Good to see that Firaxis Games is following its tradition in optimizing core-game-features, that could have been worked out in a better way. So Beyond Earth’s diplomacy is much more entertaining now, the aquatic gameplay and the hybrid-affinities now offers much more strategical depth. The new artifact-system is a lot of fun to experiment with and there are many improvements in feature-details. But still it’s not the same overall fantastic game experience, that Civilization stands for. Even with the add-on improvements, Beyond Earth appears like a little sci-fi-brother to Civ 5.
This add on makes the game better. I liked the first installment, even being clear that it was a work in progress. Nothing wrong with that, it was a base where to grow based on players feedback and mods. (But hey, it could have been a little cheaper because of that, right?) Great idea, a way to make the game lasts and be tuned by the ones who actually play it.
Virtually everything on the game was upgraded. For better. The only thing I still miss is a clear indication of what developments will create Wonders. This was on the most popular mods for the first version, why wasnt added to the game?
Better graphics, interesting factions. Diplomacy needs some tweaking, but is step to a right direction. Needs post game result screen. I personally enoyed it much. Dont care about the price tag. Better than CIV 5 at my opinion now.
A good expansion, which should be owned by all Beyond Earth players. While adding only a water-based building and artifacts, it improves all the mechanics of the original game. [Issue#258]
All in all, Rising Tide is a decent addition to Beyond Earth, and yes, it finally feels like a game that has achieved escape velocity and left the atmosphere and gravitational pull of planet Civ 5.
The new content in Rising Tide is something Beyond Earth desperately needed. Paired with a solid new diplomacy system and the concept of ´water cities´, Rising Tide is an expansion every Civilization Beyond Earth fan has to have.
A useful expansion that unlike most doesn’t ignore the failings of the original, although even with the improvements Beyond Earth still isn’t as engrossing as the real Civilization.
This adds a huge amount of content and makes the first half of the game worth playing over and over again. I actually want to play this game now. That said, it's going to need some hot patches and patches for balance and bugs. For a one expansion Civilization game, this is a fantastic game that I expect to invest an unreasonable number of hours in.
Make no mistake, Rising Tide vastly improves upon Civ:BE. However, there's only so much you can polish a hexagonally-shaped turd.
From the first boot up, you'll be greeted with a host of new things to try out. The four new sponsors are interesting, and the revamps of the old ones add to the flavour (maybe with the exception of Elodie). The first time you try it, the new diplomatic traits system seems awesome; it's modular, it lets you upgrade certain parts of your civ...
And then the flaws start to overwhelm you by mid-game.
-There's bugs galore; I had water cities not producing on the city hex, another time I couldn't even make planetfall, cities can build any resource-specific building they trade with
-The new war-score is a trainwreck; the moment you start winning, the AI is forced to give you too much -- prepare for an eternal war
-A lot of times, the diplomatic traits feel like a non-choice; there are clear winners and losers
-The late game is still a slog; you may as well rush the new hybrid units and go for a domination victory early
-Artifacts make the game almost as much of an RNG-fest as Hearthstone; ex. I got the faster agent trait from the artifacts on ARC, combined with diplomatic traits, I was stealing science every two turns (on fast); on the other hand I could've gotten something near completely useless, such as 'cities can attack through obstacles'... yay
If you treat this game like an engine-building game, similar to tabletop eurogames, you'll have a fun time. Sometimes you want to hilariously develop new virtues every other turn with Al-Falah, then switch to science spam the next. Or wonder spam as PAC. Or trade so much with yourself you end up more inbred that your sister-wife with 6 fingers as Polystralia -- that's fine.
However, for me, whenever I boot up Civ:BERT, I find myself more enthusiastic going in then coming out. Without a doubt, every time I play it, I'm done by the mid-game and ready to just click next turn until I win; this game has a tendency to way overstay its welcome on your screen. If you're looking for a 4x game with bite, that can hold you for an entire session, I'd suggest you look elsewhere.
Do not trust the reviews, it's mediocre 4x game, with unbelievably bad AI.
The gameplay is slightly improved with this expansion, but remains generic, boring, without sense of progression, and devoid of any attachment to the colony or you neighbors. Another turn oh i guess i'll build another +1 food building with generic name, oh i guess i agree to new worthless diplomatic treaty.... I have 6 cities, should i build another one? Nah more micro every turn, besides it doesn't matter, because with every city techs cost more, also virtues cost more. After some initial challenge with aliens you just stop caring, and pray for game to end, or just stop playing.
As in Civ 5, AI is just plainly stupid, non competitive. It can be somewhat compensated by huge bonuses on high difficulties, but it's never fun to play asymmetrical game. The funny thing is that devs didn't invest any resources in AI development instead they brought aliens as a nation which has unlimited resources and units to compete with player. It makes you wonder if there will be any normal AI opponents in next civilization installment or only asymmetrical enemies like aliens in this game.
Stay away from this tittle, developers somehow managed to copy civ5 mechanics and create an uninteresting game to play.
Sid Meier has come a long way since Civilization 1 and 2.
When game play and being the more innovative game was awarded has long passed and they release half ass games which should of been DLC for half the price, they release a reskin **** as a new game.
2K and Civilization game series is dead to me.
Truly Horrible, if these developers are allowed to make any more games please add a refund button on the menu screen. Horrible AI, Horrible hybrid unit power, no demographics, no point score, AI peace terms, unable to finish my first game because of boredom.
Please fire the current staff and bring back the guys that brought us all the amazing previous Civ Games!!!!
SummaryAfter the initial wave of great colony ships departed Earth, the jubilation of humanity was ephemeral. Those left behind fell into a violent struggle over the quickly-diminishing resources on their barren home world. From this tumultuous time, 4 new factions arose. These newcomers were founded not in the idealism of their predecessors, b...