Surprise! The first Expeditions: Rome DLC is out right now. "Death or Glory" is, as you might expect, themed around gladiatorial combat, and it adds a brand new class in the form of the Gladiator, as well as arenas and lots of new items to check out.
What's in this first Expeditions: Rome DLC?
Despite Expeditions: Rome's developer closing down to make NFT games, the game is still being supported, which is good news if you're a fan. The first major Expeditions: Rome DLC is titled "Death or Glory", and it's all about the gladiators. First, you're getting the brand new Gladiator class, which comes complete with a full set of 24 new skills. You can become a Gladiator yourself, or you can change one of your companions into the class if you'd like. Two of your Expeditions: Rome companions already have histories with gladiatorial combat, of course; Bestia Tabat is a former gladiator, and Deianeira can be recruited from a gladiator school in the game's first act.
In addition to the new class, you'll also find new arenas scattered throughout the world of Expeditions: Rome. You can enter these arenas to fight for the titular death or glory. THQ Nordic says the arenas will pit you against "ferocious lions and very talented champions", among other enemies, so you'll find lots of combat challenge on offer there. The Death or Glory DLC also adds a range of new armor, weapons, crafting recipes, and enemies, as well as extra customization options for your legion and praetorians. There's plenty to be getting on with, so make sure to go check out the DLC if you're interested.
What is Expeditions: Rome?
Announced in April last year, Expeditions: Rome is the latest in the Expeditions series of turn-based RPGs. This time around, you play a Roman legatus whose father is murdered, forcing you out of Rome and into military conflict. From there, you must forge your legend, building military might and amassing support so you can take your place on the global stage. Expeditions: Rome espouses a mixture of historical accuracy and alternate history, so you'll find plenty to sink your teeth into if you're a history nut. Gameplay-wise, it offers rich tactical battles, five companions to recruit, and a variety of builds to try out so you can approach problems in different ways.
You can grab Expeditions: Rome and its new DLC right now on Steam. If you're a fan of the previous Expeditions games, or even of historical RPGs like Kingdom Come: Deliverance (which is getting a board game adaptation), then you should definitely give this one a look. It's perfect if you've played your fair share of CRPGs and you're looking for something a little more grounded than the fantasy and sci-fi settings of games like Pillars of Eternity or Divinity: Original Sin.