviving Mars has to be its steep learning curve and lack of creative freedom.

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Stellaris is an evolution of the grand strategy genre with space exploration at its core. It features deep gameplay, a rich and diverse selection of aliens, and emergent storytelling. According to publisher Paradox Interactive, Stellaris contains engaging moments that reward interstellar exploration as you traverse, discover, interact, and learn more about the species you encounter during your travels. There are a lot of mechanics to master here, so be prepared for a somewhat steep learning curve when you first dive in. It takes some time to get familiar with the gameplay, but it's quite satisfying once you do.

Stellaris has only been available on PC ever since it launched in 2016, but that's about to change soon. Today at Gamescom 2018, the publisher announced that the title was coming to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 "soon". The popular space exploration game will be the first ever grand strategy experience to hit consoles.

Stellaris: Console Edition is made with thumbstick input in mind. There will be a few different versions to choose from when the game goes on sale. For example, if you pick up one of the deluxe editions, you get access to a few upcoming expansions. Just like the PC release, the console port will be regularly updated with new features and improvements.

Hopefully Stellaris will be a polished experience on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 at launch. We'll keep you posted as soon as we receive a concrete release date. Since the game's release in May 2016, it has sold over 1.5 million copies on PC. While success on PC doesn't guarantee success on consoles, it's still a good metric to gauge interest.

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Cities: Skylines is a modern take on the classic city simulator. The game introduces new gameplay elements to realize the thrill and hardships of creating and maintaining a real city whilst expanding on some well-established tropes of the city building experience. We've extensively played the title and believe that this game surpasses even the earlier Sim City games.

Today, Paradox Interactive released the "Mass Transit" expansion on consoles. According to the publisher, commuters can now get around on the water, up high mountain peaks, and even across the sky thanks to the addition of monorails, cable cars, and blimps to Cities: Skylines. Along with new transit service buildings, mass transit hubs where lines can exchange passengers, new scenarios, new landmarks, and new road types add unique style and personality to metropolises.

In our review we wrote, "few modern city-building games approach Cities: Skylines in terms of quality and depth, and it's awesome to see a smaller developer step in and prove that there's still an audience for this type of game, even if the big players weren't willing to provide it." EA might be too caught up in nickel-and-diming consumers, but at least the genre lives on in more capable hands.

Cities: Skylines joined Xbox Game Pass in April 2018. Membership costs $9.99 each month, so be sure to check it out if you want a Netflix-style subscription for games on Xbox One and Windows 10.

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Surviving Mars is a challenging colony-building game which requires you to painstakingly gather resources to construct elaborate structures. Unfortunately, this level of difficulty doesn't appeal to everyone and limits the title's customer base. Luckily, Haemimont Games realized this problem and are working to address it very soon.

In a new forum post, community manager "candyalien" shared details about an upcoming "Creative Mode" in the "Da Vinci" update. Creative Mode is a relaxed game experience with a focus on city-building and aesthetics instead of survival. Sometimes you may want to quickly create a huge colony to experiment with different base setups or just experience the mysteries without constantly worrying about survival. The mode features easy maintenance, easy research, fast rockets, fast scanning, free construction, healthy colonists, and $100 billion of additional funding.

It's safe to say that it just lets you build and build, without having to worry about annihilation. This was a much-requested feature and it's great to see Haemimont Games listen to the community. However, the Da Vinci update brings a lot more improvements. Changes to storage management, power connectivity, and the camera are also in the works.

Tweaks to storage management will allow you to set a custom "Desired Amount" for resources. Drones and shuttles will try to maintain that, thereby increasing a colony's efficiency. Power grids will be easier to manage too because individual connections won't be required for each structure. Lastly, the new "Follow Camera" tracks the movement of a selected unit so you can see it go in even more detail.

It's unclear when this free update will hit Xbox One and other platforms, but we'll keep you posted as soon as it does. Haemimont Games also promised changes to pacing, survival, and quality of life. Surviving Mars is just getting started, and we can't wait to see what the future holds for this fantastic game. Surviving Mars is also getting a free "Sagan" update in September which makes the game even harder.

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Surviving Mars is a colony builder which launched on Xbox One and other platforms on March 15, 2018. Unlike creating sprawling cities on Earth, the game is all about colonizing Mars and surviving its challenges. It's more of a survival builder than a traditional Cities: Skylines-like experience. According to developer Haemimont Games, Surviving Mars is a "focused game about creating interconnected systems and testing them against the threats of a hostile environment."

Today, Paradox Interactive revealed the free "Mysteries Resupply Pack" for Surviving Mars. According to the publisher, the download throws a curveball at your meticulously managed settlements with new enigmas to uncover and exploit. It's coming to PC today and consoles tomorrow.

New mysteries coming to Mars with this add-on are listed below.

• St. Elmo's Fire: Colonists find it hard to get a good night;s sleep, especially when mysterious lights begin appearing where they have no reason to be.
• The Philosopher's Stone: Encounter beings that are a far cry from the fleshy bags we call carbon-based life when the colony stumbles upon entirely crystalline entities.
• Metatron: Colonists look to the sky agape as a great floating monolith has parked itself directly above the fledgling colony.

It's great to see that Surviving Mars is constantly getting updates and becoming a better game as a result. Hopefully this trend will continue into the future. Aven Colony and Planetbase are other colony-building games on Xbox One which focus on other planets. However, neither offer a completely immersive experience due to the unnecessary repetition. Surviving Mars is currently in a league of its own.

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Today, Paradox Interactive announced Age of Wonders: Planetfall, a new strategy game from Triumph Studios. You may remember the developer from critically-acclaimed games like Overlord. The title is coming to consoles and PC in 2019.

Paradox is known for its strategy games and Age of Wonders: Planetfall is no different. The title will bring turn-based empire building and tactical combat to a new sci-fi setting. In the game, you emerge from the dark age of a fallen galactic empire to craft a new future for your people. Exploring the planetary ruins and encountering other factions that have each evolved in their own way, you will unravel the history of a shattered race.

Triumph Studios head Lennart Sas issued the following statement alongside the reveal.

We can't wait to get our hands on Age of Wonders: Planetfall in 2019. Hopefully the game will be a polished experience when it launches next year. Until then, be sure to gawk over the striking trailer!

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Today, Paradox Interactive revealed that the "Distant Stars" expansion for Stellaris should launch on May 22, 2018. Distant Stars is a new story pack which transports players to uncharted solar systems. For $9.99, the pack should add new content and features including a sealed jump lane in the gateway network leading to a mysterious sector entirely outside of known space, but players must be quick as the mightiest empires of the galaxy are all racing to find the secret to unlock it.

Players will uncover new anomalies and storylines, and find strange new beings in the depths of space. The content begins when you discover hidden traces of an ancient gateway network unlocking a path to a constellation outside the galaxy. You have to plot unexplored unique solar systems, each with their own story to tell. Lastly, you'll come into contact with a number of unique gargantuan creatures that exist and thrive in the vacuum of space.

It's great to see that Stellaris is being aggressively supported even over a year later. Usually, many developers release a "Game of the Year Edition" by now and move onto the next project. Stellaris is a title you can play for hundreds of hours so it's understandable why the developer's approach is this long term.

According to the developer, Stellaris is an evolution of the grand strategy genre with space exploration at its core. It features deep strategic gameplay, and a rich and enormously diverse selection of alien races and emergent storytelling. The game contains engaging moments that reward interstellar exploration as you traverse, discover, interact, and learn more about the multitude of species you will encounter during your travels. There are a lot of mechanics to master here so be prepared for a somewhat steep learning curve when you first dive in. It takes some time to get familiar with the gameplay, but it's quite satisfying once you do.

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Keep an eye on WindowsCentral.com/Gaming for all the latest in Xbox and Windows 10 gaming, accessories, news, and reviews!