Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth

 PC
User Score
5.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 1084 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 343 out of 1084
  2. Mixed: 374 out of 1084
  3. Negative: 367 out of 1084
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  1. Genek13
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    It's not a CiV6 level of quality but still very decent one.
    Suck me in after few turns. Unique setting of the game, isolation and overall visuals are great.
  2. KielW
    Jul 17, 2016
    8
    I bought BE on sale recently for under $10, so it gets a much more relaxed rating than if I had paid brand new game pricing for it.

    It pretty much is what everyone else has said, a glorified Civ5 space DLC. But does it need to be more? It's fun, it's (at this point) not full of bugs, and it works.
  3. hernethehunter
    Aug 15, 2015
    8
    A solid Civ title that is unfairly and inevitably is going to be compared as the spiritual successor to Sid Meirs Alpha Centauri.

    Without any expansions thus far it takes a relatively more conservative approach to a science fiction and gameplay context compared to that title. But it does innovate in respect to the tech web and affinity systems from previous titles. It has been    A solid Civ title that is unfairly and inevitably is going to be compared as the spiritual successor to Sid Meirs Alpha Centauri.

    Without any expansions thus far it takes a relatively more conservative approach to a science fiction and gameplay context compared to that title. But it does innovate in respect to the tech web and affinity systems from previous titles. It has been criticised as just a mod for Civ 5 but like its predecessors Civ 5 and Civ 4 the base game will improve with expansions. So far i've played 140 hours and have enjoyed the game very much. Looking forward to what Rising Tide the first expansion will bring.    … Expand
  4. GodModule
    May 9, 2015
    8
    Disclaimer: I paid half price for this game, so my perspective might be a little different from people who dropped the full $50.

    So by now the secret's out...this is pretty much a space add-on for Civ 5. If you're like I was, the negative reviews put you off on this game and you're waiting for an expansion or two to come out to make it worth the while. Let me tell you, though, that    Disclaimer: I paid half price for this game, so my perspective might be a little different from people who dropped the full $50.

    So by now the secret's out...this is pretty much a space add-on for Civ 5. If you're like I was, the negative reviews put you off on this game and you're waiting for an expansion or two to come out to make it worth the while. Let me tell you, though, that there's plenty in Beyond Earth that makes it worth buying right now. Sure, it doesn't revolutionize the series like Alpha Centauri did, but it's still an outstandingly fun and addictive game.

    If you played Civ 5, you'll be able to pick this up on the hardest difficulty immediately. The mechanics are still very similar (or identical) to its predecessor. However, there are a couple of improvements that make this game worth the money. First, the tech tree has been redone to create a lot more strategy than Civ 5's linear tech. In Civ 5, it was pretty much a matter of researching everything as fast as possible. In BE, the tech tree branches out in every direction which makes researching everything quite impossible. This means that you have to plan out your research much more carefully. While this new mechanic is a definite improvement, it does take some getting used to, and you'll probably have to restart more than a few times before you're satisfied with your path.

    Affinities are another new feature, and they really help you to tailor your civ exactly the way you want it. Although they're similar to the ideologies in the Brave New World expansion, they offer much more substantial bonuses that can completely change the way you manage your civilization and its environment. For example, pursuing the Harmony affinity allows you to turn the land's natural dangers into benefits for your civ and can create a plethora of new strategic options when it comes to battling an enemy with a different affinity. Furthermore, each affinity offers its own path to victory, so choose carefully.

    One thing that really bugged me about this game were the endings. After dozens of hours of gameplay, all you get is a little one paragraph textbox that basically says, "You win! Congratulations!" I know that the Civilization series is all about the experience of managing your own empire in a sandbox world, but come on...it's a 2014 game. How hard would it be to tack on a five minute cinematic to reward all your careful planning and execution? BE features a lot more in the way of narrative elements than previous Civ games, so I was really hoping for a good ending. Make it happen next time, Firaxis!

    All in all, this was a very fun, very addictive game. Reviewed on its own merits, it would be a 9 or 10. However, being so similar to its predecessor really knocks it down a peg. Still, there is a lot of reason to hope that the expansions will really open this game up and build on what it already does right to make it something truly revolutionary. If you can set aside the expectation that this is supposed to be the next Alpha Centauri, or if you can pick it up for cheap like I did, you should definitely play this game.    … Expand
  5. RocKeR999
    Mar 12, 2015
    9
    I am new on Civilization so when I read all the comments about playing Civilization V and forget about Civilization Beyond Earth, that's what I did.
    I had a really great time playing Civilization V. However I wanted to try this one too, now I cannot stop playing Beyond Earth.
    Beyond Earth has improved a lot of little features that the previous version had and I considered to be flaws,    I am new on Civilization so when I read all the comments about playing Civilization V and forget about Civilization Beyond Earth, that's what I did.
    I had a really great time playing Civilization V. However I wanted to try this one too, now I cannot stop playing Beyond Earth.
    Beyond Earth has improved a lot of little features that the previous version had and I considered to be flaws, such as evolving all your units at the same time, and allowing you to choose how to focus your game play instead of one boring tech tree that everyone must follow.
    If Civilization V became so popular after so many expansions, I can just imagine how great Civilization Beyond Earth will be in the future after a couple of expansions.    … Expand
  6. bwheatley
    Mar 8, 2015
    10
    This game really scratches an itch that i needed to get scratched. I enjoyed the spiritual successor to alpha Centauri. I'd give this game a chance for folks on the fence.
  7. SherlockHolmess
    Feb 22, 2015
    9
    Wow i cant understand the many dislikes... sure it is no Alpha Centauri but first of all it's personal taste and second Alpha Centauri looks ugly.
    I don't compare this game to AC at all, i for myself started to become addicted aftr the very first round.
    The gaphics and soundscapes are beautiful. Trade routes, quests, outposts, aliens, make this game really exciting, the military battles    Wow i cant understand the many dislikes... sure it is no Alpha Centauri but first of all it's personal taste and second Alpha Centauri looks ugly.
    I don't compare this game to AC at all, i for myself started to become addicted aftr the very first round.
    The gaphics and soundscapes are beautiful. Trade routes, quests, outposts, aliens, make this game really exciting, the military battles are good thinked through but can be a bit annoying.
    The worms at the beginning have a very bad AI, and are very map dependent. But it happened only once that 3 worms attacked all cities of only me not the other player and the game was pretty much over for me then.
    Also the interface when leaving a city screen could be a bit faster, the "x" at the bottom is annoying.
    Also the tutorial is a bit sluggish und there's no campaign...

    But well these are just needles in the haystack. The game is great overall and you can spend lots of time with it. For me it's the best civilization at all, since i really enjoy the new setting on those planets and the graphics are so much more beautiful compared to it's predecessors.    … Expand
  8. NCCrank
    Feb 16, 2015
    8
    I've owned and played every Civ game. When this was announced I was hoping for Alpha Centauri 2. And I was extremely disappointed with this game when viewed against the original AC.

    But, for whatever reason - I kept playing. And, something funny happened - I found a pretty enjoyable game once I accepted it for what it is vs. what I was hoping for. The game is not perfect. In some    I've owned and played every Civ game. When this was announced I was hoping for Alpha Centauri 2. And I was extremely disappointed with this game when viewed against the original AC.

    But, for whatever reason - I kept playing. And, something funny happened - I found a pretty enjoyable game once I accepted it for what it is vs. what I was hoping for.

    The game is not perfect. In some ways, it is like a Sci-Fi expansion for Civ-5. But, if you spend some time with the game, it is a different game. The addition of: quests, affinities, and a different way of handling technology make for interesting games that vary from one game to the next.

    The weakest part of the game is certainly the wonders and the victories. Both are underwhelming and understated to the point of being flaws.

    But, the need to manage resources carefully - to build affinity specific units vs. city improvements - as well as having to manage the AI opponent's march to victory can make for some challenging games. For example, you may choose Harmony and work to build Xenotitans - but, will you have enough Biomass?

    Hopefully they will continue to support and develop this game. Is it AC2 - no. Is it perfect no. Is it fun, and can you spend a lot of time trying various strategies- yes.

    Judged on its own, SMC-BA is a good game that adds some interesting changes to the original Civ-5 model. Despite lackluster wonders, and a underwhelming (i.e. none) Victory screen - this is a fun game.    … Expand
  9. BigDegs29
    Feb 10, 2015
    9
    This is basically Civilization V with some improvements, and some drawbacks.

    Improvements: -Trades barbarians for more versatile aliens. -Trade routes are improved (but needs a mod to remove the annoyance factor). -Very much prefer the skill web to the old tree. -Very much prefer the virtue system to the social policy trees. -Spying is actually useful. -Affinities add a dimension    This is basically Civilization V with some improvements, and some drawbacks.

    Improvements:
    -Trades barbarians for more versatile aliens.
    -Trade routes are improved (but needs a mod to remove the annoyance factor).
    -Very much prefer the skill web to the old tree.
    -Very much prefer the virtue system to the social policy trees.
    -Spying is actually useful.
    -Affinities add a dimension to gameplay.

    Drawbacks:
    -Few civilizations (er, sponsors) to choose from; DLC anyone?
    -Sponsor perks seem unbalanced to me.
    -You'd think they'd incorporate some of the great mods from CIV:V, but no.
    -Similar enough to CIV:V that fatigue settles in a little too quickly.

    I'm giving it a 9/10 because that's what I would give CIV:V. Because it's basically on the same level. I don't give penalties for not fixing what aint broke.    … Expand
  10. Hurley
    Feb 2, 2015
    8
    This is an excellent addition to the Civ canon (I have played since the original Civ!). The game itself is based on Civ 5 and appears significantly influenced by Alpha Centauri (SMAC) and both of these are good. The alien feel is excellent and the interaction with alien life and implications on factions excellent. I find it good as a casual 3 hours or so build or a much longer and seriousThis is an excellent addition to the Civ canon (I have played since the original Civ!). The game itself is based on Civ 5 and appears significantly influenced by Alpha Centauri (SMAC) and both of these are good. The alien feel is excellent and the interaction with alien life and implications on factions excellent. I find it good as a casual 3 hours or so build or a much longer and serious immersion. Some small things detract, for example, if you have arrived in orbit why isn't all the land visible?… Expand
  11. BlitzStein
    Jan 15, 2015
    8
    They accomplished the promise of a linux version. This is a good game. A little deceiving coming from the Civ saga, but we hope they will add space and other things on future expansions.
  12. KalikoKat
    Dec 23, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great game, some differences from Civ V, replaces the tech tree with a web so that you don't have to worry about being ahead of other civs in researching, adds affinities, love it.… Expand
  13. brunoconde
    Dec 6, 2014
    10
    As a Civilization fan (since the first version), I think this is a great game. Civ V is very simplified, true, and Beyond Earth looks like a well-fashioned mod. But it really looks like the title I was looking for, after finishing a Civ V game. Fills that emptiness that we feel after finishing a Civ V game. Very good game. I just Hope the guys from Firaxis keep enhancing it.
  14. wtfskilz
    Dec 5, 2014
    9
    okay I really have to make a comment because after reading some of these comments although they made me laugh until my sides hurt, they are doing this game an injustice.
    Like warhorse complaining how it takes mid game or end game to kill an alien siege worm, dude your so wrong you can do it on I think it was turn 20-30, as long as your two squares away with a ranged char you can hit it    okay I really have to make a comment because after reading some of these comments although they made me laugh until my sides hurt, they are doing this game an injustice.
    Like warhorse complaining how it takes mid game or end game to kill an alien siege worm, dude your so wrong you can do it on I think it was turn 20-30, as long as your two squares away with a ranged char you can hit it over and over until it's dead and get your quest reward..
    Miasma benefits aliens not good for humans. you can easily clean it up in early to mid game all around your cities with orbital launches. the additional aspect adds a strategy on your movements. is it worth it to go straight through? I will loose 20HP on this path! the other path will take 2 more turns!
    Movements in the sea are very strategic as well, you will find yourself mostly in shallow water avoiding the Alien Krakens I found my self following trade routes or units I cared less about to test the route before going into the deep ocean and many other times I just went the long way, there defiantly is a Huge risk Huge reward factor that you can find in this game compared to the last.
    This game also has no lack of options, your options have options. I love the added special ops, it's another fun Variable that makes it feel like your really running a real country. For example I took out a minor power, most of the superpowers started to despise me and like 3 turns later there were covert spies in 3 of my major cities, I had to take my agent and get him working on Homeland security because of the unpopular political mistake I had made.
    The game performance is excellent even if you only have and AMD CPU/GPU you can play at max graphics and Vertical SYNC, when the map is full of stuff and DX11 has issues hitting above 40FPS I switch the API to Mantle and I'm back to 60FPS    … Expand
  15. Tick
    Nov 30, 2014
    9
    I give this game a 9/10. I do this after reading all the reviews, and I disagree with them and will say why.

    Why I disagree: People wanted an entirely different game? Like Alpha Centuari was to Civilization? Everyone I know hated Alpha Centuari. It differentiated itself from Civ too much, and over-all was meh. Then when they make a extra-planetary Civ and keep many of the mechanics    I give this game a 9/10. I do this after reading all the reviews, and I disagree with them and will say why.

    Why I disagree: People wanted an entirely different game? Like Alpha Centuari was to Civilization? Everyone I know hated Alpha Centuari. It differentiated itself from Civ too much, and over-all was meh.

    Then when they make a extra-planetary Civ and keep many of the mechanics that worked VERY well people complain... Can't make people happy I guess.

    Review:

    Graphics: I'm happy with them. I like them. They are an improvement over Civ V, and keep graphics that work well. Now on some planets It can be a bit tough to differentiate Tundra and plains at a glance, but it's an alien world and the terrain, flora and fauna are different than that of earth. It just makes sense.

    Sound: Again, I like the sound. It's a slight improvement over Civ V. Less traditional music but that's the case, it's the future and you left tradition behind.

    Game Mechanics: (the big part)

    1) Cities. LOVE THEM. Build buildings, then get a choice of customization on their function/abilities through a choice. Perfect! I can play differently, plan out what I want to. The Unit customization based on what you do and how you do it is great. I can make an army designed to kill other units or attack cities, heal quickly etc.

    I like the new espionage functions. It's an improvement over Civ V's. The Level gain is also better, and if you're in the lead there is actually something your Spies can do. Especially since Technology isn't linear anymore, it's a web.

    The Tech Web: Love it. Linear tech isn't realistic the future, decisions, Values, Philosophy, Play-style all should and can play a part in how you advance. Once I got used to it, I say it's the best part of the game.

    Diplomacy: Meh. It's the same as Civ V except you can trade with people who have nothing to give to you with "favours" I can trade Titanium I'm not using and don't plan on using for a while to Civ's that may or may not need it for Favours. I can effectively bank them for later. I do like this. In Civ games I usually ignore diplomacy, not because It's a bad feature, but because I could care less about my opponents. I play to crush them not work with them. For my play-styles I just wish some of the phrases the AI used in the screen were more varied and different than Civ V when I refuse 100% of the time to aid them in war, and I always refuse all requests to stop settling near them etc.

    I'm sure there are people who play civ, and by the comments I can see it, that like diplomacy... I find that it's the same as liking the garnish in a 6 course meal. I don't play to interact diplomatically with AI's. I toss them and their wants/needs aside.

    War, movement, is all the same as CIv V but with the added unit complexity. And I like this. Resources are a little hard to figure out at first. I know what Wheat does, but what about Chitin? Or Fibre? all it takes is a few games to get this as 2nd nature. A

    Alien Life: They could have done a bit better job of taking advantage of this, and it's why this game gets a 9 and not a 10. You can kill the roaming aliens but still 'preserve' Life on the planet and that makes sense. Some life is hostile, you deal with it, and the rest isn't. As tech advances I'd have liked to see alien life not interrupt your use of a tile for resources, or even try to attack you, and they get small (graphic wise) and become part of the background animations. Or you can keep killing them.

    I like the ideology of Purity, supremacy and harmony. I also like how virtues replace several key racial bonuses or wonder bonuses of Civ V that were mandatory and you needed to RUSH to have a given play-style.

    Wonders: they are there, just a tad hidden, and when you look for them on the tech tree you're uncertain if it is or not until you figure it out and just remember it. They also could have done a bit more art-work on the wonders graphics... they are all whiteboxed...

    Overall this is a great game. Some SIMPLE fixes they should put in and then this game is a 10/10.    … Expand
  16. Iduakil
    Nov 21, 2014
    8
    How to put it .... at release day I was disappointed. I had much hopes for this title after over 900 hourse spent in Civ5. And after few hours I felt I played a major mod for Civ5 .... I felt depressed. And at that moment I was rating the game as 5 or 6 tops ... but now. I think the game is quite good actually but the balance changes are ESSENTIAL if it`s lifespan is supposed to lastHow to put it .... at release day I was disappointed. I had much hopes for this title after over 900 hourse spent in Civ5. And after few hours I felt I played a major mod for Civ5 .... I felt depressed. And at that moment I was rating the game as 5 or 6 tops ... but now. I think the game is quite good actually but the balance changes are ESSENTIAL if it`s lifespan is supposed to last longer than 6 months tops. Affinity is great, Tech web is great, New setting, graphics, environment, aliens. Superb. But all of those can be tweaked even more and I hope Firaxis still see potential to improve with their game as it is a solid game. Just polish it a bit more!… Expand
  17. gatheck
    Nov 15, 2014
    9
    It's not Civilization V and it's not Alpha Centauri, when you realize that you'll love this game :) But first you have to play several games, not turns! And I'm sure that this game will become better and better.
  18. phishyphishy
    Nov 10, 2014
    8
    Play If: You love civilization games. It's as fun as all the rest.

    Don't Play If: This is your first civilization game. Pick up Civ V and treat this as a sequel.
  19. boompow
    Nov 9, 2014
    8
    I have no idea why this game is getting so much hate. Perhaps it has to do with expectations. Personally I have been waiting for a new Alpha Centauri for ages and this game has completely satisfied this desire. Beautiful graphics, a lot of the great parts of Civ 5 and finally the interstellar expansion scenario I love. The new affinity system is fantastic and adds a neat personal twistI have no idea why this game is getting so much hate. Perhaps it has to do with expectations. Personally I have been waiting for a new Alpha Centauri for ages and this game has completely satisfied this desire. Beautiful graphics, a lot of the great parts of Civ 5 and finally the interstellar expansion scenario I love. The new affinity system is fantastic and adds a neat personal twist along with the customization through virtues which we already know from Civ 5 as policies. The aliens are only disappointing because they stop being anything but a minor inconvenience fairly quickly. I would love to see them be more of a wild card that grows along with your power unless you go harmony. Other than some performance issues there is not much to complain about in this game. If you enjoy Civ and are looking for a more futuristic setting then you will not be disappointed.… Expand
  20. Pahvlor
    Nov 5, 2014
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I personally think Beyond Earth has the chance to be a big game in the civilization franchise. However, there are a few minor problems that prevent it from being a outstanding game.

    First, people need to stop comparing BE to the finished product of Civ 5 Brave New World. Civ 5 wasn't perfect when it came out, but with time it became a great game. There are a few areas of the game that feel like a re-skin of Civ 5, but there are also lots of new concepts.

    The civilization games have been based on history. You know who the leaders and can associate them with events in history and can understand their personality. In BE, you don't know the leaders of the sponsors because it is set future. The leaders of the sponsors also don't have much personality.

    However, the lack of history behind the game also gives you the tech web. This may be confusing at first, but after you get use to it the web design it is way better than the tech tree.

    The victory types are new with the exception for domination. The way the victories tie in with the strategic resources can make the game play in a different way every time.

    The beginning of the game provides even more variation. When setting up you have options besides choosing the map type. You can choose bonuses that will help you throughout the game.

    The user interface could use some work. The city screen is cluttered, butting is not unbearable.

    I know this game will be better in the future when DLC come out. You know there will be some because some countries are unaccounted for. There is no civ tied to Great Britain. the Middle East, minus Pakistan, is left out for now. Finland, Sweden, Norway and some other European nations don't appear to be in the game. Those are at least three more possible civs. I believe Great Britain will be implemented rather soon becaus ethereal are no civs tied to naval combat or ocean trades or anything water related. (Sorry for the speculation)

    This game is solid for what it is. People need to stop comparing it to Civ 5 Brave New World. Civ 5 was also a little underwhelming when it first came out. But with patches and expansions it became an amazing game. Beyond Earth is going to pan out the same way. With that said, it still is a good game that is worth your time. It is just as addicting as any other Civ game that makes you feel like you want to play just one more turn.    … Expand
  21. Saporaku
    Nov 4, 2014
    8
    I think this game has been getting a lot of flak just for not being Civ. Its not as involved as Civ. There are definitely drop offs in it where you aren't addicted to hit next turn where it is just easier, but over all its really solid for a 4x. The victory types are unique and interesting. The tech tree has a non-linear progression (which adds to the power of espionage, something that hasI think this game has been getting a lot of flak just for not being Civ. Its not as involved as Civ. There are definitely drop offs in it where you aren't addicted to hit next turn where it is just easier, but over all its really solid for a 4x. The victory types are unique and interesting. The tech tree has a non-linear progression (which adds to the power of espionage, something that has been lacking in civ if you are a scientifically advanced culture *cough*sejong*cough*) which adds to the way the game is set up. Its not about linear progression, but instead, about figuring out an effective path for maximizing your game objective. As a result, there is not a guaranteed path where you are going to be butting heads with AI or just finding AI to be useless. However! There does seem to be a "best" path if your objective is beating the game in the fewest turns(which is how I play). I think there still needs to be a lot of balancing done, but it was the same when Civ 5 was first released(beating the game with rome in the 1600's by culture was a little silly). The first big patch that Civ 5 did was AMAZING, so I have expectations that they will at least do a big patch on this one like they did for CIv 5.
    Overall, its different. Which is exactly what I think you should expect from Civ in space.    … Expand
  22. AkVr
    Nov 4, 2014
    9
    I must say i misjudged this game when i first played.Then i gave it a few tries.I dont know why it is so easy to get the wrong impression about it but if you play a while you will realize that it is a good game.Maybe the A.I needs some polishing and the Leaders.Diplomacy is not interesting at all,But i am sure Firaxis is already working to fix a few things with an expansion and add some more.
  23. weregamer
    Nov 4, 2014
    8
    Overall CivBE lives up to the expectations set by the pre-launch publicity, and is blessedly free of game-breaking bugs (although I've seen reports of issues with specific monitor configurations).

    That said, it shows evidence of having been rushed out as a speculative product. Many little details of production quality are missing (for example all the technology and wonder quotes are    Overall CivBE lives up to the expectations set by the pre-launch publicity, and is blessedly free of game-breaking bugs (although I've seen reports of issues with specific monitor configurations).

    That said, it shows evidence of having been rushed out as a speculative product. Many little details of production quality are missing (for example all the technology and wonder quotes are delivered by the same voice actor, rather than by the actor for the leader they are attributed to). There are also some annoying bugs that need to be addressed, chief among which are assignment of building quests to cities that can't build that building and the really bad problems users on lower-end graphics hardware have with UI updates.

    Overall, I'd say that if you like the Civ series, and aren't one of the Civ 5 haters, this is worth your purchase, and supporting the game with your dollars will encourage both patches for the problems and better funding for future games in the series.    … Expand
  24. loppstalker
    Nov 3, 2014
    10
    Lopp likes Beyond Earth. Lopp enjoys playing the ARC and making spies. Lots of spies for Lopp. Lopp works on gaining the shinies. Lopp likes shinies..
  25. jakebenntt
    Nov 3, 2014
    9
    Aliens, EPIC. Expeditions, EPIC. Tech web, EPIC. Only problem with it is the repetitive quest system. Otherwise, could call it a civ 5 remake, WITH TONS MORE CONTENT AND A MUCH BETTER, NOT CIV 5 SYSTEM!
  26. pyradius
    Nov 2, 2014
    8
    While I would agree with the criticisms regarding missing UI features, and the laborious nature of some tasks (navigating the tech web, managing trade routes) it has some streamlined gameplay and improvements over Civ 5.

    The mission system (while needing some polish) is a nice addition to the gameplay. The minor factions are mostly a nuisance and are very underwhelming compared to    While I would agree with the criticisms regarding missing UI features, and the laborious nature of some tasks (navigating the tech web, managing trade routes) it has some streamlined gameplay and improvements over Civ 5.

    The mission system (while needing some polish) is a nice addition to the gameplay. The minor factions are mostly a nuisance and are very underwhelming compared to city-states in Civ 5, although they may fit in a little bit more with the faster-paced gameplay in BE.

    The affinities and virtues are suitable replacements for culture and religion from Civ 5, but I don't really see how they can be fleshed out the way they were in Civ 5, meaning their upside potential is kinda limited in BE. Maybe they'll surprise me with an awesome expansion but I have my reservations.

    In short, I would recommend this to Civ 5 fans who want a bit more. I would not recommend it for newcomers and would direct them to the much more fleshed out experience available in Civ 5.    … Expand
  27. legus
    Nov 2, 2014
    10
    Это ШИН, господа! Лучше цивы, а маминых неосиляторов не слушайте. Пять раз за вечер свои деньги отбивает!
  28. betts_corey
    Oct 30, 2014
    8
    Gamers seem to be baby's who want everything tailor fit to their very specific desires and if they are disappointed in one area, the game sucks, and the developer became's vilified as money grabbers. This is a pretty good game. There are some features I wish were added in, but they weren't there. Instead of berating the thing like a miserable selfish brat, I'll say there are a lot of goodGamers seem to be baby's who want everything tailor fit to their very specific desires and if they are disappointed in one area, the game sucks, and the developer became's vilified as money grabbers. This is a pretty good game. There are some features I wish were added in, but they weren't there. Instead of berating the thing like a miserable selfish brat, I'll say there are a lot of good qualities that make this game enjoyable. One of the more exciting civ games I've played, but there is room for new features. Will you enjoy it? Probably. Will it get better with time? Definitely.… Expand
  29. zombiechan
    Oct 30, 2014
    8
    Really enjoyable game and I think a decent mix of Alpha Centauri and Civ 5. I actually do enjoy some of the new mechanics and the new scene for a Civ game. The affinity system is a nice feature and adds a new conflict with you and other factions.

    The aliens are interesting, so I feel the AI is a tad dumb. But I do enjoy that there's a creature called a Siege Worm and if you sent some    Really enjoyable game and I think a decent mix of Alpha Centauri and Civ 5. I actually do enjoy some of the new mechanics and the new scene for a Civ game. The affinity system is a nice feature and adds a new conflict with you and other factions.

    The aliens are interesting, so I feel the AI is a tad dumb. But I do enjoy that there's a creature called a Siege Worm and if you sent some low level soldiers at it, they're going to die.

    I think the biggest issues I have with the game is the AI and placing the satellite seem poorly thought out.    … Expand
  30. Evilmonky
    Oct 30, 2014
    10
    Huge Civ fan since Civ1, Alpha Centuri is an all time classic and favourite of mine. This is my first metacritic review, had to say something after my first full play through on epic, what an adventure. Its been years since I have been so totally engrossed in a game. Never has a civ game been as customisable or have so many paths to victory. Alpha tried at this and succeeded but beyondHuge Civ fan since Civ1, Alpha Centuri is an all time classic and favourite of mine. This is my first metacritic review, had to say something after my first full play through on epic, what an adventure. Its been years since I have been so totally engrossed in a game. Never has a civ game been as customisable or have so many paths to victory. Alpha tried at this and succeeded but beyond earth takes it to a different level. It truly is about survival on a hostile planet,. how u survive and adapt to your environment is totally down to you. Trade, espionage and diplomacy have never been as well executed in a civ game it was incredible manipulating other races to bend to my will. I guess the civ 5 trolls are being very vocal in these reviews, but the simplified civ model is how it should be and how it started, personal opinion I guess. Multiplayer is very fluid with so little micromanagement required.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

57
#57 Best PC Game of 2014
21
#21 Most Discussed PC Game of 2014
4
#4 Most Shared PC Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 78 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 65 out of 78
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 78
  3. Negative: 1 out of 78
  1. CD-Action
    Jan 9, 2015
    90
    Cancel all your plans and fill up the fridge, because once you launch Beyond Earth you will not want to leave your home. [13/2014, p.46]
  2. Worth Playing
    Dec 23, 2014
    85
    Passive AI and lackluster online support from the community isn't enough to make Civilization: Beyond Earth a total wash. If you've enjoyed the series over the years, you'll likely spend many hours with this entry as well.
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  3. Games Master UK
    Dec 21, 2014
    80
    Prepare for tech tree troubles, but the amount to discover and overall quality wins out. [Christmas 2014, p.64]
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