Put simply, Gathering Storm checks all the boxes of what a great expansion should be and is a must own for hardcore Civilization VI fans looking for a reason to spice things up in an incredibly positive way or get back into the game if they’ve been dormant.

The astute Civ player can shape the history of their nation and craft a story for the ages with with pinpoint accuracy. The Gathering Storm enriches this experience by giving you more ways to add subtle realism to how the world evolves around you and how you can directly affect it. With so many new and returning features, it’s hard not to recommend this expansion to Civ fans, turning an already great game into one for the literal ages.

Climate change is not a new thing for Civ, but it has been missing in a few games. It may sound strange, but it is very nice to have it back in Gathering Storm as it adds a lot of depth.

Civilization 6: Gathering Storm is a good expansion with content targeted to the final part of the game.

Known long-time fans of the series have put in far less time playing VI than they did previous titles, and I am no exception. The Rise and Fall expansion did little to improve this and I found it to be among the weakest expansions ever released for the franchise. Gathering Storm, though, sings a different tune and may be one of the best. It introduces possibly the best diplomacy system I’ve seen in any game, and a climate change mechanic that ticks boxes I’ve long wished to be there.

Even if it doesn’t bring as many changes as Rise and Fall, Gathering Storm rebalances Civilization VI with many little good ideas, making the game more complete and polished than ever.

Gathering Storm offers a mixed bag. The ambition is clear, with climate change and the World Congress being major changes that sadly fails to fully live up to their potential. At the same time, the new resource mechanics are engaging, and the new leaders and other additions make for an expansion filled with content. Nevertheless, Gathering Storm does not live up to the standards set by last year's expansion, Rise and Fall.