Video Game Review – Civilization VI: Gathering Storm Expansion

TL;DR – While the big up-front features are interesting, for me it was a lot of the small quality of life changes that really stood out

Score – 4.5 out of 5 stars

Civilization VI: Gathering Storm. Image Credit: Firaxis Games.

Review –

Now, if you have read anything on our site before, you will likely know that I quite like the Civilization series. Well, I have had my hands on the new expansion Gathering Storm for a couple of weeks now and have been able to play a number of games with many of the new civilizations, so I think I have reached the point where I can give the game an informed review. With that in mind in today’s review, we will be looking at the civilizations, the main features, the improvements, and then the production to see what sort of expansion Gathering Storm is.   

So to set the scene, if you are not familiar with the game, Civilization VI is a turn-based strategy game of the 4X persuasion. This means that instead of moving all at once, each player takes their turn to build wonders, move troops, and explore the map or whatever they are trying to do. Your aim is to build the biggest empire through economic, military, scientific, cultural, or religious means (or all of the above). Thus you eXplore, eXpand, eXpolit, and eXterminate. Gathering Storm is the second expansion pack for Civilization VI after Rise and Fall, which has historically meant that this is the last expansion for the game, but we’ll see about that.

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Eleanor of Aquitaine First Look and Analysis – Civilization VI: Gathering Storm

Eleanor’s Bonuses

Eleanor of Aquitaine leader of France in Civilisation 6 Gathering Storm


Civilization LeaderEleanor of Aquitaine
Leader Agenda
English Capital
French Capital:  
Leader Bonus: Court of Love – Great works in Eleanor’s cities leads to a loyalty deficient in other civilization cities withing 9 tiles. If a city leaves a civilizastion and Eleanor is the the Civ with the most loyalty pressure the city skips the Free City phase.

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Phoenicia First Look and Analysis – Civilization VI: Gathering Storm

Dido leading Phoenicia in Civ 6 Gathering Storm.

Phoenicia Bonuses

Civilization Leader: Dido
Civilization Agenda: Sicilian Wars – wants to settle coastal cities. Likes those who settle inland. Dislikes those with mostly coastal cities.
Civilization Capital: Tyre
Civilization Bonus: Mediterranean Colonies – embarked Settlers get +Movement & Sight, Cities on the coast on the same Continent as the Capital will always be Loyal
Leader Bonus: Founder of Carthage – Can move the Civilization Capital to any city with a Cothon by completing a Special Project, +Trade Route for every building in the Government Plaza, +Production to Districts in the same city as the Government Plaza.
Unique Unit: Bireme – +Combat Strength & Movement, protects near by Trader Units
Unique District: Cothon
Rivers: Litani River
Deserts: Tanezrouft Basin

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The Ottomans First Look and Analysis – Civilization VI: Gathering Storm

Suleiman of The Ottomans in Civilization 6 Gathering Storm. Image Credit: Firaxis Games.

The Ottomans Bonuses

Civilization LeaderSuleiman
Civilization Agenda
Civilization CapitalIstanbul (not Constantinople)
Civilization BonusGreat Turkish Bombard – +Production of Siege Units, +Combat Strength for Siege Units, Conquered cities do not lose populations, Cities not founded by The Ottomans get +Amenities and +Loyalty.
Leader BonusGrand Vizier – Can use Ibrahim a Unique Governor
Unique UnitJanissary – Starts with a free promotion, Stronger and cheaper than the Musketman, cost a Population to build (unless built in concurred city)
Unique Unit: Barbary Corsair – Cost no movement to Coastal Raid, Can not be seen unless units are right next to it.
Unique Building: Grand Bazaar – extra accumulation of Strategic Resources in city boarders, + Amenities for each improved Luxury in the city boarders 
Rivers: Litani River, Kızılırmak River  
Mountain RangesBalkan Mountains
DesertsTanezrouft Basin

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Inca First Look and Analysis – Civilization VI: Gathering Storm

Pachacuti of the Inca in Civilization 6 Gathering Storm. Image Credit: Firaxis Games
Pachacuti of the Inca in Civilization 6 Gathering Storm. Image Credit: Firaxis Games

Inca Bonuses

Civilization LeaderPachacuti
Leader Agenda
Civilization CapitalQusqu
Civilization BonusMit’a – Citizens can work Mountain Tiles (Production, Also Food if next to a Terrace Farm)
Leader BonusQhapaq Ñan – Domestic Trade Routes get bonus food for Mountain Tiles in Starting city, Can Build the Qhapaq Ñan an early Tunnel.
Unique Unit:  Warak’aq – Reconnaissance Unit, can attack twice if it still has movement points
Unique Tile Improvement: Terrace Farm – Can only be built on Hills, + Food, + Housing, gets bonus food for adjacent Mountains, + production for adjacent Aqueducts, + production for Fresh Water Adjacency
RiversUcayali River

Inca Analysis

Goodness, there have been production and food civs in the game so far, but nothing quite pans out as much as the Inca do in Gathering Storm.

The first big change is unlike every other civilization in the game, The Inca can work mountain tiles, which means that since you want to be near them for your Terrace Farms, they are no longer dead weight. This will also boost your Science and Faith Districts that like Mountain adjacency.

Indeed, it is these Terrace Farms that provide such a strong bonus working great adjacency weather they are near mountains, or rivers, or both. Yes, they are tempered by the fact that you need hills, and if you are unlucky with that you could be a bit stuffed. However, I always get at least some hills in a start before. I mean these might knock Australia’s Outback Station off the best tile improvement spot.

The other bonuses are all nice, but really it is the food/Production nexus that really makes the Inca stand out, and this means that they will be a very flexible civilization, giving you the ability to switch up which victory you go for.

Inca First Look

You can check out all the Features in Civilization VI: Gathering Storm HERE and join in the discussions at the Civfanatics Forums

You can check out our Civilization Full Map HERE

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Twitter Here, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

What Civs would you like to see in Civ 6 Gathering Storm?, let us know what you thought in the comments below, feel free to share this review on any of the social medias and you can follow us Here. Check out all our past reviews and articles Here, and have a happy day.

Canada First Look and Analysis – Civilization VI: Gathering Storm

Wilfrid Laurier leads Canada in Civilization VI: Gathering Storm
Wilfrid Laurier leads Canada in Civilization VI: Gathering Storm. Image Credit: Firaxis

Canada Bonuses 

Civilization Leader: Wilfrid Laurier
Civilization Agenda: 
Civilization Capital: Ottawa
Civilization Bonus: Four Faces of Peace – Cannot declare Surprise Wars or be the Target of one, + extra Diplomatic Favour for completing Emergencies (bonus extra based on Tourism)   
Leader Bonus: The Last Best West – Can build Farms on Tundra, and then latter Tundra Hills, Cost of purchasing Tundra & Snow tiles is reduced, Double extraction of Strategic Resources on Snow & Tundra tiles
Unique Unit: Mountie – Light Calvary Unit , Can Create a National Park, Get Combat Bonus being near National Parks 
Unique Tile Improvement: Icy Hockey Ring – Only can be built on Tundra & Snow, Only one per City, + Appeal & Amenities, + Culture based on adjacent Snow & Tundra tiles (bonus if next to a Stadium), +Tourism, Production & Food from Tech Tree
Mountain Ranges:Mackenzie Mountains,

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Māori First Look and Analysis – Civilization 6: Gathering Storm

Kupe of The Māori. Image Credit: Firaxis Games

Māori Bonuses


Civilization Leader: Kupe
Civilization Capital: Te Hokianga-nui-a-kupe
Civilization Bonus: Mana – Begin the game with Sailing and Shipbuilding unlocked, +Stregth & Movement to Embarked Units, Bonus production to unimproved Woods and Rainforest. Fishing Boats provide +food and culture bomb adjacent tiles, but can not build Great Writers.  
Leader Bonus: Kupe’s Voyage – Begin the game on an Ocean Tile, first city gets a free builder + 1 population, Palace gets bonus Housing and Amenity, Science and Culture production starts before you settle your first city. 
Unique Unit: Toa – Enemy units adjacent get – Combat Strength. Can build the  – Built on Hills, + Defence Bonus and Healing for units that end their turn on it. 
Unique Building: Marae – +Culture and Faith to a city tiles with a passable feature. +Tourism after Flight. No Great Art Slots 
Mountain Ranges: Tiritiri-o-te-moana,

Māori Analysis

Today the Maori join Civilization 6 in the Gathering Storm expansion. 

The Maori have appeared before in Civilization 5 as part of the Polynesian Civ, with both Maori Warriors as their unique unit and several locations appeared on the Polynesian City List. However, this is the first time they have been the focus of a civilization in the Civilization series. 

Their big bonus is that you can get some time to float around the ocean and pick your best first city site without being penalised, this gives the Māori an incredible flexibility.

Māori First Look

You can check out all the Features in Civilization VI: Gathering Storm HERE and join in the discussions at the Civfanatics Forums

You can check out our Civilization Full Map HERE

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Twitter Here, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

What Civs would you like to see in Civ 6 Gathering Storm?, let us know what you thought in the comments below, feel free to share this review on any of the social medias and you can follow us Here. Check out all our past reviews and articles Here, and have a happy day.