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Civilization Revolution

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8.5 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 55 critic reviews
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Based on 83 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]

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central

Also On The Web: Official Website

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 Nexus

In comparison to the amount of fun you have, those are middling problems at worst. Civilization Revolution is easy to learn, hard to put down, and a blast to play.

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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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Game Chronicles

And even though I still have no desire to play Civilization on the PC, Civilization Revolution has become one of my favorite 360 games of the year.

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Gamervision

Ultimately, Civilization Revolution gives back as much as you put into it. It’s a wholly satisfying experience whether you play alone or online.

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Team Xbox

My immersion in the gameplay experience is a good part of why this review is going up a bit later than planned. I often had a tough time pulling myself away from the playing to write this up.

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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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GameSpot

It's incredibly easy to get engrossed in the rhythm of expansion and evolution, and you can happily lose hours and hours at a time.

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WonderwallWeb

A great RTS with plenty of pick up and play appeal, perfect for the console generation.

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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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Gameplanet

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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Official Xbox Magazine

Civilization Revolution's sunny presentation and bountiful depth might not be sufficient to draw legions of newcomers to turn-based strategy, but it easily the single greatest example of the genre ever to grace a console. [Aug 2008, p.70]

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Gamestyle

There's plenty of depth and challenge that even the best strategist may find hard to conquer. Controlling a civilization has never been so fun.

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Console Monster

Civilization Revolution is how all console strategy titles should be. Fun, easy to pick up with a good degree of difficulty.

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GameZone

Fitting right at home on the console, Civilization Revolution is a genuinely addictive simulator that will not fail to impress and please fans of the Civ series.

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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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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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GamingTrend

CivRev has been an extremely pleasant surprise. It’s not perfect, but it does a fantastic job of taking one of the most complex gaming franchises and boiling it down to the fundamental aspects that make it so much fun.

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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]

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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GameFocus

Easy to pick up and play.

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Xbox World Australia

Civ: Rev is a great game, and I think most people will have a great time with this game, both online and offline.

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Xbox360Achievements

Fun, simple and addictive, this game is a worth-while addition to the 360 roster, but is a little light. Hardcore Civ fans may want to stick to the PC versions, but newcomers will feel right at home.

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Xbox World 360 Magazine UK

While far from as deep as the PC games, Revolution is a fine achievement, extremely accessible and great fun to play.

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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]

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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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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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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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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games(TM)

One of the most enjoyable strategy games to hit consoles in a very long time. [Aug 2008, p.110]

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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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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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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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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MS Xbox World

If you like strategy games and playing god, then I can fully recommend this game as it offers hours of strategic entertainment. However, for those of you with less patience, then I will say that there's quite a steep learning curve compared to more accessible games.

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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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Gameplayer

Old diehard fanatics will no doubt shake their fists at the slight console-friendly tweaks of the original formula and the light-hearted nature of the graphics – but hey, it’s successfully infecting a whole new generation of gamers with Civ love, so get over it.

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Official Xbox Magazine UK

Civilization Revolution is currently the best strategy game available on the console. It has the controls, it has the pedigree, it has the depth, it has the multiplayer and most of all it has the accessibility. [July 2008, p.80]

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Gamer.nl

Exactly the right things have been made more simple and the essence of the game is still there.

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Hardcore Gamer Magazine

While a bug-squishing patch would be nice, Civilization Revolution is an excellent revision of the series despite the trades it makes for accessibility over depth.

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Thunderbolt

To PC gamers this will feel like a tutorial for the “real” thing, but for everyone else Sid Meier has breathed fresh air into the console market with a title that lets you kill and maim in a completely different way.

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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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Level7.nu

This is the game that Sid Meyer always wanted to make, and it shows. It retains the core elements that makes the series great, but with greater focus on battles and with a faster pace. An intuitive interface and great graphics makes this title a blast to play, and the flaws aren't enough to deter even the most seasoned gamers.

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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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Planet Xbox 360

Thanks to a slow, unbalanced Live experience, the game falls well short of delivering the kind of replay value that the price-tag demands.

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Game Revolution

Fortunately, the 360 version is blessedly free of the slowdown and Civilopedia bugs that mar the PS3 version, leading to a much more relaxing experience.

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NZGamer

For new players, it may be a stepping stone to true greatness. Fans of the older Civ games may enjoy it for nostalgia. It may also serve as a 'nicotine patch' for megalomaniacs; a healthier alternative to wasting whole days taking over the world. The serious Civ fans, however, should keep to their PCs: this one isn't for them.

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BigPond GameArena

A great game for both newcomers and old school players alike. It’s not the perfect Civ experience for either party, but the compromise is well worth your time.

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Video Game Talk

Overall, I was pretty happy with Civilization: Revolution. As a longtime fan of the franchise, I hesitant to pay 60$ for a watered down version of a game I own more copies than I count.

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X360 Magazine UK

A game with such subtleties and fine detail as Civilization IV would never have worked on a console, and so while purists might carp at Revolution’s necessarily stripped-down feel, its injection of pace makes for a more exciting – if marginally less cerebral – strategy game. And more importantly, it’s still as life-suckingly addictive as ever. [Issue#34]

GameSpy

While Civilization Revolution does a great job of introducing the concept and gameplay of Sid Meier's classic PC series to the consoles, it falls just short of true greatness due to a lack of depth in the AI and multiplayer options.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.5 (out of 10) based on 83 User Votes

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

Kyle gave it a7:
This is a good game, if you leave aside all previous civilization games, but otherwise, civilization did not live up to sandards. The top 5 mistake i found were: 5. Cpu agressiveness - If you aren't recieving a death threat every two turns in this game, you either have a ridiculuosly vast army or you're the guy with the nuke. Its impossible to stay out of war, because even when you give your hard earned technology, great people, or gold, in 4 turns they demand more. Gets very aggravatiing. 4. No "workers" - You're probably familiar with the worker concept - find the resource, build a road to it, and construct the appropriate contraption for extracting the resource. In CivRev, there are no workers, and resources just float themselves to you i suppose, once you discover them. Which means in PC versions, if you liked being "the guy with all the oil" In CivRev, there is no such title. 3. One way highway on death threats - Not only do they come at you every 2 turns demading everything, but if you're the guy who should be throwing the threats, too bad. From playing the game, i have not been able to find how to threaten other people out of their goods. The closest I've come is kicking some nads so hard they'll pay me 25 gold to stop. When the ball's in your court, this really takes a powerful arsenal out of your repitoire. 2. Diplomacy - Someone enlighten me. How could they have messed up the diplomacy this bad? You start a diplomacy, an your only options are - tech for money, or money for tech - I dont think i need to go into how elaboorate trading was in PC civ games. 1. Game Customization - This is by far the only mistake i have have not been able to overcome. You pick a scenario, or single player, pick a civilization, and you've begun. There's no option on how long you want to game to be, world climate, water level, land layout, barbarian aggressiveness, its ideally the same game every time. You do the math.

Oliver W. gave it an8:
At its core, civ rev is a fun game, yet its lack a depth ultimately holds it back from its true potential. Fans of strategy games will enjoy this iterration of Sid Meier, yet its clear its target audience is the casual crowd.

Khristian R. gave it an8:
If your a huge Civilization fan, some of you might be slightly put off by the new design, interface and the speed it runs. Also some of the main options such as the Place have been discarded, but I think for the Xbox 360 console and the next generation of gamers, especially some who might not have played a strategy game before, its implemented really well. Also the addition of your advisors talking in the "Sims-esque gibberish" takes the edge off it being to serious a game. I do think you should have been able to zoom right in to the cities though. In all some options have been dropped and some new ones put in place, but it balances out nicely in the end, making a very good strategy game. SCORE : 84%.

Jason F. gave it a4:
I didn't think it was possible to mess the online multiplayer for 360 up so bad. This was the only reason I bought it and thet really made it bad. From long waits to spazzes to freezing it overall really sucks.

Jason L. gave it a10:
Great game, easy to pick up and play. There is one annoying bug, that freezes the game up when you try to take a city using catapults. But, other than that, it's a great game.

Trevor G. gave it a10:
"Eric N. gave it a3: Good single-player, but CANNOT save multi-player games! Who have time to play six hours in one sitting?" Lol....how are you going to save a multi-player game? Do you expect real people to put down their controllers and be ready to play when you load them back up? LMAO!

[Anonymous] gave it a5:
I ended up downloading the demo for the Xbox 360 and ended up turning it off after about 30 minutes. While I've played Civilization II through IV on the PC, the game felt too different, harder to control (when you're used to the NumPad, it's hard to switch to the thumbstick) and the city building was confusing. The technology tree was so much different than its PC components that I was a bit frustrated that when I got a technology that I thought would give me a unit/building I wanted and it wasn't there. I remember being aghast at the fact that you had to research a technology to build a barracks. The advisers were a bit annoying and "childish" (for lack of a better word). While I'm sure they reduced the amount of time it takes to complete a game, Civilization IV did that as well. I can easily play a full space race game in about 5 or 6 hours. If you like the PC versions, I would caution against buying the console version until after you've tried the demo out first.

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Civilization Revolution

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What The Critics Said

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