I think it’s a good time to come back to dotAGE, as it has just received a new DLC called Trade Secrets, adding a fresh layer of trade, movement, and exploration to the indie strategy game by solo developer Michele Pirovano.
The expansion builds on the base game’s turn-based village management with new systems tied to commerce and logistics.
Players can now deal with the Goldlings, who arrive in the village to exchange coins for goods. That gives resources a different weight, since production is no longer just about surviving the next crisis. Roads, warehouses, and markets now play a bigger role in how the settlement grows and how efficiently Pips can move goods around.
Trade Secrets also opens up more activity outside the village. Pips can build carts, craft boats, tame horses, and head out on expeditions in search of rare resources, lost blueprints, and other rewards.
Exploration can also bring new problems back home, including diseases and events that make each run harder to control.
The DLC introduces three new elders as well. Wanna the Merchant, Darwin the Explorer, and Granny each add their own mechanics, giving returning players new ways to shape a village and plan around the Prophecy. New buildings, resources, memories, ailments, events, and secrets round out the expansion.
dotAGE first launched in 2023 and mixes worker placement, turn-based city building, and roguelite progression.
Players guide a group of Pips through repeated runs while trying to survive disasters tied to a looming prophecy. Trade Secrets looks like a good fit for players who already enjoy the base game’s careful planning but want more reasons to expand, trade, and take chances beyond the safety of the village. Below is the release trailer.
