As the second downloadable expansion for Civilization VI (2016), Gathering the Storm (2019) is certainly going all out. With how much they have put into this expansion you would have to think that this is the last hurrah for Civilization VI and the next step will be the seventh game in the series.
How to Download Civilization VI: Gathering the Storm
You can download this DLC from Steam. You might want to also get your hands on the first expansion which is Civilization VI: Rise and Fall (2018). To download the game, click on the button below this review. It is also worth checking out the previous game of the series, which was Civ 5, released back in 2010.
The Game Review
So what is new? Well, this is one of the most amazing expansions packs the Civilization series has ever seen. You, of course, have some new leaders that you can play as. The one that I thought was really cool was the Maori. You start off at sea and have to find land, but the way they play and the way they evolve as a civilization is very different from what we have experienced in the past.
Hungary, Canada, Inca, and Sweden are just some of the new Civilizations that you can try to rise to greatness. Of course, each one will have their own strengths and weaknesses and I would say that some are much easier to play as than others, but that is all part of the fun of Civilization VI: Gathering the Storm.
Another great new addition is the natural disasters. These are just flat out awesome and the first time you encounter one you have a split feeling. On one hand, it is one of the coolest things you have ever seen in the series. On the other, though you are terrified of what this could mean for your civilization.
If there is a massive flood then you can lose a lot of your resources, likewise if a volcano erupts. Of course, if your civilization is near a volcano, you have to expect this. What is pretty cool is that while a natural disaster brings utter devastation, you can grow from the ashes of it quite quickly if you are smart. Also as you progress through the ages you can figure ways around them. Flooding, for example, can be prevented with the proper defenses.
You can actually manage natural disasters with a slider. You can make it so that they happen very infrequently or you can crank the slider all the way up and laugh (and cry) at all the carnage that is happening.
There is also a really neat climate change system in Civilization VI: Gathering the Storm. This is very clever and of course the more you abuse the world by burning fossil fuels and so on, the more of a negative effect you will have on the climate. You can see which tiles you are going to lose as a result of your action. I would bet that most people will end up losing at least a few tiles due to climate change.
Another feature that is a lot of fun is The Grievances system. Instead of warmongering like was in the game before. You can now build up a list of grievances against another leader that just keeps getting on your nerves. When you have a decent enough list it is much easier to get other places on your side to go and put those people in their place. This is a really fun system and hopefully, it is expanded upon in the next game.
I have really just touched the tip of the iceberg with all the fantastic additions that are part of Civilization VI: Gathering the Storm. There really is so much that has been added or touch up in this game that it feels more like Civilization VI.5 than just another expansion. If you love the series then you are really in for a treat with this.
