When playing on anything higher than Prince, Civ V is like being back in the cafeteria in elementary school. The bigger kids love picking on you because you're smaller and every now and again you get your lunch stolen by some ruthless snaggletoothed barbarian.

Which makes it all the more sweet when you expand aggressively, mount counteroffensives and crush everyone under an iron fist. Civ 5 as a metaphor works pretty well, but as a game, it excels in almost every aspect. Some new mechanics throw some variety and a learning curve in, but underneath it all, it's still the same addictive game that's held gamers in thrall for decades and should continue to do so for many more.