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Civilization IV

EMAIL PRINT pc

7.6 User Score:

Universal acclaim

Based on 50 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 234 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: 2K Games

Developer: Firaxis

Genre(s): Turn-Based Strategy

Players: 12

ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older)

Release Date: October 24, 2005

Summary

Faster-Paced Fun - Gameplay has been streamlined for a tighter, faster, and more compelling experience.Greater Accessibility and Ease of Play - An easy-to-use interface will be immediately familiar to RTS and action game players, and newcomers to the series will be able to jump in and play. Tech Tree - Flexible Tech tree allows players more strategic choices for developing their civilizations along unique paths. More Civs, Units, and Improvements to enhance and grow your empire. Multiplayer -LAN, Internet, PBEM, and Persistent Turn-Based Server (PTBS) offer players all-new strategies and ways to play when competing or cooperating with live opponents. Team Play - Whether playing multiplayer or single player, team play offers a new way of setting locked alliances that result in shared wonder effects, visibility, unit trading, and shared territory that delivers a plethora of new strategic and tactical options. Civ IV comes to life! - Beautiful 3D world with dozens of fully animated units (including culturally unique units), and totally customizable armies. Cities and wonders will appear on the map. Wonder movies are back! [2K Games]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Civilization II Civilization III Civilization III: Conquests Civilization III: Play the World Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central GameSpot Guide

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

GameSpy

A game with this much depth, this much strategy, this much replayability, and multiplayer is totally unheard of in this space. Civilization IV stands alone. No fan of strategy games should leave this on store shelves.

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100

Times Online

The graphics are solid and sharply focused, while the cities that used to expand all too predictably now take on more organic growth patterns that spread to encompass land between cities more naturally.

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100

Sydney Morning Herald

It is infinitely replayable, incredibly balanced and faster-paced. Combat has been improved, with the addition of both depth and simplicity, while peacemaking and cultural supremacy are more viable options.

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100

Thunderbolt

An incredibly addicting, engrossing, and incredibly well-designed inclusion. No stone was left unturned as the developers crafted this masterpiece and if you’re a fan of the previous installments of this game, you’re definitely going to enjoy this latest edition.

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100

Computer Games Magazine

This is easily the best version of Civilization ever made. [Jan 2006, p.52]

100

G4 TV

Civ IV isn’t quite light enough to captivate all gamers, but it is the most fun, most engaging, and most entertaining of the series.

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100

Armchair Empire

Civilization IV has a ridiculous amount of strategic elements packed into it.

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100

GameShark

This really is strategy gaming at its very best and you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you skipped it. It's that good.

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100

Games Radar (in-house)

A streamlined interface, a non-linear tech tree, impressive AI with 18 personalities, a new combat system (no more spearmen defeating tanks), amazing multiplayer features and narration by Star Trek's Leonard Nimoy all give the new Civ plenty of both flash and substance.

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100

BonusStage

The absolute best thing about Civilization IV is that previous experience with the series (or strategy games for that matter) isn’t necessary.

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IC-Games

Firaxis have, without a shadow of a doubt, created a monster hit. Civilization IV will stand head and shoulders above all other turn based strategy games.

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Play.tm

Firaxis have managed to thoroughly overhaul one of the classic games of all time and drag it up from its dark ages into the renaissance era. Even with its speedier gameplay Civ IV will be the cause of many sleepless nights and damaged relationships.

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GameZone

Hands-down the best turn-based strategy game of the year. It is emotionally satisfying and addictive.

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Gamer 2.0

Not just the best game in the series–which says a lot on its own–but it’s also one of, if not the very best strategy games ever made.

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2404.org

Refreshes the Civ series and offers a great experience for newcomers to the series as well as seasoned veterans. It is immensely fun whether you play multi- or single-player.

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Game Informer

The added level of control that the Civics system gives you is an incredibly useful tool for managing your civilization. [Jan 2006, p.152]

Gamers' Temple

The grandmaster series of strategy gaming spawns another game for the ages.

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Jolt Online Gaming UK

It’s hard to describe every facet of Civ IV’s gameplay without writing an epic, but suffice it to say, this is everything Civilization fans could hope for.

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PALGN

If you’re a Civ fan this game is a must, if you’re a fan of strategy games this also is a must.

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Worth Playing

A virtual guarantee to keep you up into the wee hours, playing "just one more turn..." Flaws aside, any game that makes me see the sun come up is a great one.

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PC Gamer

One of the most compulsively playable strategy games of all time. [Jan 2005, p.72]

GameSpot

Fundamentally, this is a much-improved version of the same Civ games we've all been playing and desperately trying to put down for years. And that's far from a bad thing. In fact, it's an awesome thing.

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IGN

While the game hasn't lost any depth or detail, every aspect of the design has been streamlined to make it easier for new players to jump in and less monotonous for veterans. Die-hard fans will definitely find that the game offers up so much more variety this time around.

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ActionTrip

One of the best games I've played this year - a true labor of love; perfectly scalable difficulty levels, great AI, in addition to all of the abovementioned improvements. A definite must buy.

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Pelit (Finland)

No more micromanagement, diplomacy is finally easy to understand and combat is more rational than ever before. The graphics for camouflage units and advisors seem to be only half-finished, but it is still the best Civilization ever. [Dec 2005]

PGNx Media

It doesn’t revolutionize the series but the series is hardly is need of such a change.

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FiringSquad

A great game and a fresh, new experience. Just about every single problem from previous titles, especially the lackluster "Civ III," has been adjusted or outright replaced. Whether it’s the endless city spamming, the lack of good multiplayer, or the AI cheating in obnoxious ways, it’s been addressed in Civilization IV.

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Gaming Nexus

An incredibly fun and addictive addition to the Civilization franchise. Civilization IV brings back everything that makes this series great, and adds enough innovation to keep things fresh and approachable for both veteran and newcomer.

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Da Gameboyz

The game is large and complex but all the elements interact with each other with such cohesiveness and fluidity.

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Gaming Target

Civilization IV is exactly the sequel that fans of the series could have hoped for. This game is all about bringing more to the franchise.

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Cheat Code Central

Civ IV is definitely one of the best strategy games of all times. Following three other classics in the series it has a great pedigree and manages to uphold the tradition of great gaming set forth by its predecessors.

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My Gamer

Between the multitude of challenges that players must overcome in the single player campaign, the mods that can be made and played with the included World Builder and the ever-changing multiplayer scene, we’re happy to say that Civilization IV should hold the attention of the strategy gamer for months to come.

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Computer and Video Games

Now, however, it's been nailed: simultaneous turns, variable game speeds, the ability to join a game on the hop by taking over an AI opponent and game dynamics that leave you despising your best friend. Quite frankly, you needn't buy another game for the entirety of next year - Civ will suffice, and it gets deeper each time you play. [PC Zone]

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PC Format

It's the best strategy game released this year, and if you don't like it, there's something wrong with you. [Dec 2005 p.87]

Computer Games Online RO

A rock solid game, both on a technical and design level (it is advisable however to install the v1.09 patch, which eliminates some video and memory leak problems).

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Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)

It's the best strategy game released this year, and if you don't like it, there's something wrong with you.

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Game Revolution

From start to finish this is a terrific, addictive, deep, rewarding turn-based affair. Its new engine and revamped multiplayer breathe new life into an old standby, leading to another winner for Sid.

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Game Chronicles

Yet another smash hit for Sid Meier and crew, combining deep elements of strategy, with improved graphics, and a stellar soundtrack. Anyone even remotely interested in history, turn-based gaming or anyone who even owns a PC should check this excellent title out.

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Gamenikki

Highly enjoyable and infinitely replayable. It is easily the best game that I’ve played this year.

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AceGamez

The game sticks to its roots but has dropped the dead leaves and found some new flowers to make a big enough change for it to be inviting to both newcomers and long-time fans of the series.

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GamePro

There are still some strange sticking points--buried icons or inexplicable quirks--that leave room for improvement, and a more complete tutorial would also be helpful. But in the end, this is the tightest Civ yet.

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GamerFeed

Civilzation delivers all the gameplay that fans expect from the series, although some of the more subtle details from previous games have been scaled down.

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Next Level Gaming

If you enjoy this game then the replay value for you is nearly endless.

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Yahoo! Games

Firaxis shows an impressively consistent grasp of what to abstract and what to detail, and a remarkable talent for presenting large-scale strategic challenges in a format that's easy to digest.

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1UP

From the mellow sounds of Leonard Nimoy's narration to the polished world view that allows you to smoothly scroll from satellite view to up-close and personal, this is the consummate update of a classic.

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Eurogamer

It’s good. Damn good. In fact, I’ll certainly go as far as saying it’s the best pure strategy game I’ve played this year, and that’s good enough for me.

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Computer Gaming World

If you harbor any interest in strategy games and want something with more depth than the average mindless RTS, then you would do well to immerse yourself in Civilization IV and let it soak in.

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RewiredMind

A superbly detailed labour of love. The game really benefits from over 10 years of development, and is smooth and polished.

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Gamers Europe

The new interface may throw a few of the more institutionalised players off the scent, but it won’t be long before they settle down for another few years.

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games(TM)

Even though stellar work has gone into making the game as accessible as possible, there's no escaping the fact that Civilization games are for Civilization fans. And fans won't be dissapointed with Civilization IV. [Dec 2005, p.96]

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 7.6 (out of 10) based on 234 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

AJ L gave it a3:
Civ IV is extremely disappointing!! The huge size of the military units, as well as the pointless upgrades make them unwieldy and extremely difficult to use. They don't have defense/attack values which totally destroys the fun and strategy involved in military campaigns. There is too much going on in this game, nothing is simple, everything is a chore and its simply a waste of time.

tony s gave it a5:
Another big fan of Civ 2 who cant play it on my new Vista computer. The main things I don't like about this are how slow it is to play, and the main gripe, the ridiculous numbers of units needed to conquer an enemy city, yet if the enemy has horse archer or elephant he'll take your city in one attack. In theory the idea of experience and strength/attack improvements is good, but you get ridiculous situations of attacking a city and your tanks are getting wiped out by defending archers!!!! This is at Chieftan level, the second lowest. The graphics are pretty but I'd take Civ 2 any day as its better as a game. I almost feel I want to buy an old XP machine just to get back to Civ 2. The sounds and graphics are nice but this game has serious flaws.

Chris S gave it a4:
I see many mixed reviews of this game and as I am an extreme fan of the series I have to say I'm very disapointed with this latest effort. I keep hearing people say that the graphics are the only improvement in the game over previous versions. I have to say this is probably the main point in which I dislike the game over previous versions. The oversized units and confusing City borders just make it very difficult too manage your Empire. If they had added all the improvements and stuck to the Civ 3 size & isometric layout I would probably given this game more of a chance. Unfortunately it lasted a few hours gameplay before it was uninstalled.

Tom S gave it a0:
The worst Civilization I've played. Started with the first and played all since. This one forces all players to play the same game. It doesn't matter which civ you start with everyone ends up at the same place at the same time. No chance for playing outside the box or creating a unique strategy. In the end you may as well let the AI play by it's self, it would be just as interesting.

Marcel J gave it a3:
Loved Civ 2. Loved Civ 3 more, once I started a game I had to play "one more turn." This game never got me excited. The graphics are nice but I had to turn on the balloons to figure things out, and an army that was in your territory is sometimes overlooked. And devolping cities isn't as fun because each citie is different geographically....ok maybe in medevil times but not once you get to the modern age. The addition of religion is good I guess but it never seemed to matter. I'm gonna give this game a couple more shots and if that don't work I guess its time to buy Civ 3 on Ebay, and learn how to tweak "XP MODE" on my sys.

John N gave it a3:
Deeply disappointing. Above all, the geography stinks. What I mean by this is that in far, far too many cases one's civilization is bereft of any natural frontiers - obviously designed deliberately that way so that you HAVE to build massive armies. Unrealistic and tedious. A massive step backwards from Civ 3.

Brian S gave it a2:
If you are a fan of the Civilization series, don't buy this game. It will lessen what you think of the Civilization franchise. It is a very unbalanced game. If you have heard the game is like Civ 2, let me tell you it isn't nearly as good. It has somewhat sloppy graphics and devote a lot of timeto finish one game. This game is either loved or hated, I sure hated it.

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