Heating Up

CIVILIZATION VI: GATHERING STORM is a great expansion full of disasters and politicking that stumbles at the end.

- Fraser Brown

Civilization VI: Gathering Storm turns climate change into an end boss. After thousands of years of progress and expansion, the surviving civilizations have another hurdle to jump over, one that’s ostensibly greater and more complex than any they’ve encountered before. It throws plans into disarray, transforms the map and can’t be overcome by armies or culture. It’s the most exciting Civilization has been in ages.

For most of history, civs have barely any impact on the climate. It’s not until resources like coal and oil start being exploited that CO2 emissions start to increase and transform the map, mostly through rising sea levels. Bad weather, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, however, can interfere with your empire-building plans whenever, so nature is a persistent adversary.

The very first choice you make after picking a civ—there are eight new ones, and nine new leaders—is finding a hex to settle on, typically on your first turn. Straight away, Gathering Storm flings a few more decisions into the mix.

If you’re playing as the Maori, for instance, you start at sea and get bonuses for every turn you choose to forgo putting down roots, though that also leaves you incredibly vulnerable to barbarian attacks.

The Phoenicians get more flexibility, later on, thanks to their ability to move their capital to any other city with their unique harbor, the cotton.