I like strategy games, but they start to lose me as they grow increasingly complex to the point of near-impenetrability. That's largely kept me away from grand strategy and 4X games, which tend to offer the richest sandboxes to the most committed players, occasionally at the cost of accessibility to newcomers. The only series in the style that's truly won my heart is Age of Wonders, the fourth of which you can try for free this weekend until Monday, Nov. 17.
If you're not familiar, Age of Wonders marries the deep strategy of 4X to turn-based tactical RPG gameplay. It also grounds a lot of the map-painting in intuitive, tangible roleplay scenarios: You don't play a faceless nation, but a customizable ruler and culture, gathering magical artifacts, schools of magic, skills, and provinces as you explore the world. You can play as anything from classic fantasy dwarfs to gothic, power-mad molemen, and territory is won with turn-based battles made up of your custom troops.
In his review, online editor Fraser Brown said Age of Wonders 4 "demands to be played over and over," and I concur. It's also a great hangout game with asynchronous multiplayer that can be played cooperatively or competitively, ideal for playing tug-of-war with fantasy fiefdoms while shooting the breeze over Discord.
This free weekend roughly coincides with the launch of a new vampire-themed DLC, as well as a sale where you can nab the game for $25 on Steam, 50% off the regular price. The free period just seems to include the base game, but there's plenty to dive into without any expansions.
