As new Age of Wonders 4 DLC unleashes elder vampires, a huge update and free weekend make the 4X game easier to start

It's a great time to start playing Age of Wonders 4, whether you're already a fan of Triumph Studios and Paradox's magical 4X game or have always been tempted to try it. Quietly one of the strategy giant's strongest series, its sense of character rivals the likes of Total War Warhammer 3. Now, the new Age of Wonders DLC, Thrones of Blood, allows you to embody the might of an elder vampire, and it's accompanied by a major overhaul in the form of the Gargoyle update. The latter includes improved onboarding for new players, as well as a free weekend that lets you get a taste of the base game for nothing.

The new Age of Wonders 4 expansion is all about capturing that vampire fantasy in every aspect of the world. The new ruler type is the elder vampire, "a sovereign of eternal night" with access to a wealth of dark abilities. They can transform other recruited heroes into vampire servants, build a castle to lord over their empire from, and collect thralls that can be consumed to fuel powerful ritual spells.

Ever wanted to perform forbidden rites on your own units to enhance your powers, or torment your foes by causing their own actions to inflict untold agony upon themselves? This is the faction for you. Taking things one step further, the strategy game gets a new region, the Sunless Lands. Harness the Blood Glass that's found there, or claim the Thorn Heart to spread the zone further across the map, providing you with powerful economic boosts.

Beyond the expansion, however, the Gargoyle Update means there's plenty to enjoy in the base game. The Dark culture has been bolstered, allowing you to further embrace sinister machinations. Will you become a tyrant, oppressing your Vassals and exploiting cities for personal gain? Or embrace the sacrifice of allies and enemies alike to grow your power?

One of the most welcome changes is a serious update for onboarding. Age of Wonders 4 can be a little imposing for newcomers, so Triumph Studios has expanded its help systems dramatically. It now covers all steps of realm and faction creation, old advice notes have been revamped into full tutorials, and the existing ones have been improved and given voiceovers. The developer has also revisited many tooltips "to provide more, clearer, or easier information."

There's lots more quality of life in the patch, too. New infusions have been added to the item forge. There are a range of abilities and passives that'll appear among auto-generated rewards to slap on your gear. 'Auto combat' behavior has been given more detailed options to toggle the exact combat spells that you're happy for your units to use of their own volition. Enchantments have been given new visuals to make them clearer to follow during battles.

There's much more than that, but it might just be best to try it for yourself, and you're able to do so this weekend as AoW 4 temporarily becomes a free Steam game. As an extra bonus, pre-order bonus ruler Aric Rex has been made permanently free for everyone.

The Age of Wonders 4 free weekend runs from Thursday November 13 at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm GMT / 7pm CET until Monday November 17 at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 7pm GMT / 7pm CET. Before you do so, be sure to check the Gargoyle Update patch notes courtesy of Triumph Studios.

Age of Wonders 4 DLC Thrones of Blood is out now on Steam, priced at $19.99 / £16.99. Grab it here if you're ready to lead your legions of the damned across the world.