Strategy specialists Paradox had a big day today, unveiling a range of new projects set to be released over the next few years, including both new games and expansions to existing games.
CITIES: SKYLINES 2 ANNOUNCED
Big news first: Cities: skylinesthe world’s leading urban planner and a game that’s kind of eight years old now, gets a sequel. The debut trailer is only cinematic, unfortunately, so not much to gain, but the accompanying press release provides a little more information:
A modern take on the city-building genre, Cities: Skylines II allows players to create and maintain cities that come to life like never before, complete with fully realized transportation and economic systems, a wealth of building and customization options, and advanced modding opportunities. Revealed during the Paradox Announcement Show 2023Cities: Skylines II advances the city-builder genre, allowing players to build the cities of their dreams with the world’s most open city-builder sandbox.
OK, so not. It also doesn’t tell us anything, especially what this will do, that we can’t already do Cities: skylines. Well, at least it looks nicer! Perhaps!
CRUSADER KINGS III: TOURS AND TOURNAMENTS
Crusader Kings III gets a new extension called tours and tournaments, which like the last major update of the game, royal courtis geared more towards the character and RPG side of the game than its broader strategic content.
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There is a lot more information about it herebut basically:
By assembling an entourage, choosing options for your journey and hiring a caravan master, you are ready to set off and travel to activities around the world. The travel system is an integral part of activities where both the host and guests travel to reach them – creating a greater sense of place as you see your route being planned and your character moving right on the map.
The expansion adds three major events to travel to: Grand Tournaments, Grand Weddings, and Grand Tours, where you can strut your realm, meet people, and offer the player even more menus that prompt you to choose a dialogue / action option.
It will appear in “late spring”.
THE LEAGUE OF LAMPLIGHTS
That looks cool! This is a brand new thing, a “tactical turn-based strategy game set in an alternate year 1933,” which is a longer description of what was certainly its elevator pitch, namely, “It is Indiana Jones X XCOM“.
Since this trailer doesn’t contain any gameplay, here’s a second one:
The game is slated for release in 2023 on “PC and Xbox Series X and S consoles.”
UNIVERSAL EUROPE IV
The venerable grand strategy classic Europa Universalis IV receives its 2168th expansion dominationwhich “features new mission trees, new government reforms, new estate management, and new events for several of the major powers in the game.”
That means powers like Britain, Europe, and France “have been given new life and balance, with greater historical depth, more promising rewards, and branching mission trees, allowing player choices to have a dramatic impact on how the story unfolds.”
Paradox also made a number of smaller announcements for smaller titles, such as an expansion to Surviving the Aftermath and “mechabelluma sci-fi auto battler game that pits players against ever-growing armies of mechs, robots, and heavy guns. which you can view here.
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