Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Civilization is a turn-based game where you essentially have to build up a civilization, and move in turn with other civilizations. They may decide to make war with you, they may trade with you, you may crush them. Anything can go on.
When I got Civilization 3, I loved it. It was brilliant for a TBG. The graphics were (for my computer) very fluid and animate. The city graphics were very nice on the map and in detail mode. Diplomacy, war, and construction were all easy to handle (but I usually ended up losing wars or making many very costly amounts of units).
Civilization 3 was great. And Civ 4 was even better.
Now, it does require a decent GFX card. The first time I tried to play it on some archaic piece of dreck of a card (came with the machine), I couldn't see the map - it was black. But when I upgraded to a GeForce 2 card (a relatively old but reliable card), it all came to life. Unlike Civ 3, the map looked very, very realistic. Hills weren't just large bumps in the ground; mountain ranges looked more nautral. Furthermore, you can see where your workers are working ON THE GAME MAP! They're represented by little huts on the map. That's a good improvement over any of the previous versions.
Also, you can build MORE than just farms and mines now. You can build at least three different types of building on any one square of terrain (except a few like desert and ice), and sometimes five or six, including towns (+ gold), windmills (+ food), and foundries (+shields, - food). It's much more complex than before. And that's just the economy.
You can also build more units than before. And it's no longer just simply the rock/paper/scissors method of countering units anymore. Units LEARN what to fight and how to fight it! They still use the experience system (kill a random number of units and get an upgrade), but the upgrades are different. Now, instead of simply hitpoints, you can configure your units to be excellent city attackers, or counters to cavalry, infantry, or artillery, or even capable of healing other units around them. There's more, but I don't want to spoil ALL of it for ya.
One thing I will note, though, that was particularly useful to me: Civ 4 allows you to see the survival rate of any units you have versus the enemy if you should so choose to attack them. This has IMMENSELY helped my strategy in Civ 4! I now know that charing with every unit you've got into a city's a bad idea; you need to decimate the walls with cannons or catapults first.
Other notes include the interesting looking figures who play against you (including Julius and Gaius Caesar, Stalin, Saladin, Roosevelt, Churchill, Boudica (an attractive Celtic leader with a mean streak), and even Mansa Musa (no clue who he is, except that he lead the Empire of Mali - that's on Africa's west coast).
Sid Meier has, once again, made genius material. It'a fun, educational, and it now even includes religion. (Sure, it's not exactly historically accurate religion - Christians without being Jews? - but it's a step forward IMHO).
4 of 5 because, well, frankly, I'm not really a TBG type of guy, but this was a great game, and worthy of any Civilization, Colonisation, or other Turn-Based Game fan.
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Sid Meiers Civilization IV: The Complete EditionThe GamesWith over 6 million units sold and unprecedented critical acclaim from fans and press around the world, Sid Meier's Civilization is recognized as one of the greatest PC game franchises of all-time. Now, Sid Meier and Firaxis Games will take this incredibly fun and addictive game to new heights by adding new ways to play and win, new tools to manage and expand your civilization, all-new easy to use mod capabilities and intense multiplayer modes and options. Civilization IV will come to life like never before in a beautifully detailed, living 3D world that will elevate the gameplay experience to a whole new level. Civilization IV was already been heralded as one of the top ten games of 2005, and a must-have for gamers around the globe. Key Features
The Strategy Classic - Includes the multiple game of the year award winner that started the series. Rule throughout time and create your legacy in this landmark game.
3D Living World - Detailed environments where animals roam and smoke billows from small huts, set in a vibrant and colorful world.
Innovative Features - Great People, Holy Cities, missionaries, variable game scales, new land, sea and air units, and loads of new civics.
Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Warlords is the first expansion pack for theaward-winning game that has become an instant worldwide hit. Paying homageto some of history's greatest military leaders, the expansion will deliversix unique and interesting scenarios, giving players the chance to changethe course of history with the help of their new powerful "Warlord" unit.Civ IV: Warlords includes new civilizations, leaders, units, andwonders that will offer even more fun and exciting ways for players to expandtheir civilization's military power. Key Features
New Leaders & Civilizations - More of history's greatest military leaders including Shaka, Wang Kon and Augustus Caesar, plus six all-new civilizations.
Warlord Unit - Utilize a great new person unit – the Warlord. Change the course of history through military might.
New Scenarios - Eight new scenarios including Alexander's Conquests, the Rise of Rome, Genghis Khan and more.
The biggest, most ambitious Civ expansion pack ever Sid Meier's CivilizationIV: Beyond the Sword is the second expansion pack for the definitivestrategy title Civilization IV – the 2005 PC Game of the Year andworldwide hit. Focusing on the late-game time periods after the inventionof gunpowder, the expansion delivers more epic game and scenario contentthan any Civ expansion pack in the history of the series. CivilizationIV: Beyond the Sword contains 11 amazingly unique and challengingscenarios created by the development team at Firaxis, as well as some esteemedmembers of the Civ Community. In addition, ten new civilizations,sixteen new leaders, five new wonders, a variety of new units and severalnew gameplay innovations offer players even more strategic optionsfor expanding their civilization's power as they strive for world domination. Key Features
The Biggest Civ Expansion Ever - A massive increase of 10 civilizations, 64 buildings, 11 scenarios, 5 wonders, 6 technologies, corporations, brand new espionage system and expanded trade routes.
Scenarios - Expect the World: 11 additional scenarios include settling new worlds in Final Frontier, battling zombies in Afterworld, conquering medieval Western Europe in Charlemagne and more.
Unstoppable Corporations - Found your own corporation and spreads its influence as another tool to gain control over the world.
Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization is the third offering in the award winning Civilization IV series. A re-imagining of the classic Colonization strategy game Sid Meier created in 1994, Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization is a total conversion of the Civilization IV engine into a game experience in which players lead a European nation on a quest to colonize and thrive in the New World. Players will be challenged to guide their people from the oppressive motherland, discover a New World, negotiate, trade and fight as they acquire great power and battle for their freedom and independence. Key Features
Classic Game Design - The strategy classic Colonization is rebuilt with beautifully improved visuals, while retaining the famous addictive gameplay and endless fun that are synonymous with Sid Meier games.
Establish a New Nation - Play as the English, Spanish, French or Dutch and journey to a brave new world in search of freedom from your oppressive homeland.
Multiplayer Offers Tons of Replay - Compete with friends from allover the world via the Internet and Play by E-mail modes or competelocally via the Hotseat and LAN modes, offering endless ways to conquerthe New World.
System Requirements:
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