Civilization V 'Gods & Kings' expansion announced

By Tamoor Hussain for computerandvideogames.com

2K has announced it will be releasing an expansion pack for the excellent Sid Meier's Civilization V called 'Gods & Kings'.

Gods & Kings provides a broad world domination experience, allowing sim fans to found the first Pantheon of the Gods, spread religion across the lands and do a bit of spying to pinch information and technology from other nations.

Currently 2K is only mentioning a PC release and hasn't provided a specific release date for the expansion, saying only that it will be available in "late spring 2012".

Here's the full breakdown:

• Expanded Epic Game: The core game experience has been greatly expanded with the addition of new technologies, 27 new units, 13 new buildings and nine new Wonders.
• New Civilizations and Leaders: The expansion features nine new civilizations including Carthage, the Netherlands, the Celts and the Mayans, each with unique traits, units and buildings. Gods & Kings also adds nine new leaders including William I, Prince of Orange, Boudicca and Pacal the Great.
• New Game Scenarios: Three new scenarios let gamers experience the medieval period, the fall of Rome, and embark on a new adventure in Empires of the Smoky Skies, a Victorian science-fiction scenario.
• The Return of Religion: A first for Civilization V, players seek out Faith, choosing a Pantheon of the Gods and creating Great Prophets to found and spread their customised religion across the world.
• World Domination: The fight for world domination is more dynamic than ever. Gods & Kings features a reworked combat system and AI that places more emphasis on a balanced army composition. Additionally, the navy is now split into two different ship types, melee and ranged, making coastal cities vulnerable to a surprise naval attack.
• Enhanced Diplomacy and Espionage: Establish embassies at foreign courts for closer ties or clandestine operations. As the religions of the world start settling in and the world moves into the Renaissance, spies can be unlocked to establish surveillance of foreign cities, steal advanced technologies from your strongest competitors, or garner influence with City-States through election rigging, or even a coup.
• City-States: Two new city-state types have been added, Mercantile and Religious, adding new gameplay to a greatly expanded quest system to further the narrative of the game and making diplomatic victories more challenging.

Have a read of our Civilization V review to see if it's worth your time two years after release (spoiler: it is).