Passable strategy game, Civ weak

Initially created Sid heaven and earth. And it was good. After all, the scenery, the first time composed of hexagonal fields see very atmospheric - and instead undiscovered territory be represented by a sea of ​​blackness finds himself any fresh civilization surrounded by pretty clouds. The curious glances on foreign empires naturally suppress as reliable.

However, although the face of the earth now significantly more pleasing comes for future world ruler, Civilization connoisseurs will not go unnoticed that the venerable series had to be visually springs in its latest incarnation in many places:

So interface and units icons appear quite unkind, Towns and terrain improvements are like me a break in rivers or mountains, and fighting is no longer zooming - in any case an annoying feature, but its absence is probably an expression that you would & textures co. has not taken as accurate.
Most clearly the savings pin-policy but at the wonders of the world; spoiled earlier Civ parts the proud constructors even with pretty cinematics, there's now just faded still images, and also the consultant team remains rigid: this could already CIV2 better. The sad climax one experiences when the game was won: a pop-up window with statue congratulated for the win. Unspectacular was probably never won a world domination.

Looking at the changes in the game mechanics, so it is clear what happened here: Civilization follows the path of Command & Conquer, and consistently throwing everything overboard, which could make the game too complex. "Casual" is the buzzword of the moment, and accordingly has Civ5 more with the Nintendo DS - offshoot Revolutions collectively as the direct predecessor. This means, above all, less control, less configuration options, and more focus on "Action" - if you can call it in turn-based strategy so.

But in fact it makes more fun than in the predecessor to fight battles; there are more tactical subtleties by ranged units and a unit-per-field limitation, the advances also the unspeakable army stacking a stop. But is it really what makes Civilization? Went there in the series not always about creating an empire, and the wars were only a logical consequence of this endeavor? A "Empire", which is these days usually a heap of three, four cities, just early expansion is sanctioned heavily by the new Satisfaction mechanics of the game.
The distributed all over the map City States - in principle a nice novelty - reinforce this impression of minimalism only. Clearly, was also the number of buildings that can be built, reduced - who has only a handful of cities that can not afford large works.

Despite more focus on war, the number of available units has been cut, in particular as regards special forces: there are no spies, no executives, and of course no missionaries - understandable because the AI ​​is already so hopelessly with the new combat system overwhelmed. Anyway, remains little more than conventional warfare in order to expand their own empire because the religion was removed completely, and the culture plays only an insignificant role in the new Civ. The diplomacy has been scaled back to Simpelst level.

The number of innovations that are truly positive fully remains manageable; falls into this category, for example, the ground improvement system - as Roads & co. now generate ongoing costs, can not be slapped indiscriminately on each field any improvement. The technology trade was abolished, and wonder of the world can no longer be accelerating now in many ways: thus is eternal saving and loading, to be able to use every technological advance also yes and build each Wonders finally made sense.

All in all, however, remains the bland taste, having bought a hasty hingeschludertes play with, however, the big names, but has not really earned it.

CONCLUSION: Civilization is by no means a bad game, but just fans of the series should rather make it a wide berth. Whom the previous parts to poorly accessible, appeared too complicated or too lengthy, which can certainly strike. For all other Civ4 remains the reference of the genre.
Because the successor's kind of like the new girlfriend, which one has after a long happy relationship: she is younger and looks good, and you can have fun with it. But unfortunately one soon realizes that she is not nearly as deep as you have hoped and even if now and then like to spend some time with her, so it's just not the right thing - therefore, you better go back to Civilization 4 ,
She loves you still and will be glad to see you again.