We haven't heard a peep out of Godus, Peter Molyneux's controversial god game, for nearly a year. Now, it's back in the news with the release of a free combat-focused update.

Godus Wars - out now on Steam as an Early Access title - is a single-player real-time strategy twist on 22cans' god sim game. It's a free update for existing Godus owners and Kickstarter backers, and replaces Godus on Steam (Godus Wars comes with Godus), priced £10.99.

When you start Godus you're asked to pick from the original and the RTS.

You pick a deity and battle against rival computer-controlled gods for control of continents and, ultimately, the world. Before each map you pick a loadout of four God Power and troop buff cards from your deck, then head into battle.

The aim of Godus Wars is to conquer the world.

Godus Wars fuses the sculpting from the main game with basic base building and combat that emphasises the high ground. As you flatten the land your followers build structures that generate Belief, which is then spent on God Powers and the production of units that combine to form armies.

You then march your army into the enemy base and burn everything.

Godus Wars' release marks the first significant update of Godus for months. Many players had long since given up hope that 22cans would continue to develop the game after the events of February 2015, which resulted in Peter Molynuex retreating from the press.

In an exclusive interview with Eurogamer, Molyneux reveals the thinking behind Godus Wars, his personal involvement in its development, and discusses the events of the last 12 months.

22cans said it plans to continue to develop Godus by, eventually, adding multiplayer to Godus Wars. Then it will look to add the God of Gods feature - the feature Curiosity winner Bryan Henderson is still waiting for some two-and-a-half years later.

Henderson, it turns out, is a late-game deity in Godus Wars.