I want so very badly to recomend this game, I dearly love the franchise and think firaxis is among the best studios out there today. However, this game just doesn't live up to the hype or the reputation that they have worked so hard to build.

Where to begin with this game. I think the most obvious and perhaps worst aspect of this release is that it is such a thinly veiled clone of Civ 5. I feel ripped off paying $50 for what amounts to little more than a reskinned game from 2010 with a cool intro video. Sure, its fairly pretty, but its so unbelievably dull. I'm baffled that with a concept as fantastic and well-loved by fans they couldn't think up anything even slightly more engaging. There's no wonder videos (static pictures only), no dynamic cities that show the buildings they contain (already done for Civ IV), no interesting AAA voice acting for the tech tree, and paltry number of playable civilizations that differentiate the game exactly not at all. Unit design is also absent, with a very linear affinity-based upgrade system that is extremely unsatisfying next to the fully custom unit design system in Alpha Centauri, which made unit design a combination of economic, technological, and strategic considerations. While trade routes are a cool and immersive idea, they are done so poorly here that I wish they weren't included. Having to reassign these units every few turns makes my blood boil.

This game was hailed as a "spiritual successor" to Alpha Centauri, but it shares nothing with the original, it's a obviously a functional game, but if you already own Civ V I highly reccomend you just keep on playing and wait for someone to do a real remake, which is what everybody was praying for, but sadly sometimes Sid Meier answers prayers with a resounding NO!

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go play some Alpha Centauri.

I want so very badly to recomend this game, I dearly love the franchise and think firaxis is among the best studios out there today. However, this game just doesn't live up to the hype or the reputation that they have worked so hard to build. Where to begin with this game. I think the most obvious and perhaps worst aspect of this release is that it is such a thinly veiled clone of Civ 5. I feel ripped off paying $50 for what amounts to little more than a reskinned game from 2010 with a cool intro video. Sure, its fairly pretty, but its so unbelievably dull. I'm baffled that with a concept as fantastic and well-loved by fans they couldn't think up anything even slightly more engaging. There's no wonder videos (static pictures only), no dynamic cities that show the buildings they contain (already done for Civ IV), no interesting AAA voice acting for the tech tree, and paltry number of playable civilizations that differentiate the game exactly not at all. Unit design is also absent, with a very linear affinity-based upgrade system that is extremely unsatisfying next to the fully custom unit design system in Alpha Centauri, which made unit design a combination of economic, technological, and strategic considerations. While trade routes are a cool and immersive idea, they are done so poorly here that I wish they weren't included. Having to reassign these units every few turns makes my blood boil. This game was hailed as a "spiritual successor" to Alpha Centauri, but it shares nothing with the original, it's a obviously a functional game, but if you already own Civ V I highly reccomend you just keep on playing and wait for someone to do a real remake, which is what everybody was praying for, but sadly sometimes Sid Meier answers prayers with a resounding NO! Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go play some Alpha Centauri.