Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth Reviews
An overall solid turn-based strategy game that suffers from information overload resulting in analysis paralysis for the player, Beyond Earth has a few really interesting systems but ultimately doesn't transcend those mechanics into something unique or awe-inspiring.
Civilization: Beyond Earth does essentially nothing new, but you know what? That's probably fine with most people who have experienced the franchise before. It still does what it does incredibly well, and every new campaign in a Civilization game brings originality and variety on its own. I thought the extra-terrestrial setting was badly wasted, but even without any real innovation it's still a very solid game, just not one that's much different from Civilization: V.
The final result is a brilliant alteration of an old friend, shining a new light on a proven structure.
Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth is a great and easily approachable game. The intuitive interface and flexibility of the numerous options make it an easy "yes" for any strategy gamer or Civ fan looking for something more than Earth's history may have to offer. While the visual and stylistic choices may not prove to be to everyone's tastes, there is plenty of both new and familiar to satisfy anyone willing to hop on aboard and see where Beyond Earth is able to take you.
While 'Civilization: Beyond Earth' retains the familiar formula of its predecessor, Firaxis makes enough changes to keep it fresh.
Beyond Earth is still fun, and an immense time-sink – of course it is, it's Civilization. But would that it was truly beyond Earth, and truly beyond Civ V. Not a crash and burn – but the Prometheus of the Civ franchise, an interesting failure with much of value in the wreckage.
Beyond Earth is a very good game, one that encourages the 'one more turn' addiction the series is famous for. But at its core, it isn't terribly different from Civ 5
Sid Meier should be proud to have his name on Civilization: Beyond Earth. It's got its problems. But it's a game that will have you staying up late at night, itching to complete just one more turn.
Not just 'Civ 5 in space', but excellent series additions are offset by problems old and new.
Civilization: Beyond Earth is a solid attempt to bring back the glory days of Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri. It isn't what everyone has hoped for, but if you have the time and patience to put into it, it makes for an enjoyable game for fans of the franchise, while simultaneously being pretty accessible to newcomers as well.
Despite its faults, Civilization: Beyond Earth does fulfill its promise to take you to a distant world, where you'll find exotic alien life, meet future leaders of mankind... and conquer them.
It's easy to look at Beyond Earth and see it as nothing more than an elaborate reskin of Civilization V. In many ways, it shares a similar interface and borrows many components. Yet as soon as you get to the end of your first game, you're acutely aware of how different it feels. At this point, it's cliche to say how time consuming Civilization can be, but Beyond Earth only lends further credence to the phrase "one more turn."
If only there were more variety in the structure of the victory conditions between divergent philosophies, Civilization: Beyond Earth would be a perfect game. Even with that dissonance, it is damn close. The Civilization pedigree holds a lot of weight after all these years, and Beyond Earth more than lives up to its name.
Despite a few pre-existing flaws carried over from Civilization V, Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth evolves the franchise and has the potential to become an outstanding spin-off of its own.
I was worried going in that Civilization: Beyond Earth would be little more than a re-skinned Civilization V with a few added bells and whistles; but thankfully, the flow, structure, and overall feel of the strategy makes for a very different game. At the same time though, it embraces its roots, while also playing its sci-fi inspirations to the hilt. Firaxis Games can still take the concept further, but ultimately, I like the foundation they've laid with their latest foray into science fiction strategy.
The great Civ V experiment continues, and for the most part, it's a success.
Firaxis' sci-fi spin on Civilization V has some intriguing ideas that, sadly, don't come together into an equally engaging experience.
Civilization: Beyond Earth's brave new world feels pretty familiar, but that's okay.