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Sid Meiers Civilization IV Beyond the Sword Review (continued)
More User Submitted Sid Meiers Civilization IV Beyond the Sword Reviews
Date: 2008-02-20
Great Graphics But Wheres The Beef
All in all, Civ IV is very very fun and, as with all others in the series, extremely addictive. The graphics are top drawer stuff. I love the Nuclear Explosions from ICBM's. I was rolling in a Gladiating Dictator sort of way. Imagining all the bits and pieces of my mortal subjects scattering in the extreme radioactive power surge, screeming in agony from the intense heat of radiation and ...sorry. If I have one bad thing to say, (and it is a very big downside to this game), it is the lack of the scenarion editor that spoiled us in CIV III. A confusing World Editor is there but its limits are extensive and frustrating. There is little to no guidance as to what can and cannot be done. On a positive note, if you want to have Oil, Coal, Uranium and/or Gold, and you want it now, simply save your game, open the World Editor, add the bonuses to your current map. Once saved, exit back into the game and whalaa, there they are ready for use. Unlike CIV III, when scenarion changes were made, (It's weak too on guidance),you'd have to start all over again and again and again until you had your custom scenario just right. Now changes can be done on the fly which is very good, ONLY theres not near the depth of modifications that made CIV III (IMO) much better than this edition. For graphics, fun, and addictibility, I give CIV IV 2 thumbs up, For the depth it lacks in customization as compared to CIV III, 1 thumb down. I recommend the purchase unless the scenario editor is a big deal to you then I wouldn't buy this cause it essentially doesn't have one.
Date: 2008-02-11
Beyond belief
I liken this strategy game as being similar to the way you used to play monopoly in the good old days with some friends/ family. And about half way through the game you discover that all the other playing are 'unofficially' ganging up to force you out. They give each other free passes, advantages, whilst you are constantly trying to fight for your life. With some nasty players whose seemingly only object in the game is as a "griefer". I.e. As long as you lose thats all their interested in. Now when you do win that kind of game its a real accomplishment, but most of the time you just get very frustrated because the same rules don't apply to all. At heart the problem isn't so much that you have to fight in exasperating conditions as you don't really get to play the heart of the game and it degenerates to a grudge match.
For example it's next to impossible on the normal/advanced level to win an early victory like an Alexander the great or a Julius Caesar might. Either the opponents you play just keeps on producing archer after archer (and other equally mono defensive units )or you go bankrupt even with a modest army/ empire trying to finish the last enemy city. Go beyond 4 cities and your penalized. Go beyond 5 units your screwed. Which means you are forced into long boring middle games, I liked the previous civ games concept in that you could occasionally go for broke and risk it all to gain an early victory.
The AI cheats as well, it knows which square will produce a given resource even before it appears. It will trade techs between itself very easily but wont trade/swap yours. If it does trade you are again penalized/ short changed . It loves to randomly attack, even if you don't provoke a war. Hence Tonight as I was playing ALL the five other civs attacked during the middle game, ( it was 2 at a time minimum throughout the beginning )The whole lot aggro'd at once at critical stages. Note I was broke with a small army and 6 cities, but the the other civs had no problem with 20+ towns and producing wave after wave of 10 stack units, every second turn !!
My main problem with the game is that it doesn't so much out think or
out strategize's you, it has a simple plan, but merely penalizes your units/cities so that it can win. Especially at the higher levels, the AI doesn't get smarter, as it just gives itself more and more huge breaks. Not exactly value for money, having one AI fit all.
Graphics are good and has some nice concepts, but no real depth in thinking for things like diplomacy, spying or trade.
I enjoyed the CIV 2 & 3 games , as you didn't have to necessarily manipulate the game parameters in order to win at the highest levels. But in this expansion set I don't see how to get pass the AI except by doing the same cheating tricks it plays on you
Date: 2008-02-09
CivIV Byond the Sword - It rocks
I thought this is a great addition to the original Civ IV. makes it even more challenging.
Date: 2008-01-14
It's only OK...
Folks,
This game is simply blah. It is a boring, slow-moving game. BTS looks and plays about the same as Warlords, which played about the same as vanilla Civ4. Nothing earth-shattering here.
The game STILL goes out of sync when you play multiplayer. Get a life Sid. Fix the darn MP please. I mean, really, go play Company of Heroes, BF2, even old Risk II, or Monopoly online, and you will not go out of sync...EVER.
The Random Events feature are always (at least for our family) a BAD thing.
The Quests feature has never worked for any family member. It always says we fail a quest, even though we meet the requirements of the quest.
There are only three things which BTS is an improvement on:
1. Spy system is pretty cool, though most things are way too expensive for the spy to do, so you end up doing petty crap like steal the town's treasury, which is usually a pittance.
2. Random Personalities: You can mix and match a leader to the country of your choice.
3. Corporations have their own suite of options, like Civics.
All in all, a rather bland, boring game, no matter how many ways you play it.
Regards,
JohnYoga
Date: 2008-01-12
Great add-on for Civ IV
This expansion pack is definitely a great option to spice up Civ IV. The updated options (added civs, warlords, random historical events) and improved graphics heighten the game-play experience. The scenarios are also very good - although the 3 or 4 Road-to-War scenarios are a little complicated, at least logistically.
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