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Civilization Revolution

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9.0 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 39 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 46 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: 2K Games

Developer: Firaxis

Genre(s): Turn-Based Strategy

Players: 4

ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older)

Release Date: July 8, 2008

Summary

Civilization Revolution offers players a chance to experience the epic empire-building world of Civilization in an all new accessible, visually immersive, and action-packed world specifically designed for the console and handheld gamer. Delivering Civilization's renowned epic single-player campaigns featuring vast re-playability and unmatched addictive gameplay as well as revolutionary features like real-time interaction with leaders and advisors, extensive multiplayer capabilities and integrated video and voice chat, it transports the Civilization series to a level of gameplay that fans have never seen before. Some of the key features that resonate with fans of strategy games and the Civilization franchise include 16 civilizations to master and lead to victory, an array of famous historical leaders to play as or compete against, and accessible maps and streamlined time scale for quicker games, intense combat, and constant action. In online multiplayer mode, players compete for world conquest and glory among their peers as they battle in teams, head-to-head or epic free-for-all matches. In addition, auto-matching, ranked games, leaderboards, achievements, downloadable extra content and integrated video and voice chat make the online play more versatile and fun than any previous version of Civilization and will allow players to see where they stand against the competition. Finally, the position of ruler of the world can be settled online. [2K Games]

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What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Gaming Age

Most importantly, we're happy to report that the ebb and flow of the game, the technology race, the expansionistic urges, the cycle from martyrdom to world conqueror and back, have been expertly captured in Civilization Revolution.

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Worth Playing

Revolution makes a great starting place for new gamers to learn the ways of Civilization while avoiding being overwhelmed by the massive amount of things present in Civilization 4.

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Cheat Code Central

An exquisite experience for strategy junkies. PC purists may turn up their noses at it, but I dare them to play through multiplayer with a pair of headsets on and not get giddy.

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ZTGameDomain

Much of the changes in Civ Rev are of the give and take variety ultimately streamlining gameplay with little sacrifice.

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GameSpot

Civilization Revolution is an excellent, streamlined console version of the popular PC strategy series.

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Gameplayer

A fantastic, frantic combination of pretty much all the highlights of previous Civilization titles rolled into one single package. Finally, a worthy way to experience Sid Meier's legendary franchise on your console!

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Game Informer

This is hands down the best pure strategy title to appear on consoles to date, and easily worthy to bear the Civilization name. [July 2008, p.83]

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Play UK

Firaxis must be commended for what could’ve been a very clunky or patronising console port. Instead, the series’ depth and spirit has been encapsulated in an addictive and appropriate PS3 package.

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Gamer 2.0

Civilization Revolution is a benchmark in the turn-based strategy series for console games both now and in the future.

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IGN

The developers of Civ Rev made some tough but smart compromises, which resulted in a great console strategy game that could do with just a bit more depth. Overall though, this one’s a winner.

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Electronic Gaming Monthly

The controls are indeed a dream, effectively putting to rest the notion that a strategy game can't work on a console. [Aug 2008, p.70]

Extreme Gamer

Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution is the most immersive strategy game on the consoles to-date that can offer up this much fun, offline or online and for multiple skill levels.

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GameZone

It plays very well on the PS3 with intuitive controls, solid graphics, and streamlined game mechanics that ensure entertainment value.

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PSM3 Magazine UK

Matches could be longer, but the strategy is top notch. Excellent. [Aug 2008, p.72]

GamePro

Cerebral gamers and those with world-conquering ambitions should definitely give this one a try. [Aug 2008, p.76]

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Game Over Online

More options would have been huge in adding a bit of spice to the repetition that sets in after a few games, but what comes in the box is good enough to recommend to anyone with a taste for a little strategy and a penchant for world domination.

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Maxi Consolas (Portugal)

Much more than a simple conversion to consoles, Revolution is a Civ experience built and tailored specially for these machines. And it really shows. It’s, in nature, a very addictive experience and the gameplay really suits the different console controllers. [Aug 2008]

GamerNode

It may not be as deep or entertaining as the PC counterparts, but it's still one hell of a game, and it will still cause thousands of people to lose out on sleep.

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DailyGame

If you enjoy games like Catan, this game goes a little deeper and offers a lot more, but with exceptional controls that give you a fun, action-based experience without all the memorization of various control schemes.

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Playstation Universe

Everything that strategy gamers have been waiting for. While it may disappoint a small niche of hardcore Meier fans, it will definitely appeal to the masses looking for a nice change of pace from the average console game.

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Variety

Civilization: Revolution ingeniously brings the series back to basics and, despite a few faults late in the game, should appeal to new players without alienating the devoted fan base.

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GameTrailers

A streamlined strategy experience for consoles that's easy to play and appreciate. The game achieves balance and variety, letting it hold up to repeated plays, and creates that “one more turn” addiction that defines most great strategy games.

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Console Gameworld

Definitely created for players who've never played the series before, Civilization Revolution is a great entry title for console gamers.

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1UP

But Revolution's greatest omission is testament to just how addicting the game is. It's disappointing not having the option to play "one more turn..." after a victory condition is achieved and continuing to build (or rebuild) your empire.

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Pelit (Finland)

The operation was a success, but the patient died! Actually, not really. While making the game simpler cut's the depth of the single player mode considerably, ut at the same time makes multiplayer games more fluent and entertaining. [Aug 2008]

MEGamers

It is a solid effort that fits well as a console game. We just wish some more details made it across from the PC series.

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AceGamez

It presents a solid, fairly streamlined experience that's accessible to console players while still providing an engaging layer of depth.

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Giant Bomb

While Sid Meier has been quoted as saying that this is the Civilization game he always wanted to make, Revolution's got plenty of shortcomings, and the scope of its vision can sometimes outstrip its mechanics. That said, this is a really satisfying strategy game, and though it might be old hat for PC players, there are few experiences quite like it on consoles.

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Cynamite

Once you start Civilization, you can’t stop playing. Fortunately the controls work wonderfully on the console versions. A great strategy game!

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Games Master UK

As entertaining as it is absorbing and one of the best console strategy games around. [Aug 2008, p.72]

Edge Magazine

While the streamlined and brisk approach that brushes over some of the minutiae of the previous games might cause some PC fans to baulk, Revolution has concentrated rather than diluted the Civ experience, creating an expression of the concept that's perfectly suited to its platform. [July 2008, p.94]

Eurogamer

This slick new Civilization may be more reduction than Revolution, but it's easily one of the most distinctive games on 360 and PS3. I can't see myself playing much more of the single-player, but I genuinely cannot wait to war over landmass with a few like-minded chums.

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Playstation Official Magazine UK

There's something hugely satisfying about playing Civilization: Revolution. It feels clever, but it's actually about as educational as reading the ingredients off a box of Cheerios and pretending you've got a PhD in chemistry. [July 2008, p.102]

PALGN

Sid Meier's Civilization: Revolution is easily the most effective and most addictive strategy game ever to be released on a console, and is worth a shot for anyone interested in the franchise or genre at all.

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Playstation: The Official Magazine (US)

We told you that world domination comes to those that wait. Luckily for Revolution players, the wait on PS3 isn't quite as long. [Aug 2008, p.74]

G4 TV

This is far more than just a port; it's a comprehensive console-specific retooling. The thought of that may make some fans sick to their stomach, and yes, some of the more detailed options for taxation and civilization management have been automated to a greater or lesser degree, but there's still plenty of strategy here for even hardcore fans to appreciate.

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VideoGamer

The key is that you can get a hell of a lot of enjoyment out of Civ Rev without getting completely bogged down by the game's statistics.

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Jolt Online Gaming UK

Civilization Revolution feels like a bloated XBLA or PSN game. Strip away the disappointing visuals, bloody annoying introduction video that plays every time you start a fucking match, all the bells and whistles and you’re left with something could have been a true revolution. As it stands, this is just a good case of Civilization Devolution.

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Game Revolution

Whatever the notable flaws in the PS3 version, they obviously weren’t enough to keep us from playing several times on each of the difficulty levels (although some of those brutal ‘Deity’-level solo games ended pretty damned quickly).

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 9.0 (out of 10) based on 46 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Aitor E. gave it a10:
On the game: A great game. It is fun, fast, and challenging. I agree with Sid's comment. While I have loved every single release of the game over the years, this is the one I play once and again. Who has time to play a game for a week? With Revolution you can get through a satisfying game in an evening. I can see the place for Civ4, but I dare you to try your chances to lure your mates to play a game at it, unless they are total Civ addicts like ourselves. Could have been better: OMG let me put production into money, science, culture or even down the drain at the end. Waiting for a technological victory (SpaceShip) for 14 turns is a torture when I have 25 cities producing 3 battleships per turn. No zoom? Navigating the globe is sometimes cumbersome. Ok, you get a Blue Ray disc to fill and you put stick figure animations?? When you score a Great Wall wonder in hard you DESERVE propper animation and music. One of my pet peeves with this game, how do pikemen take down bombers? On the critics: Shame on some of you for grading this game on how good of a port it is. Brilliant catch on the "one more turn..." lack. On the score: Absolute fun, then again, this is no button masher.

Tom B. gave it a9:
Here we have an example of how to transition a quite complex PC strategy game over to consoles without sacrificing any of the fun and engaging gameplay mechanics. From the day I downloaded the demo I was hooked on civ rev's accessability and trademark only-one-more-turn addiction. I pretty much completely agree with the popular reviews (gamespot, ign, 1up, gametrailers) and I really recommend watching/ reading those. Though the arguable broken-ness of some civilizations, which makes certain kinds of victory a HELL of a lot easier compared to other civilizations (Greeks --> Scientific victory, French --> Cultural, etc.), in my opinion this is a minor critical point. I even think that if all civilizations in the game were extremely balanced, they would feel generic and boring, thus making the game far worse than it is today. In conclusion, this is one of the greatest non-shooter and non-action games for both platforms and definitely worth the download of the (free) demo!

Shaun C gave it an8:
The gameplay has been dramtically simplified from the PC Civ games (there is much less micro-management involved) which is kind of a mixed blessing...While Revolution is quite fun, a lot of the animation can get quite repetitive, the graphics are a lackluste and the dramatic lack of music can actually get annoying...All in all it is still the best turn-based strategy game on console, bar none...but...it's not as good as it could have been.

Jason R gave it a3:
Words cannot describe how disappointed I am in this game or how relieved I feel that I rented it instead of bought it. What I liked about it--it's fast paced. Also, navigating through the different menus I found quick and easy. That's about it! The rest of this game can be summed up by taking every aspect of previous civilizations games and dumbing it down to where it's either automatic, not customizable, or completely removed. Before the game there's no more setting map size, terrain, amount of cultures, conditions of victory, how quickly time passes, etc... Although this expedites the process to start a game, you find similar sacrifices throughout the gameplay as well. What do you mean I can't rename my @#$%ing capital? Although I would have grudgingly accepted the removal of some of the game's more intricate parts for getting the benefits of playing on a console, this game goes too far and offers little in return. The graphics to me look just like Civ 4, with some really really disappointing fight scenes thrown in when you attack. Also, features of the landscape are like caricatures, i.e., a single impassible, isolated mountain surrounded by plains. The rest of the geography is just spatters of green and brown on land masses that resemble a game of dominos. This is one of the most useless games I've ever played. They tried to dumb it down to bring new users in, but by my calculations it's still too complicated and light on graphics for the average console cretin. For the hardcore civ player, it's like bowling with bumpers in the alley.

Daniel gave it a9:
All the best bits out of the PC version were taken and molded into a faster and more dynamic console game. Amazingly the developers have been able to keep the key concepts of the game while creating a much more accesible multiplayer game. I was impressed that the game was not "dumbed down" to much and that it still remains true o the civilisation brand.

noncivfan gave it a9:
Dont fell into someones foolishness, when she/he trys to explain that Civilization Revolution is only for kids. its clear that so said human being, havent even played the demo of this game!! So, Europeans already have this game, US gamers have to wait july 8. Civ Rev. is well done strategy game, i love this turn based methode, and i suggest u to turn off those help windows to feel the true joy of this wonderful gameplay. Choose ur leader and defeat your rivals. combat units are great, theres knights, archers, riflemen, tanks, bombers, and submarines. theres also "great People", like artists, scientists, merchants, generals and spiritual leaders that inspire a civilization to greatness, they provide a steady bonus of some kind to the city, or they can be expanded to get an immediate and powerful bonus, they all have special ability and settlement ability, forexample great artists/thinkers special ability is to convert a nearby city to your civilization. or settlement ability when u settle this artist in a city to increase that citys cultural output by 50 %. Theres also great builder, great explorer, great general, humanitarian, leader and great scientist (my favourite one!) You are also able to research technology. Theres various government forms: communism, democracy, despotism, fundamentalism,. monarchy, republic. theres even spies, caravans etc. U can start war, whenever u feel to do some noise. And theres no point to rush to the war, u have to be clever, and develope some powerful army. The enemy when is pushed to its limits also, begs for mercy, then its totally up to u wether u listen this sorry ass, and let him/her live his pathetic life, as u already unterstood I recommend u to crush your opponent. Anyway, u have to be enough patience to get your hands on nukes : ). Because as I said before it`s turn based game, and with this u also get to 19th or 20th century to show whos the most powerfull ruler in the world!! And its so enjoyable, and addictive gameplay, whenever u discover something u feel it to be well rewarded, u will be happy. Theres also multiplayer option, but l wasnt very interested in it. Graphics are great, theres nothing shiny about it, but still keeps u interested. i like this game and i havent played anyother civ game before. Highly recommend u to buy Civilization revolution!!

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