Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: More Proof that I Am a Dork

Unlike Madden or Tiger Woods golf or one of the Tony Hawk skating simulations, a true gaming experience takes years to hone; a great video game doesn’t get updated every year. I mean, come on, how much could really change in a year, graphic-wise? That’s why the best video game franchise ever is Sid Meier’s Civilization series and now, back after more than a decade, it returns with its long awaited fourth volume.

Civilization III was truly an amazing experience. I think I was fourteen when I got it and we had just bought our first “good” computer (a Dell which replaced our Commodore 64). I spent hours of my life trying over and over again to further my civilization. You are rated at the end of each Civilization by a corresponding title (for instance, Bob the Great, or Judy the Weak). Mostly, I just loved to start wars and give my cities cool names.

I had completely forgotten about the Civilization franchise, except for the few times I started a new game, until very recently. When I heard about Civilization IV, I went out and dropped the $50 immediately. It was the best fifty that I’ve spent in a long time.

The idea and flow of Civilization IV is the same as the previous incarnations, but there is a ton of radical changes that make the game even cooler. The best development of Civ IV is the new internet play option. You can now put your civilization to the test against actual intelligence, a whole new dimension of game-play that I never thought I’d see. Strangely enough, I’ve found that online players aren’t as good as the computer, but I’ve probably just gotten connected with lousy competition.

The graphics of Civilization IV are amazing. They won’t blow you away or anything but they fit perfectly into the spectrum of the video game. Other cool enhancements include much faster paced play, more religious and government options and a team play selection.

Civ IV is made by 2K games, a great company that puts out a lot of really nice sports games. Civilization IV also makes a great gift for any young gaming fan that may not know about the Civilization franchise. And if you’re into role-playing games and haven’t checked out Civilization by now, you’re really missing something great. The price should go down in the coming months, so if $50 sounds like too much just wait. I’m sure you’ll be able to get it for half that sooner or later.