Amplitude Studios is working hard on Humankind, its upcoming 4X strategy title that looks to compete with the Civilization series. Though it takes a more grounded approach, employing real-world cultures, Humankind lets players mix and match these to create their own unique civilizations. In a new feature focus video, the development team talks about how that influences the claiming of territory and city-building.
Dynamic territories and allowing players to claim multiple regions for a city are a thing. However, it’s now possible to deploy Outposts which signify control by a player’s city. These can be attacked by rival armies and thus need protection but can eventually become their own cities or become absorbed into an adjacent city to expand more.
What’s really interesting is how the terrain affects the overall function of a city, which then affects how it looks. This will be seen in cities that choose to expand towards extracting resources, providing a more unique feel. The huge sprawling cityscapes that players are meant to reflect the decisions taken and the various cultures that have shaped it.
Humankind is currently in development for PC. It’s slated to release sometime this year.