Age of Wonders 3: Eternal Lords

Eternal Lords gives Age of Wonders 3 a much-needed shot in the arm. Not only does it add a powerful new hero class, it changes the way the whole game is played, representing an evolution of the franchise. The most obvious additions to the game are the two new races -- the Frostlings and the Tigrans -- and the new Necromancer class. The Frostlings are a race of snow-and-ice-loving people, while the Tigrans are a race of desert-dwelling cat people. The new Necromancer could very well be the coolest class in the game now, since it lets players bring razed cities back to life, access cool new units, and turn entire populations into undead ghouls. With all this, Eternal Lords also adds a new win condition and a new morality system that enable players to win using diplomacy rather than war and to create paradoxical leaders such as evil Theocrats and benevolent Necromancers.

There also are new Frostling and Tigran scenarios and new maps, both full of new hidden treasures and monsters. The only downside here is that though the expansion adds plenty, it doesn't do anything to address existing problems such as interface issues (for instance, clumsy unit selection) or the steepness of the game's overall learning curve. Still, Age of Wonders 3: Eternal Lords is a quality expansion that's well worth the money. Its new class, systems, and story content go a long way to change the game as a whole and on their own are good for hours of strategy-based fun.