Civilization IV

I couldn’t get much into the multiplayer part of this game due to the absence of Middle East servers. However, I can safely say that it is engaging. The game plays in the exact same manner as singleplayer, only this time, you’re up against smarter (maybe) human opponents. The only slight difference is that while you are waiting for your opponent to make his move, you can tinker around with your cities. So if your opponent happens to be some geeky nerd, who draws his own maps while playing strategy games, and calculates the angles at which his catapults should be launched so as to annihilate your barracks, you won’t die of boredom…
You can even save your multiplayer game at any point, and return to it at a later time – a rather neat feature, because if you’re playing on a large world, it may take you upwards of three hours until the game finishes.

Unfortunately, if you want to play multiplayer, you’re gonna have to play on international servers which have really high pings. So you may want to think twice before jumping in.

 As you may know, the quality of graphics in RTS games has been improving by leaps and bounds over the years. For an RTS game, Civilization IV has very good graphics and flawless

animations. The world around you looks vivid and rich, with bright colors. All the structures, ranging from farms & wells to libraries and world wonders are well made and look realistic. Each class of units also look different, thereby enabling easy identification. There are no weather effects or day/night cycles, but then again, it doesn’t really matter. And as I mentioned before, the interface is well designed too.

To sum up, the graphics serve their purpose well and don’t disappoint for the slightest moment.

The sound is what really sets the mood for getting into the game. Everything right from the main menu theme to the diplomatic music during the game fits in amazingly well and is pleasing to the ears. Moreover, the voiceovers done by Leonard Nimoy are excellent. His pitch and tone are perfect, which is a welcome change from the monotony you’ll get out of some other RTS games.

As for sound effects, there aren’t many in the first place, but whatever is present sounds good.
The audio is nothing groundbreaking, but is definitely a cut above the rest.

 To conclude, I must say that the Civilization series has come a long way since 1991.
Civilization IV is a game which will definitely get non–RTS gamers (like me) hooked on to RTS games, while returning fans will scream for joy. The depth provided by this game is incomparable, and even this 3-page review will not be able to do justice to describing the game ( what do you expect from a game that has a 195-page manual ? ). Each game you play will provide a different experience every time. With graphics, sound and music to match the amazing gameplay, you’ve got one killer RTS on your hands.

So, if you’re an RTS / Civilization fan, don’t delay and go get this game. If you’re an anti–RTS person, slap yourself across the face for being such an imbicile, get this game, read the manual, and start pwning the likes of Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan and Queen Elizabeth !!