The latest DLC for Old World from Mohawk Games and Hooded Horse has been out for a little while now, but how does it stack up in the Ancient era? For $4.99, The Sacred and The Profane is definitely a cheap addition with a lot of new events, religious mechanics, and traits. To find out its worth the cost of entry, read on!
Gameplay
As the name suggests, The Sacred and The Profane focuses on both the good and bad of early religions of ancient times and expands on the previous mechanics involved. While shrines were always a part of city development, there were no multi-national religions or character interactions with them. Now, various events detail the rise of some earlier religions as well as feature characters converting, your nation being affected by religious trends, and handling other nations’ reactions. In some events, the surfacing of a new religion can cause unrest as they defy your rule. Will you allow religion to mandate how your civilization is run and put the theocracy into a governing role? Or maybe stick to the old ways and ostracize change?
“What ifs” are huge for this DLC, and seeing certain events play out across the years really put into perspective how these young empires and religions could have interacted. In my own mind, I was expecting this to feel like a big departure from Old World without the DLC update. Somewhat pleasantly, I was surprised to find an almost seamless addition of events and mechanics that I didn’t have to worry too much about as they played out. Part of the fun of Old World is the sandbox nature and dynamic storytelling, and the addition of religion felt as natural as could be. While the new events were interesting, the additional traits and buildings felt like they had always been there and just elevated an already enjoyable gameplay experience. The addition of clergy units also allows the growth and influence that these religious figures provide to your people and their religion, and some events involving prophets definitely had interesting outcomes!
What It Could Have Done Better
My only real problem with this DLC is that I barely noticed it until later in the game. Early on, I had so few new events (that I could notice related to religion) that I wasn’t certain I had really downloaded and activated it. While it may have been a specific choice or RNG, it was definitely something I wish could be changed. Even though the basic spiritual religious shrines can still be built early on, having more early development of religions would really add to the experience and overall development of these iconic belief systems.
Verdict
If you love Old World and have put hours into it, The Sacred and The Profane is an awesome addition to your game that will only add to your enjoyment! If you haven’t played the game, it can be enjoyed with or without. While I would still recommend picking it up based on the low price, the game will feel the same either way when you start out.
Old World: The Sacred and The Profane is available now for PC via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GoG. Check out the release trailer below and let us know your thoughts in the comments!
