Yes, if you enjoy Sid Meier's Civilization VI, Gathering Storm is widely considered an essential expansion that significantly enhances the core game experience by introducing a dynamic and evolving world.
Released approximately a year after the Rise and Fall expansion, Gathering Storm brought even more features to Civilization VI, alongside new civilizations, wonders, and units. It was well-received upon its release, with many players and critics expressing significant enjoyment and rating it highly for its comprehensive additions.
Key Features and Enhancements
Gathering Storm primarily focuses on environmental effects and international diplomacy, adding new layers of strategic depth to the game.
- Dynamic Climate Change & Natural Disasters: The world itself becomes a more active participant. As civilizations advance and use resources, the global climate can change, leading to rising sea levels and more frequent natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, floods, droughts, and blizzards. These events can devastate or enrich tiles, forcing players to adapt their strategies.
- World Congress & Diplomatic Victory: The World Congress makes a grand return, allowing civilizations to vote on various resolutions that can impact the entire world, from economic sanctions to emergency aid. This also introduces a dedicated Diplomatic Victory condition, requiring shrewd negotiation and the accumulation of diplomatic favor.
- Power & Consumable Resources: Strategic resources like oil and uranium are no longer static; they become consumable and are crucial for powering advanced units and buildings. This adds a new layer of resource management and strategic trade.
- New Civilizations, Leaders, Wonders, and Units: The expansion introduces a diverse roster of new civilizations and leaders, each with unique abilities, alongside new wonders, districts, buildings, and military units to discover and utilize throughout different eras. These additions significantly expand gameplay possibilities and replayability.
Why Gathering Storm is Recommended
Many players and critics have found that Gathering Storm deepens the strategic gameplay and adds considerable replayability to Civilization VI. It was well-received upon its release, with reviewers expressing significant enjoyment and rating it highly for its comprehensive additions. The environmental factors provide a constant challenge and opportunity, while the revamped diplomacy system offers new avenues for interaction and victory.
Here’s a quick overview of how Gathering Storm impacts your game:
| Feature Category | Base Game / Rise and Fall Focus | Gathering Storm Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Effects | Static map with minor features | Active climate change, frequent natural disasters |
| Diplomacy | Limited treaties & grievances | Revamped World Congress, Diplomatic Victory |
| Strategic Resources | Static, binary availability | Consumable, dynamic power generation, tradeable |
| Added Content | Core set of civs, wonders, units | New civilizations, wonders, and units |
| Late-Game | Can feel repetitive | More dynamic, complex, and impactful decisions |
Who Should Buy It?
- Existing Civ VI Players: If you already own Civilization VI and enjoy its gameplay, Gathering Storm is often cited as a must-have due to the significant enhancements it brings to the core mechanics.
- Players Seeking Depth: If you're looking for more strategic complexity, particularly in resource management, diplomacy, and environmental challenges, this expansion delivers.
- Those Who Value Replayability: The dynamic nature of climate change and natural disasters ensures that no two games will play out exactly the same way, encouraging repeated playthroughs.
While the added complexity might require a bit of a learning curve for newcomers, the enhancements are largely seen as improvements that enrich the overall Civilization VI experience. Consider picking it up during a sale for the best value.
