Turn back the wheel of time! How, you ask? The answer is provided by Sid Meier, the mastermind behind the legendary developer Firaxis Games, and that answer is Civilization V, the latest installment of the popular turn-based strategy.
Dive into the algorithms of 18 civilizations and embark on a journey to conquer the world. You can do this by using your powerful army to subjugate other civilizations, being the first to start the so-called Utopia Project (policy), sending some innocent creature into space first, establishing the United Nations and securing the majority of votes for yourself (and yes, you can vote for yourself, just like in another country we all know), or simply gather the most points by the end of the game, i.e., 2050.
The changes that have affected the new Civilization are significant, from a new, more impressive engine, new strategic maps (where you buy tiles, the places you move and build, and have a better overview of the resources you have), a new layout of tiles (which are now hexagonal) achieving more natural movement of units per turn, but also more strategic options in battles, the removal of several elements (like religion, which has now been replaced by citizen happiness), but also the introduction of new ones, like city-states, which you keep on a leash with money and by completing tasks they set for you from time to time. There is also a more intuitive and simpler interface than has been the case so far. Now, on the right side of the screen, you are neatly greeted at the beginning of each turn with messages on where, what, and how to build, and you no longer have to go unit by unit and city to upgrade/build something. However, this new interface is also the only source of frustration in the game - it still suffers from some teething problems and often refuses to do its job. But those moments are relatively rare.
All in all, Civ V may not be a game for everyone, but what it is is an excellent turn-based strategy and one of the best games you can play on PC.
Review originally published in the magazine Plan B in 2010.
Author: Dino Sabol
