- Publisher: SegaSoft , Sega
- Release Date: Aug 17, 2021
- Also On: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Stadia, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
- Unscored
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Aug 22, 2021Humankind may not have invented hot water, but it is sufficiently different from Civilization. And that results in a rock-solid game, not least because of its scale. In the game, you lead your people through the different eras of our civilization. At six different times you are presented with ten cultures that you can take over from then on. In addition, the characteristics of your previous choices are preserved, resulting in a unique melting pot of influences from a million (!) possible combinations. Each game is different, and you will spend many hours exploring only a fraction of the possibilities. That replayability alone makes Humankind more than worth its money.
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Sep 28, 2021Humankind is nothing short of incredible. It has truly set a new bar for 4X games, and Firaxis is going to have its work cut out for it to make Civilization 7 visible beside the bright shining star that is Humankind.
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Aug 24, 2021Put simply, Humankind took everything that Civilization 6 got wrong, fixed it, added some new ideas to the genre, and ended up producing the best 4X game I've played since Civilization 5 way back in 2011 — which, according to Steam, is the ninth-most-played game in my entire library at over 400 hours. This is the new standard for 4X historical games. It is an absolute must-play for fans of the genre and has finally knocked Firaxis off its throne as the king of the hill.
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Aug 16, 2021A 4X game like no other. Unique and innovative, full with interesting mechanics - and some weird ones. Humankind has some clear flaws, indeed, but kudos to Amplitude for pushing the genre forward.
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Aug 16, 2021Embracing player motivations from start to finish, Humankind refreshes the 4X genre – even with a couple of technical kinks.
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Aug 16, 2021Humankind, in short, raises the quality standards of 4X games, placing itself as the perfect "rival" of Civilization. This net of some gleanings that could be filed through future updates and secure expansions. If you are a lover of this genre, you can't really skip the appointment with the work of Amplitude. The future, full support for mods and the world editor will contribute to enrich the title seamlessly.
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Aug 16, 2021Humankind is a Civilization for those who want to try something different in the 4X genre, without giving up a certain vision.
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Aug 16, 2021HUMANKIND is a true masterpiece and the best 4X of the decade. The game has brilliant gameplay mechanics and offers us an experience of great depth, with some incredible art style. May its reign be long.
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Aug 16, 2021Humankind is the best 4X game I've played in a long time, only improving on everything that's come before it.
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Aug 16, 2021HUMANKIND is as deep as you could possibly want from a 4X strategy game, but the constant addition of new things to think about never feels overwhelming because everything's explained so well, and often with a good bit of humour too. It's an excellent game, and if you've never delved into the 4X genre before, this might be your best chance to do so.
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CD-ActionNov 15, 2021Humankind features some revolutionary mechanics, but fails to use their potential to the fullest. However, that doesn’t change the fact that the game is simply very enjoyable and Sid Meier’s Civilization now has a major rival. [11/2021, p.78]
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Aug 23, 2021I can easily see myself spending hundreds of hours playing Humankind but not before it gets at least a round of updates to deal with crashes and some performance issues. The core of the 4X gameplay is easy to understand but hard to master, with a very big possibility space. The main selling point, moving through civilizations as history progresses, creates plenty of potential for cool stories, overpowered empires, and surprising twists. But the overall experience sometimes feels like less than the sum of its parts. Amplitude has such a reputation for creating unique civilizations and mechanics that I expected more.
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Aug 16, 2021Humankind is a solid strategy game, which doesn’t change the underlying formula of building and management games. The visuals are pretty and the systems deep enough to sink some time into it. Where it shines is the possibilities to design your own culture, society and religion - with all the implications this has for diplomacy, trade and war. Genre fans should have a look at this interpretation, but if you don’t like these kind of games, there won’t be anything for you here regardless.
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Aug 16, 2021If you have ever enjoyed Civilization, I can confidently say that Humankind is going to be right up your alley, bringing enough differences to step out of the shadow of its inspiration and stand on its own as a must buy strategy title.
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Sep 11, 2021Authenticity is definitely at the forefront of what makes Humankind such a compelling experience. Just the thought of mixing cultures and adopting the buildings and ideologies of eras gone by is an anthropologist’s dream. It stumbles in connecting you with each culture, however, as it all blends together into a blur that resembles its world map. It’s a Civilization game for those who have played enough Civilization games and offers you something new to play around with.
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Sep 9, 2021If you ignore some minor bugs and issues, you’ve finally got yourself a decent competitor in the 4X genre. Humankind has gorgeous music, colorful graphics, and fun and challenging gameplay that will keep you wanting to play "just one more turn".
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Sep 2, 2021Humankind is my favorite type of game: a glorious mish-mash of mechanics from other standouts from its genre, all informed by a studio’s design and visual philosophy. This 4X game (explore, expand, exploit, exterminate) takes the main ideas from Civilization, and Amplitude Studios blends them with the city-building and clean, pretty UIs of its Endless series.
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Aug 31, 2021Humankind is a solid, if not especially revelatory, take on what has become a pretty ossified genre. Its changes — in particular the opening Neolithic stage, and its combat systems — are not dramatic shifts, but they are enough to make an experienced 4X player pay attention. Just like our hunter-gatherer ancestors, Humankind (the game) is off to a good start.
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Aug 27, 2021Humankind is a very interesting 4X strategy game with a wide variety of elements, most of which are very detailed - though some, like religion, can feel a little undercooked. From city building, expansion and the urban sprawl over time, so much of the development of the world is well represented here. Science, influence, war, economy, growth - there's very little you'll find covered here.
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Aug 25, 2021Humankind is a solid 4x strategy game that successfully twists this concept, bringing something new for new and old fans of the genre.
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Aug 20, 2021While reviewing Humankind, I could only think about playing the game once again. Amplitude Studios' work proved to be an extremely engrossing strategy game that offers tons of fun despite some minor setbacks. Civilization finally has a worthy opponent.
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Aug 18, 2021A nice take on the 4X Civ-like kind of strategy from Amplitude, already experienced in the genre. But it feels too safe, to cautious, and it reminds of the first Endless Space, and huge gap crossed by Endless Space 2. We can only wish for Humankind 2 then, but the first game still is a great game for newcomer or Civ veteran looking for some fresh mechanics.
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Aug 18, 2021Humankind does what is proposed: to offer a valid alternative in the 4X genre for all types of players.
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Aug 17, 2021Pretty, smart, superbly set to music and intelligent in its mechanics of mixing cultures, these are many qualities that we can recognize in Humankind. While it does not avoid the pitfalls of many 4Xs, with parts that sometimes drag on or balance issues, it remains a refreshing take on the genre, which can be a nice gateway for newcomers. The veterans, for their part, will certainly perceive the shadow of Civilization which hangs a little too intensely over the aura of Humankind, but they will undoubtedly appreciate its originality and the multiple tactical approaches, for parts which they will follow without displeasing. . Humankind is undoubtedly a game that will gain depth and longevity over time, Amplitude being known to be attentive to community feedback and take care of the follow-up of its games.
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Aug 16, 2021Humankind doesn't reinvent the fire nor the wheel, but it brings freshness, new ideas and visual beauty to a niche genre, with systems deep enough to win over 4X fans and a visual interface that open the door to new ones. Although the artificial intelligence leaves a little to be desired and some systems need tweaking, the cultural evolution mechanic allows for very interesting flexibility and dynamics.
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Aug 16, 2021Humankind is one elegant strategy opus that successfully balances mechanics from Endless Legend and Civilization 6, but does not have the same level of quality and polish like the Firaxis original. Some good ideas, a beautiful map and a nice game flow more than make up for its shortcomings, some of which might be ironed out by future updates or expansions. As of now, Humankind is a good game and it will satisfy your 4X cravings, but there is no denying that is has not reached its full potential yet.
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Aug 16, 2021Like actual Humankind, the game, Humankind is an ambitious, large, complex and sometimes difficult to understand experience that gets better with time and only expands the possibilities of what comes next.
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Aug 16, 2021Quotation forthcoming.
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Aug 16, 2021Humankind offers a fresh formula to the genre by taking the best of Civilization and Endless Legends, before adding its own personal touch. Technically, the game is robust, with nice graphics and music, and above all, it has the advantage of being relatively accessible to new players with its tutorials, its clear and accessible mechanics, as well as a limited micromanagement requirement. It should also appeal to veterans of the genre looking for a more tactical management of conflicts. With a bit of content and some additional polish, it has great potential in the long run.
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Aug 16, 2021The most direct challenger to Civilization yet is full of brilliant ideas which could yet change the genre, although bugs and underdeveloped features occasionally get in the way of the fun.
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Aug 16, 2021Humankind was an opportunity to do things differently in the 4X genre. As it is, it has some fantastic ideas – city changes, the cultures and the narrative elements all impress – but it falls into the same problem as each of its competitors. The end is too stodgy and too much busywork to make finishing a game worthwhile. Still, until that point you’ll have a blast.
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Aug 16, 2021There are some cracks in the shiny veneer, for sure, but on the whole Humankind is a great experience with almost endless replayability.
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Aug 26, 2021Humankind is an entertaining game, but very challenging to tackle for those who are not used to play strategy games. From the beginning, it assails you with information, and you have to pay close attention to everything to learn quickly. Nevertheless, if you are interested in the genre, it is worth your time.
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Aug 26, 2021Humankind is layered and a breath of fresh air for 4X lovers, but the annoying UI is the real enemy here.
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Aug 16, 2021Humankind is not a perfectly polished, yet extensively exciting and intricate strategy game.
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Aug 17, 2021Sadly, Humankind isn’t Amplitude Studios’ magnum opus. Its interesting concept of civilization mix-matching is constantly let down by an uncompetitive AI and all sorts of balancing issues.
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Game World Navigator MagazineOct 22, 2021Humankind offers a fresh take on historical 4X strategy genre, with a lot of creativity thrown in, but the team sorely lacks a lead designer who could tie everything together. So even though each innovation is really cool on its own, the whole turned out to be less than the sum of its parts. [Issue#255, p.40]
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Aug 26, 2021Humankind is an impressive showing of what Amplitude can do with historical turn-based strategy but is edged out by the series that clearly inspired it. The promise on the box of building a culturally diverse empire is not yet fulfilled, with successive playthroughs showing the moral choice and culture systems as being underdeveloped.
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Aug 24, 2021Humankind may not be the greatest strategy game of all time, but it certainly is a fantastic entry in the genre. Between the incredible feeling like I’m playing God over the entirety of humanity, and the ability to watch creation… my creation… evolve into the society I want them to be, I’m sure to be enjoying this for a while. If you’ve played an historical strategy game before, don’t make the mistake of thinking you know how this will play out. It may surprise you to see what it’s like when you start playing out your own plans for all of Humankind.
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Aug 16, 2021Humankind is ambitious in size, scale, and scope, allowing you to try out multiple combinations of cultures as you progress through various eras. However, it's also hampered by limitations in certain mechanics and systems that don't mesh well with the overall gameplay.
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Aug 16, 2021Humankind is a refreshing and authentic take on the historical 4X strategy subgenre, albeit with some balancing problems that keep it from greatness.
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Aug 16, 2021Although not all of its features are as fleshed out as they could be, Humankind does hit several sweet spots, both in terms of combat and management, having enough going on to push you to click that next turn button. While it probably won’t be a “Civ killer” – not that it necessarily aims to be one –, it’s clearly a game that historical 4X strategy fans looking for a different spin on the subgenre’s formula should definitely consider trying out at some point.
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Aug 16, 2021A smart historical 4X that doesn't quite match the inventiveness of the studio's best.
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Oct 4, 2021This next-door neighbour of Sid Meier’s Civilization is mostly very well done and always beautiful. It can, however, also be pretty dull and some design choices don’t work as well as they should - including the vaunted culture morphing.
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Aug 31, 2021I had a lot of fun with Humankind, with its deep city building mechanics keeping me glued to the screen for hours on end. But with its unique multi-culture mechanic failing to improve upon solid foundations set by other turn-based titles, I’m unsure why anyone would choose to play Humankind over the likes of Civilization VI. That said, with a fantastic combat system and its unique core concept, Humankind has lots of potential to develop into a more competitive title in the strategy genre, so keep an eye out for future updates and DLC.
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Aug 30, 2021Though clearly inspired by Sid Meier’s Civilization, Humankind is a very unique experience. Especially the first phase of gameplay, spent discovering and claiming land is refreshing. The game gradually loses some steam, but remains fascinating because of it’s many intricate mechanics. We hope that those mechanics will come into their own with the upcoming patches. Development wise, Humankind is still one or two turns away from being a thoroughly engaging game.
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Aug 24, 2021Humankind is a decent 4X entry for fans of the genre looking for something different - and yet very familiar. Newcomers are probably better off trying Civilization and giving Humankind some time to address its issues.
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Aug 20, 2021Humankind is still an exciting evolution for the genre. Its dedication to historical authenticity sets it apart from its largest competitor, and the new systems like war support and shifting cultures feel like the very first steps leading to something that’s potentially greater. It’s not quite the ‘Civ-killer’ it wants to be just yet, but hey, give it a few more iterations and it just might be.
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Aug 16, 2021A highly competent alternative to Civilization but the list of unequivocal improvements is disappointingly short, with an unfortunate lack of real innovation.
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Aug 16, 2021Humankind is an interesting but fairly safe riff on historical 4X that doesn't always rise to meet its potential.
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Aug 16, 2021Humankind is immediately accessible to anybody familiar with the 4X genre, especially the Civilization series. It strays a little too close to Civilization at times, but its unique take on the advancement of culture and ideology prevents it from feeling like a copycat. The way your culture changes between eras means that no two games will ever be the same, no matter how much you try. It’s not quite as masterful as it could be and needs some fine-tuning in some areas, but it remains a solid addition to Amplitude’s library of strategy games.
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Oct 17, 2021Amplitude still has its work cut out to make Humankind a more welcoming place: improve the balance, fix the second half of the campaign, increase the performance… and release the inevitable DLCs. So, maybe then it will be able to go toe-to-toe with Civilization.
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LEVEL (Czech Republic)Feb 17, 2022Humankind is different than other games and that's fine. It builds on the authors' experiences with the genre, but may differ too much for the massive success of the brand and the studio. It's an interesting title that will find countless players and fans, but it does too little for big success.
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Edge MagazineSep 10, 2021Humankind isn't lacking in competence. This is a decent historical strategy with some of the best city building outside of dedicated games such as Cities: Skylines. But it would benefit from greater confidence in its central ideas; rather than seeking to ape Civilization, it could be more inventive. [Issue#363, p.110]
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Aug 25, 2021From the faint outlines of religion to the background hum of influence, from the awkward city-building to the cumbersome tactical combat, all wrapped up in a cultural system that struggles to imprint a strong identity on your empire, Humankind strains under the weight of too many complex systems that too often find themselves colliding rather than coalescing. By turns disjointed and confounding, Humankind is nonetheless fascinating, at least to this experienced 4X strategy player, even if I couldn't say I truly enjoyed it.
| This publication does not provide a score for their reviews. | |
| This publication has not posted a final review score yet. | |
| These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation. | |
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Aug 20, 2021Humankind is a worthy competitor to Civilization, with some fresh ideas that improve on the traditional 4X formula. It may be lacking in some systems, and others need more polishing, but the virtues of Humankind outweighs the negatives by much. It doesn't matter if you are a newcomer to the genre or a true Civ veteran, Humankind will leave you begging for one more turn on each and every game. [Recommended]
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Aug 18, 2021Quotation forthcoming.
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Aug 18, 2021For now, though, all I’ve got to talk about is this original vision for Humankind, a game that promised to be revolutionary but ended up as a very good evolution instead.
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Aug 16, 2021Indeed, and especially in the later stages of a game, Humankind can feel more like a puzzle game than a 4X, with the business of hexes and multipliers abstracting it from its central theme of humanity. Still, if the worst things I can find to say about Humankind are that it sometimes makes me think too much, and that I need to play it more, it’s hardly a bloody disaster, is it? Go make yourself some harbours, and tell the Olmecs I said hello. If they ever make it out of their Ancient Era time loop and invent writing, that is.
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Aug 17, 2021It is undeniable that this is more dynamic and specific and operable than a Civ game, but in my time with the game I have remained unconvinced that this level of fiddly knob control gives me anything unique or better than the more abstracted or zoomed out systems of a Civ. My experience of Humankind was one of seeing occasional glimmers of something special while having to fight to keep a lot of numbers and pressures in my head at once. I know that there are strategy and 4x players for whom this is where the action is. Those players love the system mastery of it all, and it's clear that the developers’ desire here was to create an abundance of complex systems that interlock beautifully. I think they accomplished that, but for me there is a point where that reaches diminishing returns, and Humankind is over that line.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 82 out of 157
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Mixed: 35 out of 157
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Negative: 40 out of 157
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Aug 26, 2021
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Aug 20, 2021
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Aug 19, 2021