It is a law of the Medes and Persians: no Civilization without an extension or two. Developer Firaxis has built up a deserving reputation over the years when it comes to its robust expansion packages. You can expect more from a Firaxis expansion than a freightload of extra content. Not that we are complaining about the eight new civilizations, four new units, fourteen new buildings and two new districts.
Civilization 6 Rise and Fall is in a difficult situation. Unlike Civ 5, part 6 was already very complete. Religion and culture were completely intertwined from day one with the core of the game, in which you build and expand your chosen civilization throughout the ages. The trick is to deepen the gameplay without making the game unclear. That works for the most part, but when carrying all the mechanics on the shoulders, sweat droplets begin to form on the forehead of Civilization.
It can freeze, it can thaw
The core of Rise and Fall is in the title. The great empires of history experienced flowering periods and times of decay and the expansion simulates them with Ages. The periods were already in the basic game, such as the Classical Age and the Industrial Age, but were mainly cosmetic. Every time you perform something worthy of Rise and Fall, such as getting rid of a camp barbarians or converting an exotic city, you will receive some Era Points. As soon as the world as a whole begins a new era, the balance is drawn up. If you earn enough, a Normal Age will follow for you. After a stroke over the globe, you can choose a small bonus from four options.
It becomes more interesting as soon as you have earned too little or even more of those points. In case of a shortage your civilization will slide into a Dark Age. This can potentially be catastrophic for you, because in Rise and Fall the loyalty of your cities is no longer given. If things go wrong, your good citizens can come to the conclusion that those Brazilians, who are currently undergoing a Golden Age, are much cozier and join them. This means that keeping your residents happy is even more important than before. It also gives players an organic way to expand the territory, without having to grab weapons.
The loyalty system works well: it can be an effective tool without feeling too strong. The new mechanism, however, puts a finger on the sore spot of Civilization 6. There is also the comparable Amenity system, which expresses per city how happy and comfortable your inhabitants are. The two systems exist side by side, but how they influence each other can not be seen at a single glance. Civilization 6 was already the most complex iteration of the series and with rules that simulate the same thing - but again not - the game threatens to lose its typical accessibility.
New management
To let the noses point in the same direction, you are fortunately not completely surrendered to the whims of Father Time. New in Civilization 6: Rise and Fall are the seven Governors, with which you can further specialize your cities. In addition to the much-needed bonuses for loyalty, every governor has his own taste. For example, Victor is a star in defense, while Liang is an expert in placing new Districts and Improvements.
Moreover, the interaction with competing civilizations has been deepened. If a player makes an all-too-strong move, such as conquering several city states or the use of nuclear weapons, an Emergency can occur. During this crisis, several Civs may apply for joint action against the guilty party. If the goal is achieved, such as liberating a city state within thirty innings, the attacking alliance will receive a big reward. Should the defender resist the storm, however, it will receive a bonus per participant. Emergencies thus form an extra brake on a player for whom it all goes too easy and makes the 'late game' a bit more exciting.
The AI is missing a few bits in its byte
Honestly, that lack of challenge continues to haunt Civilization 6. After several large updates the AI has indeed improved a lot. We have not seen any computer-controlled Civs filling every square of their empire with hopelessly outdated Warriors. Even Gandhi can not resist the temptation not to dive with an army of elephants on a weak player. Yet at the tactical level, the computer still fails to win. Build a wall, train a few archers and most invasions still survive.
We expect two things from an extension for Civilization. First of all, more content to broaden the playing experience is always welcome and Rise and Fall does not disappoint. Secondly, we hope for greater depth and here too the first expansion for Civilization 6 meets our high expectations. The introduction of loyalty, depending on glory times and dark ages, is neatly woven into the foundation of the game. We are also very enthusiastic about the new ways to exert influence through the governors and the extra dynamics of Emergencies. Still, it woes, because for those who have mastered the sometimes obscure rules, the game still offers little challenge.
Sid Meier's Civilization 6: Rise and Fall is available now for PC.
Conclusion
Sid Meier's Civilization 6 Rise and Fall is bursting with new content and also knows how to enrich the basic game with new ideas. The loyalty system gives new routes to victory and also the smaller innovations make the pots more dynamic. Unfortunately, the pain points of the basic game did not receive the same attention.
✔ A lot of extra content, loyalty makes new strategies possible, more dynamic
✖ AI remains weak, new mechanisms make the game less accessible
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