Every decision here builds a lineage rather than a single nation. How your civilization changes between Ages, or refuses to, is the new question at the centre of it.

Ages, and what survives them

The game is split into Ages of human advancement, and at each transition you choose how your civilization carries forward. Leaders and civilizations are separate, so the combinations are yours to make.

The usual, done better

Settlements and Wonders grow your territory, research pushes you forward, and the map keeps unexplored ground worth reaching. Rivals can be fought or worked with, and both are proper strategies.

Alone or against people

There is a full solo campaign and online multiplayer, and the victory conditions leave room to win on your own terms rather than everyone else's.