Free Civ V Expansionette, + New SuperMegaComplete Pack

The release of Civilization V: The Complete Edition rather suggests we've reached end of the line for Firaxis' latest history-spanning strategy game, and thus can start drawing up our mental wishlists for Civ VI. Though if I've learned anything in this business, it's that there's any number of final-sounding suffixes left in the game names cupboard. Be braced for Civ V: Ultimate, Civ V: Director's Cut, Civ V: What They Couldn't Show Gandhi Doing In Cinemas, and Civ V: In A Different Box.

Back to that shortly, however. The Cool Thing happening off the back of this new omnibus edition is a new and free Civ V scenario that's being given to existing and future Brave New World owners for no-pennies. Said scenario is also a little bit Colonizationy (but only a little bit).

The Conquest of the New World Deluxe Scenario is, in fact, a revamp of a game mode that was previously only available as part of the 'Spain & Inca Civilization and Scenario' DLC, but as well being embiggened will be a freebie to anyone who bought or buys the (rather good) Brave New World expansion pack. If you don't own BNW, it's no freebies for you I'm afraid.

I wasn't quite sure what it was, so I got 2K to tell me this:

"The year is 1492. To the courts of Europe come intrepid explorers, anxious to voyage across the Atlantic in search of a western route to China and the Indies. Will they find their new trade route and unlock those riches from the Orient, or do entirely new lands stand in their way? Who will prevail in the struggle for supremacy over this New World?"

As I say, a wee bit Colonizationy in theme, and it even shares a starting year, though it doesn't play the same way.

It's billed an 'enhanced' version of its former self, which entails the number of Civs increasing to 10 and turns to 150. It also "adds Religion, Trade Routes, Mercantile and Religious City States, new scenario-specific Buildings, Wonders and Resources" and has a fiddle with its Policy and Tech tress, as well as including a new Victory Point system.

Doing some research suggests that the original Conquest Of The New World scenario (and the DLC which housed it) was well-received and included a surprising amount of bespoke stuff (e.g. its own tech tree), but people did grumble about its length/value proposition - so this new version addresses that as well as putting it in the hands of a whole lot more people.

Meanwhile, The Complete Edition is a new box/download collection which includes every single morsel of Civ V released to date, including both full expansion packs, all 13 pieces of DLC and this new/revamped scenario too. It's due out today, for £29.99, which isn't a bad deal given buying everything from Steam individually clocks in at almost £80, though it may not sound quite so good to anyone who's already bought some but not all of the extra stuff.