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Wonders are far too common

This is the music review of
Empires & Ashes (2023) | Eldritch Realms (2024).

Looking at my Heroes of Might and Magic-history, it surprised not least myself that I had so few points of contact with the Age of Wonders-series. Turn-based fantasy with world exploration and challenging tactical battles - wasn't that meant to be the perfect match? However, after just a few hours in its predecessor, Age of Wonders III I was out of steam (quite literally). I didn't feel like delving deeper into the game, perhaps I just wanted to play Heroes again. Nevertheless, I won't miss the opportunity to listen to the scores of the series and this time I'm starting antichronologically with the latest installment.

As with all AoW, composer Michiel van den Bos, who I know particularly well from his work on the two Overlord-games. His unmistakable fantasy style is also used in the fourth part: Dominant strings in combination with powerful drums are juxtaposed with spherical harp playing, transporting us orchestrally at the usual high level into worlds full of mythical creatures and magic. However, I find the OST a little too formulaic and lacking in climaxes. For people who are hearing something by van den Bos for the first time, it will all be new and exciting, but for me the parallels to his other works are too clear.

This may be justifiable within a game series, but if the music could also easily be placed in the above-mentioned Overlord , I don't think that's enough. Where Jeremy Soule, for example, succeeds in giving each Elder Scrollsalbum its own spin (Morrowind = Departure, Oblivion = Fantasy, Skyrim Scandinavia), van den Bos blurs the boundaries. And thanks to the work of Paul Romero and Rob King, the HoMM-series has also managed to remain varied with ever new facets over the course of seven spin-offs.

All of this is missing here, which is why the OST for Age of Wonders 4 delivers a more-of-the-same rather than an evolution. My conclusion is therefore quite insignificant and ends with the words that every good reviewer uses: fans should give it a go, everyone else give it a try.

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No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
01	The Highlander	Michiel van den Bos	4
02	Dawn Sun	Michiel van den Bos	3
03	What Lies Beyond Those Hills	Michiel van den Bos	3
04	Combat - Clashing Iron	Michiel van den Bos	4
05	Darklands	Michiel van den Bos	3
06	A Magnificent Vista	Michiel van den Bos	3
07	Sovereignty	Michiel van den Bos	3
08	Combat - The Undeterred Tactician	Michiel van den Bos	3
09	A Settlement Rises	Michiel van den Bos	3
10	Sphere of Influence	Michiel van den Bos	3
11	Tidecaster	Michiel van den Bos	3
12	Effortless Expansion	Michiel van den Bos	3
13	Combat - Anticipation	Michiel van den Bos	3
14	Fall Ascending	Michiel van den Bos	3
15	Flourishment	Michiel van den Bos	2
16	Combat - Battle Hardened	Michiel van den Bos	2
17	Mirage	Michiel van den Bos	3
18	Our Work Shall Commence at Dusk	Michiel van den Bos	2
19	Combat - Trampled Blades of Grass	Michiel van den Bos	3
20	Return from Heartwood	Michiel van den Bos	3
21	Whisper of the Gods	Michiel van den Bos	3
22	The Overlook	Michiel van den Bos	3
23	Combat - Planning and Execution	Michiel van den Bos	4
24	Morning Mist	Michiel van den Bos	3
25	Tales of Old	Michiel van den Bos	3
26	Seizing the Day	Michiel van den Bos	3
27	Peace and Prosperity	Michiel van den Bos	4
28	Sustained Growth	Michiel van den Bos	3

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Empires & Ashes

Empires & Ashes is not the first expansion for Age of Wonders 4 - the content update Dragon Dawn - but the addon from November last year offers six new tracks by composer Michiel van den Bos in addition to a new ruler type and a new victory mechanic. These in turn are less innovative, but continue the trend of the main game.

Like the main game, the album is a mixture of laid-back guitar strumming (The Avian Plight), string relaxation (Gloriosam Occasum, Soar, Thrive) and subtle tension (Empires & Ashes, Trials of Fortitude II – The Retrial (Ambushed)). Although this corresponds to the typical background sprinkling of a laid-back 4X strategy game, those who crave the epic fantasy sounds of Total War: Warhammer will not be able to satisfy their hunger in this addon either.

No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
01	Empires & Ashes	Michiel van den Bos	4
02	Gloriosam Occasum	Michiel van den Bos	3
03	Soar	Michiel van den Bos	3
04	The Avian Plight	Michiel van den Bos	2
05	Thrive	Michiel van den Bos	3
06	Trials of Fortitude II - The Retrial (Ambushed)	Michiel van den Bos	4

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Eldritch Realms

Half a year after Empires & Ashes, Eldritch Realms, the second addon and fourth content expansion for Age of Wonders 4, was released: Once again, composer Michiel van den Bos has provided six new tracks that fit seamlessly into the ever-uniform AoW 4-DNA.

I don't want to sound too critical, because the music fits the game and genre well, but that's why it doesn't appeal to me either. I stand by what I already said about the main game's album: The album could just as easily run as an ambient piece on Overlord - and then that's just not enough for me.

No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
01	Clutches from the Hive	Michiel van den Bos	4
02	Conquest, Past & Present	Michiel van den Bos	3
03	Echoes of Dissolution	Michiel van den Bos	2
04	Fortified Position	Michiel van den Bos	3
05	One with Darkness	Michiel van den Bos	3
06	Sweet Corruption	Michiel van den Bos	4