If you live in a fantasy world, you need to remember that things are often not what they seem. Sure, you may live in a land of unicorns, rainbows, and dancing fairies, but there’s always something lurking in the shadows, waiting for you. In Age of Wonders 4, these shadows are taken literally, and in the new expansion, it’s a matter of whether you fight them or embrace them.   Umbral Abyss is the not-at-all-scary name of the location in this new DLC, titled “Age of Wonders 4: Eldritch Realms.” Although the name (and preamble) might not already tell you, this is a dark expansion that releases new maps to explore and conquer in a 4X gameplay style. This purple land is designed to destroy anything that is tainted with light, and that includes most of your armies, and the longer you stay the more damaged you will be. You choose to fight this corruption or embrace it by transforming your armies into ones more sympathetic to this dark zone. The revelation of this new realm has also spawned a flood of evil magic. If tempted by the powers on offer, you will become an evil master, a nightmarish lord of the night who controls the minds of lesser creatures and twists the flesh of your creations in unholy ways. New books can be studied, in which you can learn both corrupting powers derived directly from the Umbral Abyss, as well as spells that bring light to dark places and keep unearthly abominations at bay. The game also incorporates a ton of new events, which when completed can transform your hero into a terrifying monster.