In a way, Civilization V: Gods & Kings kind of feels like Firaxis’ response to everyone who played Civilization V and complained that the game lacked the strategic depth of Civilization IV.

Gods & Kings adds a massive amount of new tactical options, and they make an appearance in the form of religion and espionage; both of which were curiously absent from the original release.

On one hand, it’s great that we’re finally getting the extra depth and return of these options, but some might argue that these features should have been included in the original. In fairness though, the level of detail added in this expansion with religion and espionage far surpasses anything we have seen in previous Civ games.

With the introduction of religion, we see the formation of a faith system. Faith essentially works like an additional currency system, and can be cultivated with buildings and social policies. When you have saved up enough faith, you can found a Pantheon and choose your first belief. Then, when your first great prophet is born, you can establish a proper religion. You can customize your religion by tailoring specific beliefs, all of which have different social, economic and political effects.

Civilization V Gods & Kings

Once your religion is firmly established, you are encouraged to spread it using missionaries. Naturally not every civilisation you stumble across will appreciate your spiritual conquest, and of course, this is what makes the entire process interesting.

The religion system is a dynamic and complex one, and adds a healthy variety of new gameplay dynamics that Civ fans will revel in.

The introduction of religion is felt most in the relatively early game, and later on it takes a bit of a backseat to the second new feature: espionage.

Heading into the Renaissance, espionage becomes a core gameplay component. Using the espionage menu, you can manage your first covert operative. He is not a unit that you can control on the map, but you can send him to foreign cities on reconnaissance duty. Once he has established himself in another city, your spy can begin stealing technology and information. You can even get a look at your opponent’s city management screen.

There is also an Intrigue System, which allows you to see what the AI is planning, who he is plotting against, and what he is building. You can also position spies in your own cities. These act as counter-intelligence, and can flush out enemy spies.

The Espionage System adds another welcome wave of strategic depth, and it’s nice that it picks up as Religion starts to become a less prominent gameplay feature.

Civilization V Gods & Kings

Everything I’ve described until now makes total sense for a Civ expansion. But I haven’t mentioned the third new feature, and it’s one that came as a surprise to me when I learned about it.

Gods & Kings introduces an alternate history scenario: Empires of the Smokey Skies. It features new leaders, units, resources, technology and victory conditions, all wrapped up in an interesting steam punk aesthetic. The new scenario is surprisingly robust and elaborate, and is just the feature that this expansion needed to elevate it from a “maybe” purchase, to a virtual “must-buy” for fans of the series.

I was admittedly apprehensive when I received the preview code for Gods & Kings, but that’s probably because I’m usually a little skeptical about expansion packs. However, the introduction of robust new systems in the form of religion and espionage, as well as the inclusion of an inspired new scenario that truly injects a level of fictional creativity that I’ve yet to see in the franchise, makes Gods & Kings an interesting prospect for Civ junkies.

Civilization V: Gods & Kings is due on 22 June 2012.

Civilization V Gods & Kings