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[Review] Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution
Rayne | 2:26 AM on 08.26.2008 7 comments


I have the ps3 version of this game and I'm dissapointed. This game is alot of things all at once but in the end it's just not something i'm happy I bought. The gameplay is methodic and repetitive which is simply caused by a lack of options. When starting a new game you automatically face 6 other civilization's on a random map on a VERY SMALL globe. You don't have the option to adjust # of opponents or select a particular world map size or even set a win condition. Your also given your choice between around sixteen leaders ranging from China's Mao to Abe Lincholn. Each leader gives a different kind of bonus some even giving special units. Except the special units look the same are worse then normal units and seem pretty much worthless.
The most annoying thing about this game beyond all that is the combat. You start with a warrior with an axe and as time progresses you get newer units archers to airplanes and tanks. Sounds cool? Yeah it's great until Civil War riflemen kill off hordes of your tanks. Or when a lone archer beats off your six horse calavary unit. I've seen some pretty funny things in this game. A group of cannons kills my army of marines, then my tanks and finally finishes off my artillery. WTF? Yeah I've had my Japanese Zero Fighters shot down by tanks and seen my Val Bombers get killed by riflemen.

I'm sure this formula could have worked, well probably not. See the whole game is based on position of your city. The area around you determines what resource you can collect, they are gold, science, food, and production. Basically you need food to make population grow science to study certain things in history, production or having alot determines the speed that you build certain buildings or Wonders, and gold can help you buy units faster or buildings.

Thats not all I mentioned a small map size didn't I? Well your facing 6 other civilazations who can have as many cities as they please and there is no room to them. You will find them teaming against you I've fought off all six alone at times when I'm not even in the lead.
Added upon all that the diplomatic system is a joke they basically make you give them whatever technology they want if you don't it's war. No matter how long you've been at peace and no matter how many times you attack them and make a new peace nothing changes. There are no long term effects no depth involved simply attack and when you start losing offer your enemy a nice tech and the fight is forgotten.


The Graphics are cool, the leaders look authentic in the game you even have a Condolezza looking advisor which is cool. The game is smooth in that category. But falls off again in the sound dept. with stupid sim voices and forgetable music. I just turn it down and listen to my ipod.

It might sound like alot but after 1-3 games you will have it mastered each game being about two hours long. The game is a good rental I wouldn't buy it because after awhile it's boring with no unlockables no matter how you beat the game, besides pictures and facts about the leaders which is easier and quicker to see on wiki.



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7 comments | showing # 1 to 7

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dephect's Destructoid Blog
I loved the demo.

I still plan on picking this up when I have some spare cash or it hits the bargain bin.
seltzermx's Destructoid Blog
Interesting that you write this today. Just last night I played the demo and was thinking abut buying this today. But you bring up valid points which I had overlooked, or missed due to it being a demo. I didn't know that all maps were that small or that you can't pick the number of opponents or victory type like before. And now that you mention it, I really can see the same scenario of research/fights/research/peace breaking out each time I play.

I will have to seriously ponder this purchase.
Mogg's Destructoid Blog
Civ Rev is a brilliant game. It sounds like you didn't play it very much. more than once you say there are 6 other civs on each map. There are only 4. with you that makes a total of 5.

The online works well, there are a bunch of scenerios included, plus the game of the week. all those gives it replay value.
Bus's Destructoid Blog
Yeah, I concur with MOGG. The negative points you bring up are valid but they're also the result of making the game more suited to consoles. Like the lack of diplomacy and the small maps. Civ games before Revolution could take hours upon hours to finish whereas a Revolution game can be done in 2-3 hours. The unreality of the combat situations though has been a sticking point for people since the first Civ game back in 1991. It's interesting to think that people accept the world as a big mass of squares but not the fanciful nature of combat.
JamnOnTheOne's Destructoid Blog
Sounds like someone has neveer played a civ game before and expected C&C.

Civ Revolution is an amazing reboot of the franchise for consoles.
seltzermx's Destructoid Blog
Hmm, you guys also bring up valid points. I'm really on the fence now.

And actually, I played and loved Civ III.

Is there something else you could highlight as like a plus to the game? I guess I'm really tring to find an excuse to purchase it rather than to not purchase it.
Rayne's Destructoid Blog
Ok I read the comments, and I'm sorry if I was mistaken about the 4 opponents I always figured it was 6 don't know why and now that you mention it I didn't count. The game is cool I mean I bought it but i'm just completely shocked by the lack of effort put into it. The lack of options on the single player mode is frustrating if only because since I've beaten the game about 12 times on Emperor mode which is the 2nd hardest difficulty setting and each time while fun was I just feel that it's over rather quickly and each time I have the same expierence.

The game is fun, if you add the online which I haven't played it might make the game complete but I've never liked RTS online. I didn't expect C&C at all I was fully open to this game and considering it gets rated 8.4 and above on a scale of ten I figured i'd enjoy this for quite awhile.

When I compare this game to others the only one I can really compare it to is Koei's Romance series and only the latest installment of that game. Civ Rev sucks compared to it. That game had limitless possibilites took forever to beat due to shear size had a decent back story which has been used throughout the series the only two flaws I found in it was it didn't have two player which would have been crazy and the transporting of goods which took forever unless you had a special general that could transport in half the time.

So I will say this game is worth a RENT! If you can rent it for five days an put about 10-12 hours in it maybe a few more you will expierence all it has to offer. An thats why it gets a bad review.

You will find yourself getting annoyed by the random maps especially when your stuck between the mongols and the romans which no space to build your first city. A bad start in this game means you lose if your playing on Emperor or Diety difficulty but anything other then those settings really isn't challenging.

So despite the comments and the reviews I say you should rent the game b/c I haven't touched the demo but i'm sure it's fun b/c this game IS fun the first times through. But if you buy it you will be left wanting more and that something this game doesn't have.


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