There is no debate – Civilization VI is an already massive game. But with the New Frontier Pass, the opportunities are near endless, with multiple new Civs ready to rock and rumble. Today we see the arrival of the Ethiopia Pack; delivering in a new leader and civilization, an extra District and further buildings. But also included is an optional game mode – one that will keep you playing even longer.
The second DLC pack to hit Civ VI – after seeing the Maya & Gran Columbia pack drop a few weeks back – the Civilization VI – New Frontier Pass – Ethiopia Pack comes about for anyone previously owning the New Frontier Pass, or for those looking to get involved with an individual purchase.
Yep, the Ethiopia Pack will set you back £3.99 should you wish it to do so, with it doing as it says on the tin. Included here is a brand new leader and civilization – Ethiopia (obviously) – as well as a new District and additional buildings for you to enjoy. Ruling the world as Ethiopia will see you able to focus on cities built on Hills, generating Faith and using Menelik’s “Council of Ministers” ability to boost Science and Culture.
Further to that though comes a new optional game mode called Secret Societies. You will require the Rise and Fall or Gathering Storm expansions in order to play this, but should you be sorted in that respect will find that this game mode adds four powerful and mysterious Secret Societies to the world; every time you discover a Society it will unlock a unique Governor with powerful bonuses which players do not need to assign to a city. Once you become a member of a Society, you will find yourself fully committed going forward. Alliances with players who are members of the same Society generate Alliance Points more quickly, and those players will have an improved opinion of you in diplomacy. But on the flipside, those who are members of a different Society will dislike you once they are aware of your affiliation.
However, that’s not all and those who have previously purchased the Civilization VI – New Frontier Pass will also receive the Teddy Roosevelt and Catherine De Medici Persona Packs. These Persona Packs contain a brand-new take on a favourite leader, with a new leader model and background, new gameplay bonuses and an updated agenda that reflects the changes to the leader’s personality. For instance, you’ll find that “Rough Rider Teddy” excels at keeping the peace on his home continent, while the glorious “Magnificence Catherine” can use Luxuries to overwhelm the world with Culture and Tourism.
So, with the Ethiopia pack in place and such a wealth of new content available, you’d be crazy to not roll back into the world of Civilization VI. If you wish to know more about how the game plays out on Xbox One, check out our full review on the link at the top of this article. If you haven’t got hold of it, the Xbox Store will sort you out.
DLC Description:
Includes the Ethiopia civilization with Menelik II, the Oromo Cavalry unique unit, and the Rock-Hewn Church tile improvement. • Civ Unique Ability: Aksumite Legacy. Cities earn extra Faith from resources, boosted even further when international trade routes originate from resource-rich cities. Ethiopia can purchase Archaeology Museums and Archaeologists with Faith. • Leader Unique Ability: Council of Ministers. Menelik II gets extra Culture and Science based on the Faith output of cities founded on Hills. His units also get extra Combat Strength when fighting on Hills. • Unique Unit: The Oromo Cavalry has improved Combat Strength and Sight, and suffers no movement penalty for moving on Hills. • Unique Tile Improvement: The Rock-Hewn Church can only be built on Hills or Volcanic Soil. It provides Faith with extra Faith from Mountains and Hills. It can only be pillaged, not destroyed, by natural disasters. New “Secret Societies” Game Mode (Requires the Civilization VI Expansion Bundle to play) • An optional, specialized game mode with exclusive rule changes: • Adds four Secret Societies to the game. • Each Secret Society offers players a specialized Governor who applies their bonuses across the entire civilization. • Secret Societies may offer players new Resources, passive bonuses, unique buildings, units, or projects to further the Society’s ends. • Use your Secret Society membership to boost favorability and Alliances with other leaders. New Diplomatic Quarter District and Buildings • Build the Diplomatic Quarter, a District that can only be built once per civilization, focusing on foreign relations. • Enhance the Diplomatic Quarter by building the Consulate and Chancery buildings.
