When Citadelum launched last year, players felt it was too simple and lacked a real challenge. But with today’s release of version 2.0 - titled “Julius” - everything changes.
Citadelum 2.0 Julius is a free update to the Roman themed city builder. The original game was released 6 months ago and has received 2 free DLC's over the past couple of months, both adding a new campaign to the game.
These two updates changed only a few things in the gameplay mechanics. So let's have a look at what changed in this new version, Citadelum 2.0 Julius.
Resources and production
In the original gameplay, there were 10 resources you couldn't produce yourself. Products like honey, olive oil and animal hides. You could trade for them with other cities, but that wasn't necessary. Plebeians nor Patricians needed any of these goods for their living requirements.
With Citadelum version 2.0, some of these goods can be produced. And better yet, they’re now essential to your city’s growth.
The new producible goods are:
- Salt, used for various food production chains;
- Honey, Cheese and Olive oil, required by Patricians;
- Clay, bricks and pottery.
Most of these products are straightforward, but salt is something special. Salt adds a new production mechanism to the game: multi-input!
Salt isn't used by either of the population tiers, but is used by 4 buildings:
- Bakery -> wheat + salt = bread;
- Fishmonger -> fish +salt = fish fillets;
- Butchery -> pigs +salt = pork steaks;
- Cheese factory -> milk + salt = cheese.
This adds a refreshing layer of depth to managing supply chains. It’s more complex, but incredibly rewarding. I already see future improvements to this system that could make things even more strategic.
On top of that, the Forum’s new technology upgrade system lets you boost building productivity and storage—at a steep resource cost, but absolutely worth it.
Note: We’ve updated all our articles on GameTheory.City to reflect the new mechanics in 2.0!
Diplomacy & Justice
Even though the original gameplay involved other cities on the region map, there wasn't much need for interaction with these neighbours. Now, diplomacy actually matters.
In Citadelum 2.0, you will want to explore and trade. Trade often and cities will like you more. And if they like you, you get much better prices for your trades.
Also, if you have good diplomatic standing with another city on the map, you can levy soldiers from their city. This way you can quickly raise an army if you need it (provided you have enough Denarii to do so) without having to rely on your own production and training buildings.
Inside your city, the Palace of Justice introduces trials. You, the player, serve as judge. Choose to stand with the prosecution or defense. But choose wisely: each option comes with perks or penalties.
Some results you can expect:
- Thousands of Denarii being added to treasury;
- Plebeians or Patricians leaving the city, challenging your workforce management skills;
- Soldiers joining your ranks;
- The city being raided;
- Much more!
And there is even more!
As Abylight said in their announcement:
"This isn’t just an update. It’s a new chapter."
And they weren't kidding. The step from 1.x to 2.0 Julius is really big. To explain all changes is too much for this article, but let's name a few more standout features:
- Battle simulation mode! Skip tedious battles with fast auto-resolve;
- Time-limited secondary missions, forcing you to act or face consequences;
- Health becomes more important;
- Three Wonders to beautify your city;
- Performance optimisations and quality of life improvements;
Verdict
After several days in the beta, I can confidently say Citadelum 2.0 Julius lives up to the hype.
The new production chains are well-balanced. Tech upgrades and Wonders are expensive but meaningful. The Palace of Justice and timed missions add urgency and variety.
And let’s not forget the battle simulator: a game changer for players who though combat was dull. Points to self 👈.
Kudos to the entire team at Abylight Barcelona for this bold, polished update!
You can read the full release notes over on Abylight's Discord announcement channel or on Steam! The update is available now on Steam and GOG.
