Continuing the tradition of sucking the soul from your body, Sid keeps up the legacy that is Civilization. After only one play through the thought of jumping into the next full work days worth of playing to feel the happiness in victory over the other Civilizations is still there. Slight tweaks are definitely noticeable in terms of cultural changes, military changes, and clearly defined tech tree development. The new policy choices are a great new take on the game, I can't wait for the game to have added depth with mods. Best purchase I've made all year. = )… Expand

I have played every Civilization games since CIV 2. I only slept 5 hrs last night due to Civ 5, and it was worth it! The move to hexagons was a brilliant decision when combined with the removal of stacks. A slightly simplified tech tree and the new the social policies also reduce the micromanagement of the game. My first game still took me over six hours, but the turns went by so much faster. Pretty graphics are always nice :)

Now, does the AI have problems? Yes. Does the AI always have problems? No. Does it usually have problems? Yes. The AI is not a lost cause, but it will probably take some time to get right. While I am ranting let me make one further remark. The longer you play, the better you get at the game. It should not be surprising then that the AI will lag behind the player. That is why there are different difficulty levels. I never got beyond Noble, however, because the micromanagement started to weigh the game down for me. I think that I will be going a lot longer now. Back to actual problems, I did have to rename the CIV 5 DX 10 App as the Civ V DX 9 app to have DX 10 graphics. Check the steam forums for tech support if you having issues - some very smart people are there.

I know that some older players will miss some of the features and will also miss some of their strategies not working. They deserve to speak their minds. As do I. As I mentioned I think much of my enthusiasm comes from a streamlined experience. If that sounds like your kind of Civilization, you will be in luck. If you want the complexity that is Beyond the Sword, you might want to wait till the inevitable expansion.… Expand

Firstly and most importantly: I have never played a Civ game before. Secondly, the first time I sat down and played Civilization V, I played for almost 8 hours. Consecutively. The game is THAT addictive, and I haven't had that kind of hook on a game for years. There are many ways to play and ultimately be the best civilization. The game might look unappealing and boring to some, but the game is really easy to understand, yet extremely deep at the same time. I'm mostly an FPS person, but this game is some of the most fun I've had playing a game, ever.… Expand

So many annoying things have been streamlined without dumbing the game down. No more counting out 2 tiles away from your city, your boundaries are more fluid. Wonder limits appear to be tossed out, which was an annoying strategy-lite factor to track in IV . (I noticed lots of well-placed streamlining... I'm sure I'm forgetting to mention some.)

I cannot understate how much better combat is in V. Ranged combat, no stacks, hexes, all for the better. Frigates can kill stuff on land.

Game balance seems better so far. Last night I tried a theologically-based "happy citizens" approach that seemed to pretty successful, though that was on Chieftain setting.

The communication of why things happen isn't so esoteric "It's too crowded!!!!" comments are now clearly quantified. Civic options are a bit more fleshed out as "policies". They follow a more formal tree, but have relevance throughout the game. AI is cool too. During one war I was winning, my AI opponent offered a great peace deal. Unfortunately he whisked in a defensive pact. Silly me, I didn't think about it until he started killing one of my city state allies and quipped, "I'm beating up on your buddy. What you gonna do about it?" It's like any later edition of a game: Modern game design is simply more sophisticated nowadays. Some folks will dislike the differences, but in the case of Civ V, I like what they did to it.… Expand

Since i was 6 i've been playing Civilzation and Civilization V is the best and easiest for me to use (so far). It may be because i was younger and not able to fully understand the keyboard a few years ago but i find Civilization V easy to control and i really enjoy playing it.

The newest Civilazation entry is yet an another awesome advance in the series. Everything is more streamlined, but the depth is not really sacrificed (other than the omission of religion and espionage...which in my opinion were among the weaker aspects of Civ IV). My only major complain is that the diplomacy options in this new Civ are poorly handled. Diplomacy with City States is very clear, and you know exactly where you stand with each of them. Diplomacy with other nations is a total mystery though...you have no idea how they feel about you, or others, and the interface is not as clear as other aspects of the game. Since this will no doubt be addressed in a future patch, and does not break the game in any way now, it is a negative but does not lower the games score too much. Out of the box this game is a 9, but some clever patches/expansions could push it to a 10. Definitely worth buying...a marathon civ session awaits!… Expand

Civ V is somewhat a dramatic and almost unexpected departure from the venerable series. Given how polished and excellent Civ IV and the Beyond the Sword expansion is, it would have been easy for Firaxis to slap a fresh coat of paint on that game and release it as Civ V. In fact, that's one of the reasons that some Civ IV fans aren't happy with Civ V. Go read reviews for a description of the game because the feature set sounds much like past Civs. Yet this one plays quite a bit differently. Gone is religion, squares, transports and the stack of doom. In their place is a very different Civ, with an emphasis on fewer units and cities, tactical combat and overall happiness. There's fewer units and cities so overall there's less micro-management. But yet there's more micro-management per unit and city because each one is so valuable. In many ways, Civ V is far more nuanced than prior versions, yet the options are there if you want to keep it on a high level. You'll spend more time in this game husbanding units and maneuvering for tactical combat and perhaps a bit less on the building of your empire. Also, unlike in some past games, Civ V will make you make a decision on the direction of your empire that you can't reverse. Scarcity in gold, hammers and civics makes a player think about these key decisions. This is a pretty radical departure in the series, but one that I welcome.

There's no doubt there are some issues on release, notably with the tactical AI and opaque diplomacy. Gone too are things like wonder movies, which helped add personality to past games in the series, and religion, which drove diplomacy . Some fans like these decisions, others don't.

All in all, Civ V deserves your hard-earned dollar. It's greatly entertaining, deep and fun. It's not without flaws and it's a pretty different direction for the Civ series, but the core of what made Civilization the premier TBS game in all of PC gaming is still here. It's a worthy successor to the crown.… Expand

Some minor things prevent me from giving Sid Meier's Civilzation V the 10/10. There are some minor glitches, but in the end I cannot agree with people saying "It's the same old game ..." - yes, it feels still like Civilzation but the new tactical aspects, i.e. hex cells and no more piles of death make the game much more enjoyable for me.

You can easily spend 15-20 hours on a Standard sized map, not to talk about the bigger versions. The KI seems to be Ok, but again - here are some minor glitches. To give you an example, after freeing the capital city and handing it over to the old owner again, they should be pretty happy with you (and it's even mentioned they will be grateful forever ...), but they are not.

It will eat your time, be warned. It is the same old game ... just one more move, and then I will eat something. Usually the next time you will have a look at the clock is hours later. ;)… Expand

Civ 5 lives up to all of my expectations and continues with the strong traditional "just one my turn" game play. They have made some good tweaks to the game mechanics that I was hoping for and the graphics overhaul is very nice.

Definitely one of the most addictive games on this planet - beware!

The king of strategy games is back. It comes packed with plenty of new features and tweaks, but the most impressive part is the presentation. The audio and visual quality is stunning as usual. Truly beautifully done. Sid Meier, don't stop making games please. But a step in a new direction next time would be nice.

I always was a fan of the Civilization series and every-time they never disappoint me! A absolute genius game that will keep you playing forever! And that wasn't sarcasm :)

In previous Civ's, the AI was either too random or too smart for itself and created predictability. This time, its closer to realism. I have logged several hours in the last three to four days and the challenge is finding enough time to learn the nuances of the game. Do not let yourself jump to conclusions about how the game has muddled the depth of control that existed in previous editions! With the expanded level of units per hexagon, the stacking mechanism is no longer relevant. Also, if we are trying for realism in a turn based game, how many soldiers can actually occupy a single space? The answer is 1 of course! It's the little things that set this game apart such as the advent of marine capabilities (a realism where a unit may construct a very small raft that allows them to shuttle across a peninsula without a resource cost but simply a turn cost), the unique AI, the extensive cultures available, and of course everything else I havent discovered yet.

In versions of old, building natural wonders in the right place at the right time usually guaranteed victory. In this version, there are many possibilities including the discoveries of natural wonders, which can tilt your experience the right way. The best way to start this game, if you are a longtime fan, is to bite the bullet and just start with the training wheel. Read the instructive tutorials and use an open mind. Soon, you will find yourself immersed and it's no longer about about brute force and numbers, but an expressive mix of strategy, position, resource and military positioning that wins your games.

The rest is up to you to explore- and you must be willing to accept the fact that every game will truly be different than the previous while playing Civ V. You cannot simply expect the AI to roll over with a set combination of negotiation tactics, sometimes it will- sometimes it wont- and sometimes when you think you have your enemy over the barrel, you will attack, and then an ally you were playing footsie with will declare war on you and crush you from the left.

This game is a buy- and one of my favorites of 2010… Expand

Civilization 5 is a great game and out does its previous installment in every way except for an iffy diplomacy system. The tech tree feels much more streamlined without dead end techs that feel worthless its less complicated but it's much better more often than not simpler is better. Lack of espionage, religion, and unhealthiness makes the game function better and I don't miss them. The combat system and map has improved the game fantastically and now warfare is actually fun which is a first for the series that alone is enough to overlook a few other flaws like a bland city state interaction system and rather wild and unpredictable AI (they play like a crazy human guy). Also the new culture use is genius and the new civics system is so much better than CIV 4. This isn't going to convert people who don't like the game but as it is its better than CIV 4 when it first came out and with expansions it will be the best in the series.… Expand

Sid strike again and this time he nails it out of the park. This is one of those games that come along oncin a blue moon. The amount of time I put into this game is unruly. It's a beautiful game crafted son well any artisan would admire it. Some people have said the game is dumbed down, that is just not true. When I first played it I did not like it. My eldest son told me to play it again and this time it shone like a diamond. This baby is great, I should know, I own almost 300 games.

The combat in the game is superb and I love getting domination victories.

If your system can handle it, give it a whirl. Trust me you wont be displeased.… Expand

Super addictive game, despite that I am new to the series, the game doesn't require me too much time to pick up the pace as much as I expected from this deep strategy game. The game is extremely accessible while retaining its micro-management. Each of the civilization have its own uniqueness equally and balanced to me. Some says that the game doesn't innovate anything new, I say: would you rather see a risky experimental game on your (well-known) favorite title? Some also says that there are too few civs, I say: 18, few? you mad? How much do you want? hundred?. Only minor let down of this game is languages, while enjoying listening to another civ leaders speaks their own language to use, if you speak one of those language you can notice that: their speech doesn't exactly match the translation it's only something related to it, and I heard that some of civ leaders speaks wrong language, on top of that It is creative idea, wishing for more though… Expand

Easily the best Civilization game to date. Trims most of the unnecessary bloat from previous versions (espionage, troop transport over water, unwieldy armies, religion) and streamlines the game to make it the most accessible Civ without removing any of the strategy. The game runs beautifully even with the superb graphics set to max. My only complaint is with the presentation, I miss the wonder videos and would love to see the palace or treasure room back, but these have no effect on the fantastic game play. Throw in steamworks and never having to dig up your game disc again and this is a complete package not to be missed by fans of the series or first timers looking to find out what all the fuss is about.… Expand

i started with civ 2 and loved it. then civ 4 came and disapointed me. so i needed a pick-me up and civ 5 was the answere. the first game was so exiting. i love the diplomacy it makes the game revived after civ 4's failure in diplomacy. the combat system is great and fun it is not just #'s vs #'s. if you have less units you can win a war if you use terrain and uprades to your advantage. this is for REAL STRATEGY GAMERS that know how unlike the civ 4 freaks that have only played #4 and have no idea what strategy is. you need to use your noggin to win. fun and addicting. deserves alot more attention.… Expand

Civilization V is an excellent game in one of PC gaming's greatest franchises. As a longtime fan of the series, I was eagerly awaiting the release, and I'm pleased to say that while there is some room for improvement, the game's overall quality greatly exceeded my expectations. The change in combat systems, with the switch to hex tiles and elimination of the much-maligned Stack of Doom, is by far the game's greatest accomplishment, shoring up one of the franchise's two major historic problems. The other, sadly, still has some work yet needed; that being the ineffectiveness of the AI, especially in diplomatic situations. The worst example I've seen in gameplay so far was when a computer player on the opposite side of the continent declared war on me, never moved any units anywhere near me (and vice-versa), and twenty or so turns later offered a peace agreement with a sizable tribute despite no actual conflict ever occuring. But aside from AI foibles, and the rather steep system requirements, the game is a hit on all accounts. The same deliciously addictive ego-fluffer for the megalomaniac in all of us, all in a more inviting, user-friendly, and aesthetically pleasing package. Perfect for old fans and newbies alike.… Expand

I love this game. The Most Addicting Strategy game I have played since Civilization III. If you still deciding whether you will buy it or not, do it. Do it now. Its worth every penny.

A great CiV game, regardless of some minor bugs or issues, a must buy for any Strategy gamer.

There is a lot to love about Civ V. I been playing this series since the original first came out. This is Sid's passion and it has been improved with every version and V is no exception. It has to be the most addicting and nice looking Civ game to date. The interface cleaned up, no more stacks of units (SOD) in a space, now the game has hexes instead of squares. Why did they not implement hexes long before I don't know but I am happy they did now. Range attacks are a great new element. Finally archers can shoot arrows into the enemy. Another cool touch is when you attack a city the arrows turn to flaming arrows which is epic! Something else that was added is city states and this makes the game much more alive. With these you can attack them or ally them and you get strong bonuses and resources if you ally them. Happiness is a global thing now and its a winner of a change. Some of the annoying useless things were taken out. Civics have been changed to social policies and gives a good broad range of ways to shape your civ using branches almost like a tech tree. The graphics and animations this time around are simply spectacular. I can't believe how far they came with graphics. This has to be the only game that has both graphics and game play. At last, this is just about the best strategy game money can buy. This is the one game you want for Christmas! The latest patch really shapes up the game. A 10 out of 10!… Collapse

Long time Civ player. The hate this game has received is fueled mostly by:
1. Peoples' tenancy to expect the release of a squeal to fulfill all their wildest dreams.
2. Peoples' fear of change.
Some specific changes for the good: The graphics are smooth and beautiful. The gameplay is streamlined and requires less micromanaging. No more stacked units!!, MUCH easier for units to travel across water, far superior user-friendly interface. There are plenty of other little changes to come and more gameplay balances, tweaks and fixes to come (remember everyone, EVERY civ game had bugs).
Steam makes installation, updates, friend management and communication easy as well as adding achievements.… Expand

Love Civ V, absolutely no problems, beautiful graphics and wonderful game play. The introduction video looks so realistic and smooth, which is followed by its crystal clear pictures,

Civ 5 is not a bad game. I think they just went the wrong direction with it. The graphics are updated beautifully but the depth has been stripped back some. This will change to some degree with the release of Gods and kings, but if you are looking for more depth and content, you are better off loading Civ 4 mod Caveman to Cosmos. The mod is everything I hoped 5 would introduce including so much depth and content it's almost TOO much to process. Some improvements that were made in 5 are: City-states- a cool new addition. Ranged units are ACTUALLY ranged units being able to attack from more than one space away. Hex grid is way better than square and unit stacking is gone. I find it more realistic, but it is a pain in the @$$ when you have to move garrisoned units to produce more. Gods and Kings will re-introduce a religion resource and units will receive a large bump in HP. I'm anxious to see how this will affect overall game strategy. Overall the game is solid and I must give it a thumbs up.… Expand

I already played on the Amiga Civ1 and can regard thus as a veteran. CIV became from everyone part appeared in my opinion worse. The play remained always equivalent only ever more unimportant things implentiert which I does not need and which obscure the play to have made (politics with different parties are not sowas of unnecessarily straight in the today's time where 90% of the people in politics to interestâ… Expand

This game is wonderful. It's one of the most approachable Civ games I've ever played, whether you're a Civ vet or a newcomer. The interface is really clean and doesn't clutter the screen like in previous Civ games. One of the big things I loved about this game was the world leaders. Being a language geek, I thought the fact that each of the leaders speaks in their native language. Little touches like that make this one of the great games released this year.… Expand

Ah, Civilization. This series has kept me up many a night, expanding my empires to try and take down my enemies will pure tactics. And this fifth iteration of the series will not disappoint, not at all. The first thing you are probably going to notice when you boot this game up is the graphics. They are simply amazing; the hills and oceans and deserts look so real you'll want to make sure that this game isn't actually real. And there are some changes made to things like the interface, movement, and quite a few other things. These changes mostly are to make the game easier for new players to jump in, and I promise you it won't ruin the experience for Civ vets. Also you'll notice that the standard square-spaces have been replaced with hexes. Honestly, this changes pretty much nothing, and you'll adjust to it within moments of playing. You get a diverse selection of leaders with different abilities; instead of things like higher health in cities you get abilities like having units fight at full strength even when wounded, or having your navy be more powerful. The game itself runs as smooth as butter (Or something else that is really smooth, like ice cream) even on lower-end systems, and even when you crank up the graphics it still will give you 40+ FPS, an amazing feat. If you enjoyed any of the previous Civ titles, or if you like strategy games, get this game.… Expand

Civilization V was probably my most anticipated game of 2010, and I have to say, after playing it since release, that it is a magnificent game. Graphically speaking, Civ5 is absolutely beautiful particularly if you can get to the higher end of its flexible graphical capabilities. The leader screen was a little bit lower than what I was expecting but they are still wonderful to look at and I sometimes find myself taking just a little time to appreciate the environment. It should be noted, though, that this games Direct X 10 and Direct X 11 features have a few issues. You might have to update your OS and update the DX from the games files in the SteamApps, and after that launch it from the Steam Store to work, but I did manage to get it to work (though it was a little more annoying than it should have been). The game also can have an issue of loading the landscape after you are already in the game which is a little annoying when you first jump in, but it isn't a great issue. With regards to the sound, the sound effects are about as good as a game of this nature can have. Sure, it isn't absolutely fantastic by other genre standards, but for a strategy game it is top-notch. The voice acting is also well done and you can definitely hear at least traces of emotion unless you are talking to maybe Hiawatha who tends to be a little more calm and emotionless. The soundtrack on this game is also terrific, though, I would say Civ4 had a better one. Now, when you get into the actual gameplay, you will notice a few (or, maybe better to say a lot) of changes have been made to Civ4. There no longer are religions in this game nor are the civics (both of which are disappointing to lose). Civics are replaced with Social Policies, though, which do affect the game like civics, but the way the system works just isn't as enjoyable. There are city-states which can slightly affect the game (and plays a huge role in the diplomatic victory) and (when playing against the AI) can affect relations with other civs, but not to the magnitude religion sometimes would in Civ4. The diplomacy screen has also had some minor changes (ex. you can enter research agreements but can't trade technologies) and has taken a more psychological turn rather than the useful turn (ex. Pact of Cooperation and Pact of Secrecy don't do much to the overall game except maybe affect the way you look at a civ and the way they look at you). However, this game isn't a complete downgrade to Civ4. The accessibility of in-game options is made much easier with the new interface and that makes the game a little more enjoyable when working the smaller details of running your civ and the game options. The game also runs a little slower than Civ4 which, while this may annoy some players, it actually seems to help you immerse yourself more in and enjoy the experience of working your civ. The combat, also, has been seriously upgraded. While the developers might have gone a little extreme in removing stacks (a few discussions among the community would have preferred it if they allowed three to five stack caps), it still is enjoyable and tactical not to mention that now ranged units are actually, well, ranged units. They can fire over numerous tiles (generally two). The game also encourages taking tactical advantages on the terrain and organizing attacks (particularly against cities) much more than the previous Civ games. Now, I will say that the AI of this game is really poor right now (currently Firaxis is working on improving it). They don't really settle new continents (sometimes they do, but generally not) and they also aren't very good at stopping you from securing a diplomatic victory on any difficulty level. This is probably the greatest problem with the game's actual gameplay. Now, one thing I must mention before I close is that the modding right now in this game is having a lot of bugs with a lot (if not most) mods not working at all. Not many people know if this is a problem with the mod itself or with the game, but most have confirmed it is not a problem with the person downloading it. Just a warning in case you are getting this strictly for modding (though it will probably be fixed). In the end, I would probably give Civ5 anywhere between a 9.5-9.7. It isn't perfect, but it definitely isn't worth a bad review in my opinion. If you are a long-time Civ fan, then I would definitely advise this. If you are new, then I'd try out the demo (though you might want the full game to know more specifics of how to play). If you have any doubts (and considering some might be disappointed with this game after Civ3 and Civ4) then I would definitely download the demo on Steam and at least give it a try.… Expand

I played Civ 1 through 3 but unfortunately missed 4 due to World of Warcraft. I'm glad I waited for Civ 5, what an upgrade on every level. Amazing graphics, combat is vastly superior, the interface is much improved and easier to use. I also haven't experienced a SINGLE glitch, crash or problem - its been SOLID. If you could name your multiplayer saves and if they had included end game videos, I'd give it a 10 for sure. Great job Sid, glad you're still at the top of your game.… Expand

As a gamer whose played a few Civ games off and on, this iteration of Civ had me hooked from day one. Yes, there are some bugs, and some graphic issues but if you can look beyond that, you have a great game. Combat has been revised to be more strategic, no more stacks of death, you'll form lines, use range attacks and consider how you move your army. City-States add a new layer to the game, city management is made much easier through a better clearer interface and strategic resources become a catalyst towards waging war, rapid expansion, or trade. This is probably the most accessible Civ game to date but still retains the core of what makes Civ fun. Enjoy!… Expand

One of the worst things about the gaming industry these years, specifically PC, requires you to have a much better system. Civilization V is one of those things that just requires a better computer. If your system is not up to date, well, Civ is going to be tough to play.
Civilization is a wonderful game, etching out the grand scale of empire across millennia. It's your road, and your decision. Each civilization is complete in it's own, the worlds greatest superpowers (well, somewhat - never understood why the Songhai Empire was there when the Spain and Portugal were left out) are melded to your command. As time passes you will be attached to the empire you created. It is relieving. It wastes time. It is quite the game.
Immersing game play is not short in Civilization V, you will go to war and you will live through peace, you will race to construct magnificent wonders that bolster your culture and other key importances. I will admit it was probably the poorest release game I've ever heard of, but the updates came (more may come) and the game is just golden for me. It's definitely a keeper.… Expand

More of the same. Fine by me! if it isnt broke then dont fix it. I have seen what happens in these days of trying to shoehorn a classic series to fit with console limitations - Command and Conquer is now a worthless brand, Dawn of war is far less than what it was etc etc. It has all the things I liked about the Civilization series, except Leonard Nimoy's narration. That made me a bit sad and sentimental. But I liked this installment. The only thing I didnt like is that it runs like a lame dog.… Expand

I love this game. It keeps me in the infinite "just 15 more minutes" cycle. Civ 5 can take the usually Boring TBS strategy and make it fun again. Decent AI, and the desire to play the loads of civilizations until the last empire is crushed keeps bringing me back.

that being said, it can be frustrating. Playing on marathon will day MORE then a full day to complete. Hours of your gameplay will be just waiting for the game to end the turn. the lag is off the charts and can be tedious to wait minutes to end every turn. Then, you HAVE to give orders to every single unit you own. sure, you can put them into a standby thing, but once you need them, you forget about them into the flurry of constant unit orders. althought it can be a good thing, sometimes dragging out a game so long (days to complete a single one), can be a bit annoying.

But overall, i give it a 7. its a good game regardless, and worth it.… Expand

It's just brilliant, I've been playing it for 440 hours, and it just never get boring. But, there are still room for improvement:
I) The AI have to grow, because after some time the problem is that you don't lose. Of course you can use more challenging levels, but still the main difference is that the computer got an upper hand on you at the start of the game, but the AI are still the same.
II) The online game experience is weak. It is just about to do things faster than the other players, and every time I played it was same thing, everybody just leave the room before someone got the chance to win.
Still is a nice piece of business.… Expand

I'm just going to let it out that this is the first Civilization game I have ever played and you know what? I'm glad I played this first because I want to play the rest of the Civilization games and see how they evolved. Civilization V to a new comer like me is pure straight addiction. When I first played this game, I couldn't stop playing until it was 8 in the morning and I was starting to hallucinate from the lack of sleep. I was determined to build my empire, I wanted my enemies to burn for defying my empire and I wanted to get every single hexagon spaces for my cities. This game is so addictive that I try my best to avoid playing it. Getting my personal experience out of the way, I'm going to say how Civilization is from a new comer's perspective. I think this game is really good. I don't know how the previous Civilization games played or how their mechanics work or how good they were but I really like the turn based style of this game. The board game like nature of the game made me think harder than most strategy games and I also thought the overall mechanics of it was really deep. What I think is that this game is for people who are completely new or just being introduced to Civilization as I have seen some gameplay of the previous games and they look quite complicated, maybe even more complicated than this. I say if you want to be introduced to this franchise, check Civilization V out. I know I did.… Expand

Great game and I'm an old Civ addict. Has kept me addicted longer than any civ game since civ 1. The new combat system is great. There are a few things I would like to see done better, such as more interesting diplomacy and more of an emphasis on religion. But overall a really addicting, fun addition to the Civ franchise. I'm giving it a 10 because I think it should be 9.5 but can't choose that here.… Expand

Its astounding how much bad rep the user reviews give Civ V. The complaints are very typical. "I don't like it because it took away what I like from the previous titles." This is an understandable point of view but I feel like this thought process is preventing people from enjoying an excellent game. To these, Civ Vets, as Ill call them; I say give the game a chance! I haven't had too much history with the past Civ titles. It was Civilization Revolution the reignited my interest in the series. I enjoyed its user friendliness and simplicity. This encouraged me to purchase the Civ 4 bundle. Civ 4 was fun but was a huge headache! Unit stacking was a great annoyance. A sea assault/invasion didn't feel like it should in a strategy game. The square grid setup def needed to be switched to hexs. City management screen needed some tidying up. The wonders going obsolete was a huge annoyance. While the religion thing was cool, it just seemed like it could use a change. Civ V answered all of these issues. In fact, Civ V has been so perfected that I really don't have a huge desire to play previous Civs at all. Civilization Revolution is the only previous title I still like, despite the lack of ability to mod or create maps. Civ V is an excellent game with an excellent interface. I just can't praise this game enough. I know that it will continue to take plenty of a good nights sleep and free time away from me. The layout and graphics are superb. My only complaint is that it is true that if you're running a large map, the wait time between turns is absurd. Perhaps the game is just a little ahead of its time and a stronger computer would answer this problem. This aside, the game is as fun as it is addictive and its gosh damn addictive.… Expand

Being new to the CIV series, I quite enjoy this game, and it looks great. Seems to me alot of die hard CIV fans are bashing the game, but for me I love it! So I would say if you are new to CIV series defiantly pick this one up!

Imagine Civ 3 but slower. ALOT slower. It seriously is just like civ 3 but a small, tiny, micro-scopic uniqueness to each civilization. Gameplay is the same, graphics are better, and overall its the sam civ game you know, just shinnier. OH OH OH! and its dumbed down. If you are also a fan of Empire earth....imagine empire earth 2 towards 3. Its basically like that

As a strategy veteran but a newcomer to the civ franchise i thought i would give an honest opinion from an unbiased position.This is straight up the most addictive strategy game (maybe the most addictive game) i have ever played, to start with there are many factions to choose each with varying pros and cons that mean it is not a game that gets old quickly and the gameplay is absoluteley superb for a strategy game with just the right balance between economics, diplomacy and warfare to keep the game interesting. My only complaint with civ 5 would be that without saves in multiplayer and given the length of most matches multiplayer is difficult to organise and play however this will hopefully be fixed later on. on hte subject of multiplayer it seems to be working pretty well currently and teamed with the massive amount of time you will spend in single player civ 5 has teh best value for money of a strategy game i have played in a long time. The graphics are another area in which the game excels with the game being clear and easy to understand from a zoomed out perspective and yet very detailed up close. Overall as someone who loves the strategy genre but has never before played a civ game this is a game that deserves to be in every strategy fans collection… Expand

A late review based on the game as it is now - with patches. If, like me, you remember playing the original Civilization on the Amiga, you'll see how much the game has changed over the years - and this one is a big change in the series - if you can get past the "this isn't Civ 4" factor it IS a great game - hell, I've clocked up 576 hours on it according to Steam. The diplomacy system isn't gone, it's just been streamlined - you don't need to send diplomats out - and the NPCs respond to you according to how you act (well, they'll all hate you if you're WAY out ahead)... it's actually better. Espionage IS gone though as is religion - which takes away a couple of layers of depth from the game unfortunately. The difficulty curve has been tweaked so that it doesn't jump from "too easy" to "impossible" in about a step and the cultural system has been overhauled, as has the combat (massively) it's no longer a matter of stack a thousand units on a square and romp in, you now need to utilise your ranged units, stand them behind "melee" units and fire over them - yup, no more stacking on the squares. Oh, and cities can defend themselves now. In short, so much has changed that this is a totally different game - I suspect the low scoring here is largely due to people carrying baggage over from previous Civ games. If you're prepared to approach it with fresh eyes you'll probably find it a rewarding, infinitely replayable, turn-based strategy game - much like any other Civ game (except Civ 3 which I never really liked for some reason) - Civ 5 is more about tactics, strategy and exploration and less about micro-management so an important thing to bear in mind is - THIS IS NOT CIV 4! - (it's more like a supercharged version of Civ 2 - with less railways)… Expand

This was my first time playing a CIV game. I was in no way disappointed and it lived up to all the hype I had heard about it. Anyone looking for a game that has a slow but very fun pace this is the game for you, just make sure that you don't have anything to do because time will fly when you play this game.

Heck - how can such a great game have such a low score? Yes, there are new aspects. If there were none, people would complain even more. Civ 5 is better than all other games in the series.

I am new to Civ. I never played the old ones, only seen them played, so I'm fresh to the series, since I only recently acquired a PC capable of playing decent games. Civilization V is one of my favorite games in recent memory. I've spent well over 30+ hours playing it, and I am not tired yet. Each race and location adds an exciting change and it's fun to attempt a victory in the many different ways you can in this game. But as I mentioned, I feel the game is well worth the money you spend, but I am also new to the series and have nothing to base this game on other than the fun I get from it. And from my perspective, this game is an instant classic.… Expand

Great game, best Civ ever. The new combat system where only 1 unit per tile is awsome, makes the battle more tatical. The economics is more clear also, you know what is happening.

I played every single one of this game since the first Civ came out, it was just 2D icons on a 2d map, I think was the time of Simcity etc. When I got the Civ5, by just looking at the cover, I saw major difference. First I could use the ships for ground support, ground troops could attack ships, and units could fire 2-4 squares away. Great. I was quite excited until about the middle of my first game on huge map. The game was extremely slow after some turns and the game was freezing, and shutting down. I improved my system from recommended configuration to quad CPU, 8GB ram, SSD drive, 1GB fast graphics, 64Bit W7 etc. just to feel playable, still very heavy on hardware in later parts of the game on larger maps. The reason is that the AI players are set to mass produce units to the point where the entire area within their borders and beyond is covered with them. I mean every single square. I saw better strategy from barbarians and city states, they would probably get to the same point eventually. About the game. Not talking about all the things and concepts that are left out, there is one major problem. The AI has no strategy. There is no difference in strategy if you play on Settler or Deity difficulty other than completely unfair advantage at the start of the game. Ai just gets more units, better production, you name it. If you can barricade yourself for long enough time and fend off onslaughts of more advanced units, then you'll make it on any level. you may end up fighting arrows against infantry but only until you catch up with your research. Retreat wounded units, promote them, you'll be amazed what ultra elites can do. If AI just would sent all those units at you you would have hard time to make it, but there is only certain amount of points of attack every turn. Terrain comes handy. There is no defense against nukes, other than to attack with a nuke first especially at the city that has one. Which destroys all units at that city. I am not gonna go into more details but basically the game is fun at the beginning where you are fighting for survival, trying to get to the resources, but at some point it becomes very boring and sort of routine cleanup of other players. The whole game was very simplified, has good concepts with air-force and navy but lacks in diplomacy, tech tree, gameplay. Also after you spend all that time hunting for an iron for example, you won't need it anymore. Anyhow I can't say anything dab about, I take it with all pros and cons, just a little bit disappointed. But I see a great potential in multiplayer, human against human. AI just knows how to make "2" types of units at the end, and as long as it puts them in the water, it is just a good target practice for the airforce. So don't be afraid to be the last guy in the games based on the score sheet, with thousands of points difference, city by city unit by unit...
If you make your economy strong by combination of culture and city management, you can spent most of the time in golden age, and also you can literally buy the world with all city states. Nuclear missile is a good cleanup tool, and since it is nothing special to build, providing that you have uranium access, just keep buying them... It is a good game but no real challenge in it. If there ever is the Civ6 I hope they keep
this one as a base and fill in all the good features from previous versions with possibility to switch it on and off. But the main focus I would put on AI adaptive tactics and overall strategy.… Expand

I love this version. I've been playing since civilization 3. All of my habits are actually developed around Civ 3 Civ 4 still bugs me because I keep expecting to get samurai as knights instead of horseman, and free granaries from the pyramids. Don't know what I'm talking about? This review probably isn't for you.

But let's talk about Civ V and why I like it. One, the combat is fantastic. The visual representation is very effective, and the sounds and details of it feel great. The fact that frigates and such can directly attack units is awesome. The hex system is the perfect system, and it gives the whole combat the feel of the board game Battletech. The fact that you can't stack units introduces meaningful 2 dimensional strategy. The combat now has a degree of depth to it that makes it much more fun, and when manipulating large armies, LESS OF A GRIND. It's the difference in space combat between Star Trek Online and Eve Online. In Eve it's a numbers game, maneuvering, except speed and distance is meaningless. In STO you have to rotate your shields, making 3 dimensional maneuvering vital, and group maneuvering meaningful. Same thing for CIV 4 vs. Civ 5. This is a VAST improvement. The whole combat system is a vast improvement.

Diplomacy: All the features I look for in diplomacy were there. The diplomacy layout was great, even the new interaction screen gives me a good vibe. When I'm talking to Montezuma I am connected to the culture through his background and body language. Much better than the Victorian portrait.

Expansion: I like that this is no longer a settler race early game. There is plenty of land. Don't bother expanding to an area that isn't rich in luxuries or strategic resources. I'm currently playing the Iroquois, I've 3x'd my way into being the largest empire, and I'm rich, but my people are unhappy (annexing causing problems) and the English, who only have 3 cities (vs. my 8) are an age further ahead in tech, have a better military, and are better connected diplomatically (I'm playing on prince difficulty). I squandered all my political and human capital on conquering the Aztec. To me this is depth, and I like it. I won the war but lost the greater competition because of my land greed. Tech Tree: There are now two tech trees. There is the traditional science tech tree, which makes a bit more sense and has actually been expanded, and then there is the new social tech tree. Civ5 takes the idea that there is an endgame for policy. I could do either sytem, but I think there is a lot of strategy and depth to pursuing the social tech tree (fed by culture, awesome.) I'm enjoying it, though it was fun before to become a fascist, nationalistic theocracy and go storming the world. Cities: The cities look great and feel great. The funeral dirge of the Fat square is an ode to joy. The end of neurotic micromanagement of workers and tiles is poetry. Managing the city, the purchase model vs the old rush/ slave model makes more sense. THANK GOD FOR EMBARCATION. Makes the whole game smoother and better. The People's revolt that occurs when your citizens are too unhappy is awesome. This is a sophisticated though simplified model for Civ. The city states are an effective way for us To temporarily expand in times of need, and contract as the need ends. They also provide mini-missions and many interesting dynamics to fill vast tracts of time. Everything that was added I like, I miss NOTHING about the old city system, though I can see the roots of the current system in it. The interaction between the city system and the new combat system is fantastic, and now sieges are so much more dynamic and interesting. Far more so than the previous civs. The overall feel of the game is very much improved. There are two big problems with the civilization series: it becomes tedious when you have a large empire, and late game there's a lack of flexibility, if you're not top dog, it's unlikely you will be by 2050. This game has helped a lot of with the tediousness of empire by limiting the size and by streamlining the micromanagement of cities. I have yet to see if late game is improved.

The Civilization series has a lot of die hard fans who invested a lot of time and energy into the the minutiae of the previous systems. Their conservative view means this game is worse, because it's tactical and strategic depth is different, not immediately apparent, and perhaps simplified, definitely less technical, though intricate in what I think is a better way. The game is very system heavy. The graphics engine a little buggy. Even the opening movie doesn't like to let me escape out. Hopefully these issues will be solved soon. I'm very happy with it. I wake up early to play it before work, I stay up late playing it after school. I'm 27 years old, and if I'm lucky, I might just conquer St. Petersberg before the day is out.… Expand

super jeu de stratégie alliant réflexion et plaisir de jouer. Seul petit bémol, même si le graphisme est amélioré par rapport à CIV 4 cela aurais pu être un peu mieux. je trouve dommage qu'un jeu d'une telle qualité n'est pas su profiter d'une meilleur conception graphique.néanmoins; jeu absolument à recommander… Expand

I initially bought Civilization V on release, having played it for about an hour I wrongly believed it was inferior to its predecessors and didn't play it again until July. This time I embraced the new combat system which was my main problem with game when I first played . The new combat system allows for a more strategic approach and is ultimately more satisfying than the stacking of units in previous games. In other areas things have been simplified which makes the game feel faster, some people would consider this a negative but I feel it is a step forward for the series and will open the game up to more casual player new to the series. One issue with the game is that the A.I is not the best, that said I have only played on the normal difficulty level. The game's graphics are very nice indeed the downside to this means that a good computer is needed to run the game well. I have never had any technical problems with the game and always runs with zero lag and and seems very stable.… Expand

Civ V is definitely my favorite 4X games out there and I still play it along with Civ IV BTS(Yes! playing both is possible). The core gameplay of Civ series is still there presented in beautiful graphic and slimmed down interface coupled with very engaging combat system. The game had many issues on its first release but since then great effort from both Firaxis and Civ community has improved this game a lot more just like in 2005 they did to Civ IV.… Expand

After the release of Gods and Kings, Civ V has become one of the best turned-based strategy games of all time. Don't listen to the Civ III and IV fans who complained about this game earlier. It's a fantastic game. The only cons of this game as of the latest update is that this game requires a high powered pc to play on higher settings, and the game is almost too addicting! ;) ***ALSO, IF YOU GAVE THIS GAME A 0, YOU ARE AN IDIOT, PERIOD. UNLESS THE GAME ABSOLUTELY DIDN'T WORK, A ZERO IS NOT WARRANTED. METACRITIC NEEDS TO REMOVE THE ABILITY TO GIVE ZEROS TO KEEP IMMATURE CHILDREN FROM RUINING THE INTEGRITY OF USER REVIEW SCORES.***… Expand

As background, I've played Civilization only since the 3rd, which was the one that turned me on to all turn-based games. The intro pooped on my computer, but I'm still running a dual core on a 32-bit OS, so I kind of expect things like that. Right clicking to move is a bit frustrating, was the first thing I noticed. I have played only at the Warlord (4) level so far - they are foolish, but not wholly incapable of taking advantage of your missteps. I think the "denouncement" feature is what drives a lot of the aggressive diplomacy in the AI - at one point after being denounced by a few major civs, every city-state on the continent declared war on me. What I truly enjoy is how the new and the old have been paired in this game. The concepts are true to the core of turn-based strategy - the hexagonal tiles paired with the decision to remove stacking units makes combat and assaults of cities much more engaging. Though it is a lot easier to defend cities from early barbarian attackers, It's also much harder to make impenetrable fortresses of your major cities in the later stages of the game - a proper siege is very possible using artillery and infantry. The new culture system coupled with the happiness and social policy system makes for interesting game choices. Happiness levels in your empire are entirely transparent, and there are many ways to adjust these levels through social policies which are funded by culture. The other thing I enjoy is the lack of universally expansionist AI. In previous titles, the enemy AI would pack their cities like sardines and aggressively nab resources by simply building a new city - even if it meant stifling that city's ability to expand beyond 6 or 7 population. However in Civ V, the AI avoids this and develops each city properly, allowing room for expansion - in one of my marathon/huge games, I still had room just beyond my borders to develop cities at year 1810. Beyond all the new features that have added to the depth of the gameplay, a few simple ones have made it turns go MUCH quicker. The "End Turn" button will be replaced by important prompts such as "Choose new Research" when you finish a tech on that turn, or "Unit needs orders" when a unit that isn't asleep or fortified has not expended its moves. This makes things a lot easier because instead of tediously browsing over a large battlefield, the game simply finds those units for you and prevents you from ending turn without giving them an order or telling them to wait/sleep/fortify - I'd be surprised if every turn-based game doesn't adopt this feature eventually. This review has been a haphazard collection of new features, but I'd like to say that I am very pleased with the game overall - it brought more new features to the game in a single expansion than many of the previous installments, and did so with a surprising amount of grace. This review might be a year and a half after release (time flies- next turn) but I think this is a major stepping stone for the Civilization series and look forward to its refinement in future titles.… Expand

Bought this in a Steam sale for $20 instead of the usual $50, and perhaps that inclines me to be more positive about the game than some people here, but I find this a rewarding and very addictive game. have not played Civilization games for many years (Civilization 2 was the last one I played) so I'm not comparing this to its predecessors.

To me this seems to strike a nice balance between playability and depth, and the automation features are a nice option to save you from some of the tedium of doing the same thing over and over again. Just automate those units you don't care about and focus on the units that are most important for your main strategy. You don't have to use the automation if you don't want to, so any "dumbing down" it brings is entirely optional.

It's fun without being too shallow, there's a fair amount of complexity to it, and it's challenging enough for me. I'm not a really hardcore strategy gamer so perhaps it's not for them and I can see why they might worry for the series if previous instalments were more complex, but it's still one of the best strategy games I have played.… Expand

Let me start by saying that it's a special game. Civ V could go for a single player campaign like Anno series. Go for some tutorials + hours and hours of complicated mission forcing you to fulfill the screenplay writers idea. But that's not Civ V! It has tons of freedom in it's gameplay design and it is not ashamed to use it. You can play it for a week, you can play it for a month. You'll be thrilled to see your civilisation blossom.… Expand

well this game is one of the best strategy games ever made! however many people believe the game's not good but thatz completely out of the question becuz no other game is a match for this superb game, the addition of the city states was a brilliant idea which make diplomacy win much easier. well over all this game has a lot of exiting features which would completely dominate any fault in the game (if it had any), in other words a game that every strategy games players would love!… Expand

The first time a turn-based strategy game has been as fun as an RTS game like Starcraft 2. A great game, very enjoyable and refined gameplay.
Pros: graphics, singleplayer experience, gameplay, music, lore, vision
Cons: multiplayer is sometimes buggy, doesn't support animations at present

My first time playing the civilization series and I got hooked on it. It is much fun and challenging - right when you think you just might have peace with your neighbor civs they attack you from all sides. A really fun game to play.

I played Civ 2 but that was a long time ago. I really enjoyed how they've removed so much of the tedious parts of the game (micro managing workers for instance) and you can play a game in a couple of hours now although 3-6 is probably average. Lots more ways to win. The various achievements encourage you to try the different races. I was able to figure the game out without too much trouble. The multitude of difficulty levels means that players of EVERY ability will have fun. As you get better with strategy, you can slowly raise the difficulty level. This is important to keep frustration levels down. The graphics are really nice.… Expand

An amazingly well done game to add to this great franchise of games. the new hex tiles work so much better than the previous tiles. Only complaint is the ai can be a bit dim witted at times.

I have played Civ since the first one!!! This is another great addition to the great series! Some feathers are good some not but overall it's still amazing game! I just hope they won't dumb down it too much in next one!!!

Okay I love it. Great game graphics, I love the integration of city-states and the tech-tree is so diverse. I could go on and on about the pros of Civ V. The game was so well made and I highly advise this game for anyone to purchase. Only one con, something I liked from Civ Rev, whatever happened to culturally converting cities?

If you enjoy the turn based strategy genre, this is the game for you. I felt it improved on almost every aspect of the previous versions of the Civ universe.

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I have always loved civilization games and IV (both expansions, but especially BTS; Beyond the Sword) was by far the best. That would be as close to a 10 as I could give to any game. With that being said, As much as I love Civ 5, there are definitely some downsides. The good: Graphics are decent, gameplay is new and inventive, battles are epic and amazing, and a lot of the console/management system has been streamlined. On the flip side, it's amazing what streamlining can do and how much of the game they gutted. This is very much a micromanagement game to the core and they took out quite a lot of those options! Let alone some of the other minor issues, this feels like a game that was re done but not quite done fully. I feel that this game could have utilized system resources better (processors/RAM) and the AI should at this day and age been revamped to a point where it is slightly more intelligent than mathematical numbers (I know, I know, what else does it have? Either the AI is too stupid or too smart to the point of cheating...). My biggest pet peeve is all of the crazy DLC they keep pumping out and selling, very disapointing to see the marketing involved in this and how big of sell-outs they have become. We will never get the same value for our games again. At the end of the day, I won't lie when I say I have probably pumped in close to 200 hours into this game and I definitely found it to be worthwhile, there are definite quirks and minor things that I wish could be fixed.… Expand

I play Civ series from Civ II, and every new version have something new. I like new graphics but also only one unit per hex is also better solution than endless stack units.

Best Civilization game so far. I've played 200 hours without even noticing that I did. Addicting, easy to play and deep. The DLCs sucks, though. You really get nothing for your money if you buy those. I wish they released an expansion instead.

PART I of II

Well, where to start?
First my two cents on the reasons for the release of a bug and untested product.
Mind my lack of punctuation but the Metacritic site does not like quotes, parenthesis and the likeâ

By far, the best of the Civilization games. It doesn't havee the messy combat system from Civ IV, it doesn't have units moving half-way accross the map in one turn and it has cities that defend themselves! Finally! 2 units fighting means both taking damage, not one living and the other being relatively unharmed! It has city-states, a notable improvement. Air combat has greatly improved and now embarking maks naval assaults possible!… Expand

Best game I have ever played, Been playing for about 1.5 years, have been playing for awhile, never had a problem with the game, game play is great, it requires a brain, or just common sense, a bit of both and you could amount to something, the community is what sells it for me, everyone after awhile knows everyone, you will be meeting pass friends of the game, i can name several off the top of my head, this game opens up new challenges with the DLC's too! I love this game.… Expand

Firstly, I'm not really sure what all the complaints are for. I came here during the recent Steam sale, and after playing Civ IV, I wanted to see what was new. Let's just say I'm impressed - it's hard to begin where to start. The graphics and whole UI overhaul is great, the best out of the games so far, and I really love the new HUD controls onscreen (the best thing probably being the notification button above the map and the info panes to the right). It's easy to use without being dumbed down.

Secondly, the games itself is great! As always, there are plenty of ways to win and make friends or fight enemies. I'm not quite sure if its new, but I enjoyed having allies in the surrounding 'city-states' (places in the game that take up land, but aren't fighting to win the game), which really helps if you're in a war without support. I personally haven't tried out the multiplayer mode, but single player is super (as always).

In conclusion, I wouldn't spend a lot on the game, but its worth the money, and certainly killed a lot of my time!… Expand

Nice turn based strategy game. You will be in charge of managing the development of a civilization. You will be challenge by other civilizations who will compete against you and others for land and resources; you can manage your victory in several ways: For example, a civilization can win by Cultural Victory or by Domination Victory (other victory conditions available). The game let you create military units that range from ancient times (archers for example) to modern era (tanks!). You also have to manage city resources (although it can be automated) like food, production and mines, for that purpose several buildings can be constructed. Also, community mods (extra content for free) is available. For those interested in achievements, this game has Steam achievements. I haven't play the multiplayer part of this game. Well, that's all.… Expand

A great addition to the Civilization series, but not quite as good as Civ IV. The removal of things like espionage and religion, only to be re-added in a later expansion, is very disappointing. It does try to shake things up by not only going to a hex tile system instead of squares, but only allowing one unit per space when before you could stack up an entire continental army on a single space. A lot of players see such a huge change as a bad thing but being different isn't necessarily being worse.… Expand

Civilization V is currently my absolute favorite strategy game that I have played. Civilization V is a brilliant game with excellent gameplay and graphics, but obviously the main qualm it has with most players is that it seems inferior to Civ IV. Well, having played Civ IV, I can say that Civ V is massively better, in terms of gameplay, graphics, and general playability. Large problems in Civ IV included STACKS OF DOOM, in which one could create a bloody massive army and generally annihilate everything in your way. With Civ V this is removed, and strategy comes back instead of blind unit spamming.… Expand

I have been playing Civilization since the first game was released back in 1991. I can only give this game 9/10 with all the expansions installed. Without the expansions and without the patches that have been released to day it is a 7/10 at best. I am a fan. I avoid multi-player because I ONLY play Marathon game-length. The AI is pretty stupid and predictable, but I play to win! It is an enjoyable game, and I am a fan of no unit stacking. I always hated that I could make an invincible stack that would move around the game as a stack of death razing every city I came accross until I won. Combat is great in this game! It requires strat. You have to move an army into place before-hand, plan your routes, use land and sea, you need to send in reinforcements to areas which are wearing down... and none of the pathetic click and win RTS style. I am a Big fan of this game.… Expand

This is what happens when develpors listen to the gamer's. Awesome games come out that follow the legacy of its predecessor. Civ 5 is truly excellent just like Civ 4 but the only thing i miss is being able to look into the city and see all the buildinds you built.

I loved Panzer General and found combat in prior Civs to be annoying, as there were just too many units. Now, I love to march my units line abreast into enemy territory and find the military part of the game to be fun. So, despite not being able to play on the largest map (my dual core just takes too long in the late game turns - hmm the PC turns 5 in November - maybe I should get a new PC - nah, it still works), I will now try out the new expansion, Gods & Kings. Yes, this review is long overdue - I have been playing Civ V since about 2 days after it was initially relesed in 2010. Rate it a 10.… Expand

I've been an RTS fan since the 90's with C&C:red alert so of course for the last few years i've know about civilization. I've always known i should have played it but never did. On a whim i tried out a demo and i bought the game that night. This is the most dauntly complex game i may have ever played. Its the thrill and variation of Risk with all the complexities of raising a nation from scratch. This game is so fun and addicting on it's own that they didnt even need to do anything but give you one game type, "play game" haha. I havent been this hooked to a game since WOW like 5 years ago.… Expand

Civilization V, the ultimate time waster. A very solid game, especially since the patches and expansion for a night kickin back with friends and having a few beers. A long night at that. For both long time and newcoming players of the Civilization series, you'll feel right at home here. A lot of reviews on here complain about the "lack of depth" in the game, but they act as though it is no longer difficult or deep because of the removal of a few features (many of which are now available in DLC's), but I personally think that they improvements they made over the previous games allow for more tactical depth than ever. Gone are the days of stacking so many units that you could ceaselessly barrage a city until it falls to its knees. Now, you really have to plan carefully and prepare for a siege, as you should. I had tremendous fun figuring out and mastering the combat system. Everything from where to place the catapults so as to be useful, but not too vulnerable as well as who are the front line marines sent in essentially to do little damage on a suicide mission before you bring in the big guns. The gameplay is fluid, and in multiplayer the combat is intense once air units are introduced as you scramble to intercept air units headed for your beloved cities. Early game, building wonders and researching technology can take FOREVER. But what a lot of people here seem to overlook is the realism that goes along with that. Fact is, it did take forever to build The Great Wall, Hanging Gardens, etc. And once nations began becoming industrialized, things really sped up. This holds true in the Civilization series. By the time I hit the industrial era, I was completing wonders in 3-4 turns, builds in 1-2, and every unit in 1. BUT, if you play your cards wrong, you could end up developing no research a turn, or with your production at or near a standstill. Every decision you make seems to have greater implications in Civ V than the previous, as there are less to make which ends up making you really have to weigh your options much more. I'd argue that the game has more depth in that each decision you make is absolutely crucial, whereas in Civ IV I found myself able to let a lot more go with much less staring at that screen while others wait for you to hit that next turn button.

There's a lot of very negative reviews out there with scores of 0-5, and to you I say... Really? The programming, design and execution of the game is excellent. A lot of people here discuss Civ like it's some sort of sacred thing. It's a board game in virtual form people, they have to make changes if they want to progress. Stop acting as though the series holds any sort of loyalty towards you. I personally see video games as art, and like good art, the artist does what they think is best. If you have a better idea, get involved in the process yourself. If not, at LEAST give constructive criticism, not this "this game is a waste of money, total piece of **** It's not like the old one." Just makes you look like a douche, as this game was obviously meticulously crafted from the ground up by the developers. If you think Civ IV is the perfect game, then keep playing that. As for myself, I honestly cannot think of a better turn based strategy game out there. Total War: Shogun 2 was fun, but the limitation of 2 players per campaign has really limited myself from playing it as on my weekend off I like to LAN with 3-4 friends, bbq, and play some strategy games. I have always seen games like this as a highly social thing, like board games. This crushes any turn based strategy or board game in terms of replayability.

I just don't understand why people refer to it being more of a casual game. Aren't all games casual? Cause I feel the term is being used very loosely. Cookin Mama and CoD is casual, and no CoD kiddie would even make it halfway through a game of Civ without throwing a bored tantrum from lack of headshots. Just because Civ allows more of a social experience is not a bad thing, as it IS just a board game video game essentially. We already have RPG's for that antisocial desire in us. I think between Fallout, Dragon Age, Dark Souls, Elder Scrolls, The Witcher, Disciples, etc. I have had my fill of sitting in a room by myself. Being an IT guy, that is my job pretty much, so on weekends I like to get together with fellow nerds and game hard for those few days off. And this game is perfect for that when you don't feel like dealing with the clenched shoulder intensity of a SCII or LoL game.… Expand

4+/5 (Very Good)

If you enjoy playing games like RISK, where a game can take DAYS to finish, CIV5 is for you.

The best part? I don't actually care about winning in CIV5, it's how you get to the end that is fun and somehow hugely satisfying. (even if you lose)

I don't even finish all of my games and still feel good about them!

This review was a long time coming. I basically have 3 different reviews based on performance. When I first bought the game, I had technical issues with game performance. I couldn't get DX11 to work and the game played like a 15 year old game on my fairly new desktop. The game was simply unplayable. When the game does work, it's one of the most complex and entertaining games I have ever played. Absolutely outstanding. Very deep and has almost endless replay value. The DLC is abundant and still likely to see some new releases in the future. The game on Steam also has a great modding community. Makes it easy to try out other people's creations. All of the extras are just gravy as the base game is the best strategy game of its kind in the world. Civ V will probably hold this title until Civ 6 comes out in half a decade or so.… Expand

This is game is pure strategy. If you're looking for a game like AoE or Warcraft, you probably need to look elsewhere, but if you like turn based games, you came to the right place.
Everything in this game needs to be done patiently, and time is not a problem, so if you forget to do something, it's not the game's fault.
One of the best features is the longevity. I can play two days in a single map. And the variety of units is amazing. The AI seems smart in higher levels of difficulty, but annoyingly dumb in easier modes. And visually it looks very nice!
But the lack of options to "talk" to other civilizations (single player) and city states, is one of the things that takes 1 point from perfection. And the almost non existence of unique units from the various empires is something that makes gamers think twice before play it multiple times. Some variety would be much appreciated.… Expand

TOP Game! Absolut super! Jedes Civ hatte seine Vor- und Nachteile, aber Civ V ist das, ich sag mal, abgerundeste! Es macht super Spaß, schicke Grafik und es macht immer wieder mal Spaß seine Zivilisation aufzubauen! :-) Bin nach wie vor begeistert!

i have to say the best one yet, have played it for over 300h since release. AI plays great, the hex grid and no troop stacking......... = all great moves to make it more strategic and challenging.

this is one of the best games that I have ever played, I find it easy and fast to understand, fun to play and the IA is just epic. I recommend it to everyone

This is the first Civilization I've ever played, and I have so much fun with it. If you're not comparing it to any of the previous games, it's a great game. I do wish I could stack units like you apparently could in the old games, but on a Huge map, it isn't so much of an issue. Well worth the money spent.

Civilization itself is a work of improved its grand chapter. Here is the incursion of new technologies, counselors, and draw some possibilities of Chapter IV, which are mostly of military strategies (where one can no longer join several troops in the same area), and that the areas do not expand automatically only, here you have to buy 'lots' to expand the boundaries. Among all recent strategy games, Civilization V is by far the best.… Expand

Love this game! Played it quite a bit when it was first released but was only ever average at it. Have revisited this game over the last few months, and read up a bit on tips & tricks and with the new patch this game is pretty much perfect. LOVE the music score. Really cant fault the game at all. Bring on Civ VI is all I can say.

I've played civilization since Civ 2 was out and I really love the series. As always, there are a large number of changes from the last installment, but it still retains the basic feel of civilization. There are things I feel are improvements over the last installment, and things I do not feel are better, but for the most part I see the differences as positive. I would have given it a rating of 10, but there are some stability issues that cause frequent crashes. Update all drivers and run DXDIAG before playing, and even then, save often.… Expand

Perfect instalment for Civ. Cities have been simplified to some degree, making specialized cities isn't quite as crucial as it was in Civ4 due to the fact that most national wonders aren't % increases. All the economy is a bit more steamlined. Combat is infinitely better then Civ 4 which is where Civ 5 really shines. No more stack of doom mass seige garbage. You need a good plan when warring and you really need to take terrain into account. Passing through a choke point will favor ranged units, wide open flat terrain will favor melee and cavalry. Great game.… Expand

É um clássico! Todos os jogos dessa franquia de 1991 são ótimos.
Civilization V não fica atrás e realmente vale a pena, dá pra ficar horas direto.
Pra quem nunca jogou nenhum deles, vale a pena deixar pra comprar a expansão Gods & Kings depois, mas pra quem já está familiarizado com a série, sugiro nem jogar antes de comprar a expansão.

É uma parte importante do jogo que não deveria vir em um DLC, mas no pacote principal, já que não é uma adesão apenas de recursos e não de conteúdo. Espionagem e Religião, Profetas, Missionários, Inquisidores, manipulação de eleições e roubo de tecnologia são algumas novidades de Gods & Kings.… Expand

My all time favorite turn based strategy game: I have over 700 hours logged on Steam and I still haven't tried all the features included. I totally love the new graphics, the soundtrack the voice acting, the Interface and most game mechanics. I have nothing but admiration for the bold move to go hexagonal without unit stacking: no more stacking 50 units on one tile. And while at first I didn't like the lack of deep info screens, I now appreciate the absence of tedious micromanagement. Each game has a great flow from start to end. Volumes have been written on the strategy forums, that means it's still deep enough, right? I could go on and on lauding this game to infinity so I'll quit here. One bit of negative is the online multiplayer: me and some friends tried that a few times, but we just couldn't enjoy it. It's not entirely turn-based and sometimes the one that clicks faster will win the battle, meh. On the other hand, local hotseat is great fun if you choose to cooperate. (Make all local players part of the same team, then plot against AI teams. Feels like a boardgame... great!)… Expand

This is an excellent game that you can spend many hours playing. I can also leave this game for a few months and come right back and have no issues with with remembering how to do things because it is very user friendly. That said, I think it is somewhat like Civilization for dummies compared to Civ 4 because of its simplification, but it is still very good. Graphics and game-play are great.

A great addition to the Civilization series. The new one unit per tile setting allows for great and strategic games. Diplomacy is a bit of a down point, thus no 10/10 game.

I've played Civ for a long time the mid 90s. I really like the wai CiV have turned out unit stacking is gone, and i really love it. I would point out that many of the annoyances poited out in negative reviews were fixed with later patches and in the God and Kings expansion