Sid Meier's Civilization IV

 PC
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1176 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 926 out of 1176
  2. Mixed: 148 out of 1176
  3. Negative: 102 out of 1176
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  1. RTCWFAN
    Aug 29, 2023
    9
    Civ IV is the best entry of the franchise. After getting into the mechanics, I played about six hours without a pause. Overall rating: 9.2.
  2. Keron_Heruman
    Aug 24, 2023
    9
    As good as all previous civs, with beautiful graphics and more options... Objectively the best civilization of the saga, but each new version loses freshness step by step
  3. wf1675
    Jul 9, 2023
    8
    definitely one of my fav civs as of late but I don't like the happiness system feels like a bottleneck and I don't care for city-states and there's too many barbarians but its soooo much better than civ 6
  4. HydrophobikFish
    Jun 9, 2023
    8
    Lots of fun nation building in this game. Interesting factions and development. Leaders ahd strong character and campaigns seemed well balanced
  5. ReviewsAreBS
    Feb 26, 2023
    10
    Big upgrade from Civ3, which was excellent in it’s own right. Game nails pretty much everything. Even the add-ons are excellent. I haven’t played the sequels so I can’t compare with them.
  6. Yaav13
    Apr 7, 2022
    5
    My truthful honorable incorruptible conclusive rating of this considered game: 5.
  7. Babutto
    Jan 20, 2022
    9
    I hated this game after Civ 3. But now, I changed my mind.

    Pros.: - The main advantage - it's simpler and faster. Game mechanics now are super convenient. There is no need to make dozens of units. Just have one dozen and it's enough to advance your troops. - Religion made some problems but with the proper management it creates a deep boundaries between neighbors. - Sharing borders is    I hated this game after Civ 3. But now, I changed my mind.

    Pros.:
    - The main advantage - it's simpler and faster. Game mechanics now are super convenient. There is no need to make dozens of units. Just have one dozen and it's enough to advance your troops.
    - Religion made some problems but with the proper management it creates a deep boundaries between neighbors.
    - Sharing borders is not a big issue now.
    - Dimplomacy became significantly better.
    - More civic policies.

    Cons.:
    - Maybe the same as before. If you fail to invest in the army at the beginning - you're done. The neighbors will attack.
    - A bit complicated with the city attacks. But it elevates the role of the artillery. Developed further in the following games.

    So, it's almost a perfect game. Lol. 20 years ago I would have said it's a disaster.    … Expand
  8. ertyz
    Jan 13, 2022
    9
    very addictive
    very nice game if I need to compare among all other games by the way.
  9. Amorph0us
    Jan 11, 2022
    8
    Maybe the best installment in the series. The level of detail on strategy is satisfactory and I really enjoyed my time playing it.
  10. SebastiedJuan
    Sep 13, 2021
    10
    Fantastic game. Rich, complex, profound, fun. A great game, maybe really amazing only with all the expancions, especially with Behond the sword
  11. KTheSlayer
    Jun 18, 2021
    8
    Great game, with enormous amount of content and abilities to explore. Very high replayability
  12. nazarkin123
    Mar 10, 2021
    7
    It's always cool game to play. From year to year mostly graphics changes but in this case it's good.
  13. mrmihailavdeev
    Mar 7, 2021
    10
    When I found out that Civilization IV had been out for a couple of years, I was still playing its predecessor. And if it weren't for the dozens or even hundreds of hours I've spent playing Civ3, coupled with fatigue from its limitations and dumb AI — Civ4 could, potentially, became my favourite instalment in the whole series. Looking back, the fourth part seems to be the most polished andWhen I found out that Civilization IV had been out for a couple of years, I was still playing its predecessor. And if it weren't for the dozens or even hundreds of hours I've spent playing Civ3, coupled with fatigue from its limitations and dumb AI — Civ4 could, potentially, became my favourite instalment in the whole series. Looking back, the fourth part seems to be the most polished and competent iteration of the iconic franchise. Especially if you compare the basic versions, without the paid DLC and add-ons, which the creators of the series are so like to abuse nowadays.

    Sid Meier's Civilization IV inherited the best features of its predecessors, polished its mechanics and made a lot of small changes and improvements to the well-established formula. Thanks to a much more user-friendly and informative interface, fancier graphics, mature stylistics (hello to cartoonish Civ6 and Revolution) and FullHD resolution support — the project looks and plays pleasantly to this day. And the amount of starting content, old and new civilizations, as well as the presence of alternative leaders are surprising.

    Of the drawbacks, I could mention the traditionally inadequate behaviour of the AI (especially when playing at marathon speed on huge maps with the maximum number of opponents), as well as the "unfair" difficulty, which increases not via the "cunning" AI, but through a system of bonuses for computer opponents and penalties for the player. But both of these problems are the scourge of the entire series, which the developers have successfully ignored for over two decades.

    Despite its solid age, Sid Meier's Civilization IV is a great starting point for getting to know the series, especially if you're not interested in online multiplayer. Unlike the newer instalments, Sid Meier's IV is much less demanding in terms of hardware and finances but is just as addictive.    … Expand
  14. JakubTyszko
    Feb 14, 2021
    5
    Good game but failed historical background lowers my ranking. This game could give a lot education but instead gives only propaganda.
  15. Ne_Eretik
    Jan 1, 2021
    10
    В 2020, имея пс 4 про я поигрываю в эту цивилизацию. Не шарю в стратегиях, но по сравнению с 6 ой частью в которую играл, 4ая гораздо пизже, +не норм играется без длс, как не играется 6часть. Аргументы не будут, мне лень и я хочу спать)В 2020, имея пс 4 про я поигрываю в эту цивилизацию. Не шарю в стратегиях, но по сравнению с 6 ой частью в которую играл, 4ая гораздо пизже, +не норм играется без длс, как не играется 6часть. Аргументы не будут, мне лень и я хочу спать)
  16. eraybeycik
    Dec 24, 2020
    7
    Oyun zamanında iyidir belki ama şu an daha iyi seçenekler var oynamak için.
  17. MPGSpotter
    Dec 12, 2020
    9
    By far the best Civilization game vanilla. With mods it takes on the entire 4X genre
  18. KaleSungurCrane
    Nov 20, 2020
    9
    OVERALL - 93%

    Gameplay - 8/10
    Graphics (for time) - 6/10
    Story - 5/10
    Game Length - 10/10
    Characters - 6/10
    Level/Area Design - 8/10
    Atmosphere - 7/10
    Sound Effects - 9/10
    Soundtrack - 9/10
    Replay Value - 10/10

    The best Civ game since Civ II. Leonard Nimoy adds so much character to the game and I'd happily play this game even now.
  19. Sprixy
    Sep 6, 2020
    8
    A good place to start playing Civilization and a fun gaming experience. Its strategy, history, and thinking all coming together to craft a masterpiece of a game. Overall, this game is something everyone should play.
  20. dlcatalin
    Jul 12, 2020
    1
    I really don't understand how people can find this ... enjoying or playable. The only good thing about it is claiming land where to build towns, the rest is a complete boring joke. Making roads turns into spaghetti mushed everywhere. Armies are nothing but stacks that take forever to fight, or instantly, that's it, just 2 options, wait 1 hour or 1 second with 0 animation. The battles areI really don't understand how people can find this ... enjoying or playable. The only good thing about it is claiming land where to build towns, the rest is a complete boring joke. Making roads turns into spaghetti mushed everywhere. Armies are nothing but stacks that take forever to fight, or instantly, that's it, just 2 options, wait 1 hour or 1 second with 0 animation. The battles are also unfair. It's like a dice roll, everything random, i mean basically caveman vs my 21 century soldier and still manages to kill 2 of my units? Really ? Spam towns, spam units, spam battles. Spam Civilization should be the name of this game.… Expand
  21. Sean-M
    May 27, 2020
    8
    This is probably the best entry in Civ series. Considering when you have all the expansions. 8 out of 10.
  22. Wiebe
    Feb 25, 2020
    8
    Best of the Civs, an 8 for its time, even though the game play on the board with the tiles and army movement is quite limited (and the balance for the army part as well).
  23. MatveyShirshik
    May 4, 2019
    10
    Cult strategy. One of the best games of all time. And one of the best parts in the series. Graphics for 2005 is not bad. The gameplay is great. Additions to the game are excellent. This game has no bugs for me. In general, the game gets 10/10
  24. Ydun79
    Feb 11, 2019
    9
    Very good and addictive game. Also very good in multiplayer. It has somewhat of a learning curve but stick with it.
  25. Hotair
    Jul 25, 2018
    8
    I have played thousands of Civ IV games -- literally -- mostly at the low-moderate levels of difficulty, viz. 'Chieftain' and 'Warlord' levels. I've enjoyed the game immensely; this game certainly deserves its 8+ score, but is not without its aggravating AI aspects. It's pretty common to have high, i.e. relentless, levels of barbarian activity early in the game; this can greatly scoreI have played thousands of Civ IV games -- literally -- mostly at the low-moderate levels of difficulty, viz. 'Chieftain' and 'Warlord' levels. I've enjoyed the game immensely; this game certainly deserves its 8+ score, but is not without its aggravating AI aspects. It's pretty common to have high, i.e. relentless, levels of barbarian activity early in the game; this can greatly score you down and compromise your chance of eventually getting good score. Personally I pursue a strategy of peace and rapid educational economic growth, however almost inevitably another civilization will attack you unprovoked. Some opponent civs, notably Montezuma, will attach even without prospect of beating you; you will eventually hold them off but at the cost of a huge set-back to you score. The only way to perhaps avoid or hold off attach is to invest in huge military resource. Apart from these annoying AI quirks, it's a great game.… Expand
  26. Darkatom
    May 20, 2018
    10
    Great game.
    First actual match I played I wasn't paying attention, Walked through India and got demolished by Nuke-Gandhi.
    Full points for realism.
  27. Robobob
    Oct 24, 2017
    10
    The best Civilization game at the time of this review. Some later installments might have added some better features or streamlined some aspects a little better but Civ 4 was the best complete package. If you can find the Beyond the Sword expansion you should try the Rhyse and Fall of Civilization mod: THE best Civ mod ever that totally recreates the game. Civilizations appear on theThe best Civilization game at the time of this review. Some later installments might have added some better features or streamlined some aspects a little better but Civ 4 was the best complete package. If you can find the Beyond the Sword expansion you should try the Rhyse and Fall of Civilization mod: THE best Civ mod ever that totally recreates the game. Civilizations appear on the date they did in history and each has 3 difficult to accomplish historically relevant victory conditions that make each civ a unique play through. I nearly played that mod more than the base game.… Expand
  28. Errtai
    Apr 13, 2017
    10
    A thousand times better than Civ 5, a million times better than Civ 6. Definitely the best of the series, and nostalgia has nothing to do with it. Buy this game.
  29. Archoniz
    Jul 5, 2015
    9
    1 of the most anticipated game through my life, next to Starcraft 2 and Sins of Solar Empire. The game is quite a good time-consumer which are varied in different way to win or deviate a plan on every part of the game. Good time to spend on 6 hours ++, Good animation, less 'buggy' and its awesome. CIV IV is fun to be in multiplayer and Skirmish, even it doesn't have campaign. THE verdict1 of the most anticipated game through my life, next to Starcraft 2 and Sins of Solar Empire. The game is quite a good time-consumer which are varied in different way to win or deviate a plan on every part of the game. Good time to spend on 6 hours ++, Good animation, less 'buggy' and its awesome. CIV IV is fun to be in multiplayer and Skirmish, even it doesn't have campaign. THE verdict is, its a real-time long chess match to be honest.… Expand
  30. elbrowno
    Nov 14, 2014
    10
    I'm really amazed that anyone could rate this game below an 8 for any reason. IMHO Civ IV is the standard that all other strategy games must be measured. Even Civ V is a step backward. The flexibility, the options and different strategies you can employ is simply staggering. I've now played through at least 50 times, and will keep at it as long as other games fail to measure up.
  31. Wafzal2
    Oct 12, 2014
    0
    This game is absolute crap. Being a Major Gaming Critic, This is the worst one I have played. Sure, I would give a 9 to Sid Meier's Civilization 4: Beyond the Sword, but I really hate this dull and life-wasting game, with no good civics, not enough leaders, and not enough units.
  32. kristoak
    Sep 27, 2014
    1
    This game is a waste of money. You sit there clicking mindlessly when it prompts you for new research you just click some more. There is no point to the game, it wants you to believe that your choices mean something, but it doesn't. It's a turn based game of waiting for nothing to happen. How people can waste their time playing such a mind numbing game is beyond me. Avoid.
  33. StaticHS
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    The Sid Meier's Civilization series is a classic, hooking you with strategy that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

    There are many civilizations to choose from that are historically accurate.
    Many combinations of settings allow you to get a unique experience from the game every time.
  34. fateappointed
    Feb 3, 2014
    5
    Story: 3 out of 10, Graphics: 6 out of 10, Fun: 5 out of 10, Controls: 6 out of 10, Ease to Learn: 5 out of 10, Length: 9 out of 10, Re-play: 5 out of 10, Value: 4 out of 10

    Why some people love this game I will never know. I played it and tried to have fun with it but it was far too clunky, unrealistic, pointless, and offered poor overall execution. I have above average intelligence    Story: 3 out of 10, Graphics: 6 out of 10, Fun: 5 out of 10, Controls: 6 out of 10, Ease to Learn: 5 out of 10, Length: 9 out of 10, Re-play: 5 out of 10, Value: 4 out of 10

    Why some people love this game I will never know. I played it and tried to have fun with it but it was far too clunky, unrealistic, pointless, and offered poor overall execution. I have above average intelligence and love strategy games, but this game offered non-sensible choices, poorly timed turn-based formatting, and no real sense of purpose.    … Expand
  35. danielrocks
    Feb 3, 2014
    8
    This game is very time consuming and can get frustrating at times but overall it is amazing.....
    It is worth getting defiantly but play other games.
    P.S. Play on the american revolution mod. Its good
  36. cag11
    Nov 29, 2013
    10
    This game has exceeded my expectations after Civ3. I really don't think that this can be beat by almost any game. This is one of those games you can just play over and over and over, and have a completely different experience every time. Honestly, this is a game that would be in almost anyone's top 10.
  37. mc10
    Nov 11, 2013
    10
    Still, by far, one of the best games in the series, and one of the best games ever made. Don't play this game if you do not wish to spend hours upon hours conquering the world.
  38. Diddlethumb
    Oct 15, 2013
    9
    Sorry, went to the wrong game lol and reviewed the wrong game sorry. Can someone perhaps delete my previous one?...ugh...oh well! Off to visist the Civ 5 one!
  39. Damascus
    Oct 1, 2013
    10
    Best game of the series.
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  40. cub317
    Jun 27, 2013
    9
    I can't say I really enjoy strategy games that much. Admittedly, I usually pick them up, and get bored of them really fast. However, I still play them anyway because despite how bored I get of them, I can often see where people who love this genre to death would love these games. That was the case with this game. While I got bored of it and hopped right back into Skyrim, I can totallyI can't say I really enjoy strategy games that much. Admittedly, I usually pick them up, and get bored of them really fast. However, I still play them anyway because despite how bored I get of them, I can often see where people who love this genre to death would love these games. That was the case with this game. While I got bored of it and hopped right back into Skyrim, I can totally see where strategy gaming fans will love this game. It truly is a fantastic game. It takes turn-based strategy to whole new levels. There is no real story to this game, however, it does not even need one. The story is really your own. You get to choose your own famous civilization, and set out to conquer the world through one of six victory conditions. You start out in ancient times with only one warrior and settler in most games. However, you will soon progress further to make giant civilizations that will span across the globe. The graphics and sound are also quite good. There is not a lot of detail in the graphics, however, there does not need to be any detail. The graphics are fine just the way they are. You can easily distinguish how everything looks in this game, so detail is not needed. Everything sounds just the way it should too. The game has a beautiful soundtrack, and the units also sound good. The gameplay is also very good. The game works perfectly as a turn-based strategy game. You make your decisions in turns, so you and your opponents (other civilizations) will each get a fair fight as if it were a more complicated game of chess. However, that's not to say the game is too complicated. The truth is, while this game is very advanced, it is simple at the same time. If you are unsure of what to do in the game, you can just set the difficulty level to its lowest setting, and the game will give you help by recommending certain options over others. It's one of those games that is easy to learn, but hard to master. That is probably the best thing about this game's gameplay. However, there is much more to it than that. The decisions you make can positively or negatively effect your civilization over time, and there is an almost limitless amount of decisions you can make in this game. You can form an alliance with other civilizations in hopes of having a peaceful victory in the end, or you can go to war with them to achieve a conquest victory. You can choose which technology your civilization should advance in, what landmarks it should have, what religions it should practice, and much much more. Believe it or not, there is even more to the gameplay than this. The game is also loaded with extra features. It has an encyclopedia, telling about every unit in the game, along with the history of every civilization (and yes, the history is 100% accurate). This makes the game a nice little history lesson. There are also several mods included with the game that change the way the game is played. There are some mods that follow history, such as mods that are made to completely recreate it, or a specific part of it such as World War II. There are also mods that tell a completely different story, such as a war going on between Russians, and mods that have absolutely nothing to do with history, and instead focus on a kind of fantasy. These mods included really change the game for the better. Overall, despite how bored I get of this game, it really is fantastic. I believe that every strategy gamer will love this game, and it is well deserving of a 9 out of 10.… Expand
  41. skibbi
    Dec 30, 2012
    7
    I played it, not bad but certainly not great. I enjoy making colonies but rather dislike how numbers generally determine the battle thanks to the crappy combat system. The pillar of doom is extremely annoying as well.
  42. joeybear
    Dec 28, 2012
    10
    The best PC game of all time (given you include the expansions), the only drawback here is the game will destroy your productivity. Civ 4 is still the gold standard in 4X strategy; holding up well 7 years after its release.
  43. gist95966
    Dec 28, 2012
    9
    This is a really decent game. I've "only" played civilization 1, 4, and 5 and 1 and 4 were my best experiences. This isn't a review for the other civs, so I will try to limit it to this one. The graphics look better than the screenshots suggest so don't let something like that deter you. What makes this game and civ 1 so great is the level of complexity that goes into your relationshipsThis is a really decent game. I've "only" played civilization 1, 4, and 5 and 1 and 4 were my best experiences. This isn't a review for the other civs, so I will try to limit it to this one. The graphics look better than the screenshots suggest so don't let something like that deter you. What makes this game and civ 1 so great is the level of complexity that goes into your relationships with other countries and your many choices to make during the course of gameplay. Most things you don't like you can turn off. There are only 2 things that bring this game down from a perfect score for me.

    First, is the %'s that the game tells you that you have of winning a fight. It will say something like 98.9% chance for victory... and you lose more like 1/3 of the time. This makes combat a bit frustrating - you never really know your odds of victory and what you resort to doing is saving before a fight so that you don't have to rely on luck to win. If these percentages were accurate I might choose to live with the consequences, but they aren't.

    The other downside and perhaps one that is merely opinion - but I feel enough people agree that it's worth mentioning anyway... is that the game is difficult. I play on the lowest difficulty settings and without feeling like a total wimp (for example giving myself more allies than the enemy has) I usually don't win. I don't play with barbarians anymore, but when I did having them around made the game MUCH more difficult. You can turn them off but it's something to be aware of.

    The first flaw is the only one that feels like a major pain though.. win or lose I still have quite a bit of fun playing.    … Expand
  44. SamisGodzirra
    Nov 29, 2012
    9
    The best turn based strategy ever (in my opinion), better even than any of the empire earth games! A great game that keeps me entertained to this day.
  45. mikhail_lem
    Nov 17, 2012
    10
    This is the most refined and complex Civ iteration to date. Be prepared for some serious empire management, as religion and health provide some new challenges in your path to world domination. Enemy AI is, as always, really clever and its ruthlessness will make you think again before declaring war on someone. The game rewards a skillful diplomacy more than ever before, as allies now are aThis is the most refined and complex Civ iteration to date. Be prepared for some serious empire management, as religion and health provide some new challenges in your path to world domination. Enemy AI is, as always, really clever and its ruthlessness will make you think again before declaring war on someone. The game rewards a skillful diplomacy more than ever before, as allies now are a help more than a nagging nuisance. Graphics are not the best, but they look cool anyway. Absolutely recommended.-… Expand
  46. Chaosmaker
    Oct 1, 2012
    10
    Actually the best installment of the series. With improvements over earlier titles and not being dumbed down as V, it stands solid and on the pedestal of strategic gaming. Better graphics, improved diplomacy, governments and religion, strategic resources plus goodies... And modding. Such power of modding that has never been seen before in Civilization series. I have honestly played thisActually the best installment of the series. With improvements over earlier titles and not being dumbed down as V, it stands solid and on the pedestal of strategic gaming. Better graphics, improved diplomacy, governments and religion, strategic resources plus goodies... And modding. Such power of modding that has never been seen before in Civilization series. I have honestly played this game for so many hours, and tried so many mods that I can't give it less than a perfect score. It would be unjust.… Expand
  47. refdxf
    Jul 6, 2012
    10
    Review includes both expansion packs. This and Master of Orion 2 are the best 2 strategy games I have ever played and everything else I compare to them.
  48. Tubey
    Jun 30, 2012
    8
    Strategy gaming at it's finest. People may argue that the graphical development has taken precedence over gameplay in Civ 4 (the culture system a bit hit and miss, and the end game can end up a bit of a quagmire) but for me the game play is still exceptionally addictive.

    If you enjoy games that make you think before you act, Civ 4 is for you.
  49. Discord
    May 19, 2012
    6
    Civilization IV is a mediocre game at best... Diplomacy is average, combat is easily manipulated with huge STACKS OF DOOM, and micromanagement is rife in the cities... Honestly, the best thing about this game is the Rhye's and Fall of Civilization scenario that comes with Civ IV: BTS.
  50. Defianc4
    May 6, 2012
    10
    This game's genre is not my kind of thing, but I have to give it props for having the most meticulously balanced design and variety of paths to victory.

    The definitive turn-based strategy game of all time, and will continue to be considering the dismal failure that was V.
  51. Cyrik
    Apr 30, 2012
    10
    This game is simply incredible I have played it often since I got it over a year ago if you have even the slightest interest in this kind of thing it is a must buy.
  52. ultraviper
    Mar 22, 2012
    10
    The best Civilization game of them all. If you can only play one of them, this is it! Note that this review was written AFTER Civilization V has been out for quite a while already. Yes IV is that good.
  53. ArtfulGamer8
    Feb 2, 2012
    10
    to all those who gave it less than 5-6 , the features are perfect u need to bring yourself up instead of sticking up with old features. and for those who cannot tolerate the game's slowness at least don't give bad ratings to ruin the games overall rating and mislead others.its nearly the best non-fight game out there.
  54. jarnold
    Dec 22, 2011
    9
    A revolutionary game for its time, Civ IV is still good nearly 7 years later. By far a better game than Civ V, IV is complex and engaging with more to learn every time you play. If you buy this game, there is a strong chance you will become obsessed and spend hours on end playing. So long as you have the time, Civ IV is much more worthwhile than many of the newer, more expensive games out now.
  55. YeshuaAgapao
    Nov 2, 2011
    10
    The most moddable Civ game out there, if you're a coder. The last game distributed in a 'free' way (not forced to use steam, only DRM crap is the copy protection on the CD/DVD) and where the mods are also independently distributable. Lots more features and some eyecandy too. The last good Civilization game.
  56. MrFable
    Sep 1, 2011
    10
    Awesome game. One of the best Civs. If your trying to decide between this one and Civ 5 get this one Civ 5's a dumbed down peace of **** Also Ian277 is a retard.
  57. island
    Aug 31, 2011
    9
    One of the best strategy games ever. The realistic and a little complex gameplay makes this game a masterpiece. The music is awesome, the graphics is acceptable and it has a great technology tree as well. I only don't like the limited rounds.
  58. dam1730
    Aug 9, 2011
    10
    This game never gets old. It is now six years since the game came out and I am still playing. This is one of those games that beats its successor. Civ V cannot stand up to this game. This game has the right amount of complexity to keep it interesting.
  59. CRL
    Jul 25, 2011
    4
    This game... average at best. Turn-based strategy has never been my favorite, but this game makes it monotonous. The higher levels are ridiculously difficult, and doing the same exact thing over and over is exactly as it sounds: repetitive and boring. Every once in a while I find myself enjoying it, but I can't play it for too much at a time before my eyes start to slip shut.
  60. Drissit
    Jul 20, 2011
    10
    Simple the best Civ in the entire series, and if Civ 5 is any clue, its also going to be the pinnacle of the series since the new one is completely awful, oh well at least this one has re-play ability similar to SMAC.
  61. okamimiyazaki
    Jul 5, 2011
    6
    It's just not enough to justify buying it. After I spent $40 on it, I played ONE game and was already bored. It's not that it's a bad game, but I found it a bit less fun and a bit more tedious than Civ III, so I just went back to playing Civ III.
  62. CivforBrains
    Jun 4, 2011
    9
    Great game. Other than some issues with the ATI card I had at the time, I've thoroughly enjoyed this game. Definitely the high water mark of the series.
  63. Ian277
    Jan 24, 2011
    2
    I played this and and found the opening credits annoying. then i set up a game and there was no scenario maps! i started the game and played. the religeon aspect didn't impress me. i soon found the combat system has gotten worse. the nicely simpley animated wariors are gone they tried to make it look real but it looks worse. the game is a disapointment. all the people that have played theI played this and and found the opening credits annoying. then i set up a game and there was no scenario maps! i started the game and played. the religeon aspect didn't impress me. i soon found the combat system has gotten worse. the nicely simpley animated wariors are gone they tried to make it look real but it looks worse. the game is a disapointment. all the people that have played the recent civ's i know don't like this game. only new players like it. and that's because they dont know civ. disapointed. i am very mad that it has a better rating than 5, since 5 is great. i have played civ three for at least 1000 hrs. no im not lying. played from age 7 - 14 and i am still play off and on. this gets a F- as a grade dont be fooled by the overrated cliques. this is not CIV.… Expand
  64. GimmeThat
    Nov 9, 2010
    5
    My previous experience with this type of game was Age of Empire II, so maybe that gives me a bias. That game felt more fast-paced and fun. Civilization IV is as much fun as reading an encyclopedia: I may enjoy some interesting moments, but it's mostly just wading through details. This seems like a game that might be more enjoyable if you invest the time to learn how to play, but that's notMy previous experience with this type of game was Age of Empire II, so maybe that gives me a bias. That game felt more fast-paced and fun. Civilization IV is as much fun as reading an encyclopedia: I may enjoy some interesting moments, but it's mostly just wading through details. This seems like a game that might be more enjoyable if you invest the time to learn how to play, but that's not the experience I'm looking for and my review is reflecting that. If you expect to get in and immediately start having fun, with maybe a in game tutorial to teach you as you go, you're in for a disappointment. If you do want to learn the game and you really enjoy having a ton of control over your empire (the negative way of saying that: "micromanaging"), then you'll be rewarded I'm sure. They could have done much better with the nation's leaders. When Ghandi himself is constantly threatening to commit genocide on my people if I don't give him some iron, something has gone horribly wrong.… Expand
  65. Tubie
    Oct 2, 2010
    10
    If you do not want to lose hours of your day without noticing... DO NOT get this game, but if you don't mind playing marathon sessions and being totally obsessed with conquering the world then this is the right game for you!
  66. Stylo
    Sep 18, 2010
    10
    By far the best Civ game. Everything, from the military aspect to managing your cities, feel so balanced. In addition, there are plenty of ways to win a battle. Every game truly feels different.
  67. AndreC
    Jan 13, 2010
    3
    What can I say about CIV4? Well.....I was an avid player of CIV2; I loved it; really cool game. I purchased CIV3 a long while back and didn't really like it's mechanics and it seemed to be a bit much of a chore to really improve your civilization or get anything done. I eventually got fed up with trying it and traded it in to EBX for a $1 lol. I then got Alpha Centauri; an What can I say about CIV4? Well.....I was an avid player of CIV2; I loved it; really cool game. I purchased CIV3 a long while back and didn't really like it's mechanics and it seemed to be a bit much of a chore to really improve your civilization or get anything done. I eventually got fed up with trying it and traded it in to EBX for a $1 lol. I then got Alpha Centauri; an amazing game! So I figured, ok Sid is back. With that in mind, I tried out CIV4. At first I really liked it. The graphics weren't really my main concern so long as the game play was similar to CIV2 or Alpha Centauri. Well I played it on the second to easiest level, just to get familiar and like the other person who voted, I also started getting frustrated and noticing something was up when I had an army tanks and mechanized infantry and they couldn't seem to take down a cavalry unit from the 1800s. Are you freaking serious? I tried very hard to like this game and it does have a lot of likable qualities. However, they really dropped the ball on the unit balancing and mechanics, which doesn't make it challenging, it makes it infuriating. I uninstalled it immediately and went back to playing Alpha Centauri for my turn based strategy fix. If they could fix that "cant take any of my units down no matter how powerful your units are because I'm a cheating piece of crap AI" it would be a great game. Oh and one other thing that was SUPER annoying was if you built your city too close to a neighboring civilization occasionally your city would revolt and join the other civ. omg, such an annoying game, I'm done talking about it. It's making me mad just think about it's stupidity.… Expand
  68. JimBo
    Jan 12, 2010
    4
    Yup, great graphics and cool new stuff. But I can't care about all this anymore after some hours of gameplay of Civ4, while I could spend days playing 3. Can't get hooked by all these new features because the game loses its power to immerse the player. Why? Diplomacy useless through centuries. No future: Once the map is covered into borders, change stops happening. You need long Yup, great graphics and cool new stuff. But I can't care about all this anymore after some hours of gameplay of Civ4, while I could spend days playing 3. Can't get hooked by all these new features because the game loses its power to immerse the player. Why? Diplomacy useless through centuries. No future: Once the map is covered into borders, change stops happening. You need long and boring wars to conquer territories that low culture won't allow to use before eons... So when taking a first "row" of cities, you need to destroy the next row in order to make your first ones' grow. The system seeks to prevent you from doing daring conquests. Then the only best option is tech race, while you resist a few defensive wars, and while your workers just stand for centuries on a territory all covered by roads and improvements (which also happened in Civ3, but late), waiting for a new tech that'll let them improve a tile or two. To sum up: fine innovations worth the try, not addictive at all once the learning curve has been climbed. Still, I'll be the first to buy Civ5...… Expand
  69. TobyM
    Dec 30, 2009
    9
    Whatever people say about the game being bad is likely because in all honesty it's not just insanely tough, it's also hard to get into. But i give this game a 9 because once you do get into it, it is one of the best strategy games i play to date, the indepth of the culture aspect of the game leads to a whole new way of getting victory, why kill your annoyingly AI oppents when Whatever people say about the game being bad is likely because in all honesty it's not just insanely tough, it's also hard to get into. But i give this game a 9 because once you do get into it, it is one of the best strategy games i play to date, the indepth of the culture aspect of the game leads to a whole new way of getting victory, why kill your annoyingly AI oppents when they can kill your tank with archers (which i've tested and isn't true) when you can expand your cultrual borders into theirs and then before they know it! The city is yours!… Expand
  70. GrahamP
    Dec 12, 2009
    4
    Dissapointing. Once archers are in play attacking or launching a war is pretty much off limits for 50 turns of research. The eras don't last long enough for me. You start classical war and by time you just start to get into it, low and beholdit's medieval times already. And when you see archers able to defend cities vs tanks you know something is up with the game mechanics. The Dissapointing. Once archers are in play attacking or launching a war is pretty much off limits for 50 turns of research. The eras don't last long enough for me. You start classical war and by time you just start to get into it, low and beholdit's medieval times already. And when you see archers able to defend cities vs tanks you know something is up with the game mechanics. The game feels to narrow and doesn't give a chance for creativiety in tactics. There are to many gripes that ditract from mthe game. It's dissapointing becuase it had a lot of potential and could have been so much better, I was expecting better.… Expand
  71. GreatGamer
    Nov 26, 2009
    10
    Best Civ game ever made. Great technology tree, culture, military, superb graphic, music and the best gameplay in strategic games. There are "only" 18 nations (civilizations) but additional are added in the next addons ;P My score is 10-/10, but there are no "-" scores availabele, so i score maxumim ;)
  72. marca
    Nov 21, 2009
    5
    Loved Civ 1 and 2, played Civ 3 quite possibly more than any game, so take it from me this is not a low score from someone who rarely plays such games....but Civ 4 is just well, meh....so disappointing. Graphically I actually prefer 3 in many ways, the units look bad, the cartoony leaders just shout out that they're dumbing the game down for more casual gamers....the religion aspect Loved Civ 1 and 2, played Civ 3 quite possibly more than any game, so take it from me this is not a low score from someone who rarely plays such games....but Civ 4 is just well, meh....so disappointing. Graphically I actually prefer 3 in many ways, the units look bad, the cartoony leaders just shout out that they're dumbing the game down for more casual gamers....the religion aspect is a welcome addition, but it wasn't long before I was playing mods to keep the interest going. I have since played Civ 3 a few times, but Civ 4 is gathering dust on my shelf. Galactic Civs 2 is my current game of choice for this genre.… Expand
  73. JeraW
    Nov 2, 2009
    10
    This game brought Civilization up to date, addressing many of the old issues such as city sprawl and other limitations that did not match the simulation of empires and advancement that Sid Meier's originally envisioned. Fireaxis had done a great job with the game. They stayed true to the spirit of the game while also starting afresh. The game is the only game I have ever given a 10 This game brought Civilization up to date, addressing many of the old issues such as city sprawl and other limitations that did not match the simulation of empires and advancement that Sid Meier's originally envisioned. Fireaxis had done a great job with the game. They stayed true to the spirit of the game while also starting afresh. The game is the only game I have ever given a 10 rating too.… Expand
  74. JustinSt.J
    Oct 31, 2009
    9
    Excellent game. Enormous replay value. Great online play. There is tons going on and tons of factors to consider... perhaps too many. The game has a good reference guide built in yet this guide is constantly lacking critical information.
  75. AJL
    Oct 16, 2009
    3
    Civ IV is extremely disappointing!! The huge size of the military units, as well as the pointless upgrades make them unwieldy and extremely difficult to use. They don't have defense/attack values which totally destroys the fun and strategy involved in military campaigns. There is too much going on in this game, nothing is simple, everything is a chore and its simply a waste of time.
  76. tonys
    Aug 30, 2009
    5
    Another big fan of Civ 2 who cant play it on my new Vista computer. The main things I don't like about this are how slow it is to play, and the main gripe, the ridiculous numbers of units needed to conquer an enemy city, yet if the enemy has horse archer or elephant he'll take your city in one attack. In theory the idea of experience and strength/attack improvements is good, but Another big fan of Civ 2 who cant play it on my new Vista computer. The main things I don't like about this are how slow it is to play, and the main gripe, the ridiculous numbers of units needed to conquer an enemy city, yet if the enemy has horse archer or elephant he'll take your city in one attack. In theory the idea of experience and strength/attack improvements is good, but you get ridiculous situations of attacking a city and your tanks are getting wiped out by defending archers!!!! This is at Chieftan level, the second lowest. The graphics are pretty but I'd take Civ 2 any day as its better as a game. I almost feel I want to buy an old XP machine just to get back to Civ 2. The sounds and graphics are nice but this game has serious flaws.… Expand
  77. ChrisS
    Aug 10, 2009
    4
    I see many mixed reviews of this game and as I am an extreme fan of the series I have to say I'm very disapointed with this latest effort. I keep hearing people say that the graphics are the only improvement in the game over previous versions. I have to say this is probably the main point in which I dislike the game over previous versions. The oversized units and confusing City I see many mixed reviews of this game and as I am an extreme fan of the series I have to say I'm very disapointed with this latest effort. I keep hearing people say that the graphics are the only improvement in the game over previous versions. I have to say this is probably the main point in which I dislike the game over previous versions. The oversized units and confusing City borders just make it very difficult too manage your Empire. If they had added all the improvements and stuck to the Civ 3 size & isometric layout I would probably given this game more of a chance. Unfortunately it lasted a few hours gameplay before it was uninstalled.… Expand
  78. TomS
    Jul 16, 2009
    0
    The worst Civilization I've played. Started with the first and played all since. This one forces all players to play the same game. It doesn't matter which civ you start with everyone ends up at the same place at the same time. No chance for playing outside the box or creating a unique strategy. In the end you may as well let the AI play by it's self, it would be just as The worst Civilization I've played. Started with the first and played all since. This one forces all players to play the same game. It doesn't matter which civ you start with everyone ends up at the same place at the same time. No chance for playing outside the box or creating a unique strategy. In the end you may as well let the AI play by it's self, it would be just as interesting.… Expand
  79. MarcelJ
    Jun 22, 2009
    3
    Loved Civ 2. Loved Civ 3 more, once I started a game I had to play "one more turn." This game never got me excited. The graphics are nice but I had to turn on the balloons to figure things out, and an army that was in your territory is sometimes overlooked. And devolping cities isn't as fun because each citie is different geographically....ok maybe in medevil times but not once you Loved Civ 2. Loved Civ 3 more, once I started a game I had to play "one more turn." This game never got me excited. The graphics are nice but I had to turn on the balloons to figure things out, and an army that was in your territory is sometimes overlooked. And devolping cities isn't as fun because each citie is different geographically....ok maybe in medevil times but not once you get to the modern age. The addition of religion is good I guess but it never seemed to matter. I'm gonna give this game a couple more shots and if that don't work I guess its time to buy Civ 3 on Ebay, and learn how to tweak "XP MODE" on my sys.… Expand
  80. JohnN
    May 31, 2009
    3
    Deeply disappointing. Above all, the geography stinks. What I mean by this is that in far, far too many cases one's civilization is bereft of any natural frontiers - obviously designed deliberately that way so that you HAVE to build massive armies. Unrealistic and tedious. A massive step backwards from Civ 3.
  81. BrianS
    May 15, 2009
    2
    If you are a fan of the Civilization series, don't buy this game. It will lessen what you think of the Civilization franchise. It is a very unbalanced game. If you have heard the game is like Civ 2, let me tell you it isn't nearly as good. It has somewhat sloppy graphics and devote a lot of timeto finish one game. This game is either loved or hated, I sure hated it.
  82. fh
    Apr 8, 2009
    4
    Well i thinkn that this was a good game but the taking turn thing needs to mbe taken because it make the game go longer and you have to let it load and stuff like that and the years need to go unlimited not just stop at a ceartin year and the game is over that would amke it more realistic.
  83. JohnM
    Jan 25, 2009
    10
    I've played a lot of turn based strategy games. This one is the best, particularly with the expansions. Tremendous replayability. The AI is fairly challenging. There are many different paths to victory and each is completely different. More than 3 years after this game was released I am still playing it regularly.
  84. JohnR
    Dec 14, 2008
    9
    This is my first experience of Civilisation and I'm impressed. I love the 'Great Person' feature and the Golden Ages. There are some excellent unique units and buildings - I always play as Peter The Great because Cossacks give me a distinct advantage over Cavalry in the middle part of the game. There are some excellent wonders to build as well. Always save the Globe Theatre This is my first experience of Civilisation and I'm impressed. I love the 'Great Person' feature and the Golden Ages. There are some excellent unique units and buildings - I always play as Peter The Great because Cossacks give me a distinct advantage over Cavalry in the middle part of the game. There are some excellent wonders to build as well. Always save the Globe Theatre and National Park wonders until the end of the game when you'll have a large population (my biggest city had a population of 40) ! My only gripe is a complaint I would also level against games such as Rise of Nations : at the end of the game the original uniqueness of the different civs has disappeared and every civ is pretty much the same. I suppose this is realistic though. Also, micromanagement can get a bit tedious when you have 30 or 40 cities. However, this is a game that I'll come back to time and time again because it has plenty of depth and every game is different. I wish there were more old school PC games in development. We can only hope. Another winner from Sid Meier.… Expand
  85. DavidB.
    Sep 19, 2008
    10
    Falls very short of being as good as the CIV II and a great evolution if you put against Civ III. This game is awesome. The EXP only add flavour to the game, as it is comlet by it´s own. The religion aproach was great and the animations and batle system is very good. But if like really realistic games , than make your own. Even Europa Universalis isn´t completely accurate and Falls very short of being as good as the CIV II and a great evolution if you put against Civ III. This game is awesome. The EXP only add flavour to the game, as it is comlet by it´s own. The religion aproach was great and the animations and batle system is very good. But if like really realistic games , than make your own. Even Europa Universalis isn´t completely accurate and realistic, but there sure are fun. Buy it.… Expand
  86. DavidM.
    Jul 14, 2008
    10
    I love simulation games, and this is undoubtedly my favorite and, in my opinion, the best out there!
  87. BalazsC.
    Jul 7, 2008
    10
    Civ 1 was a revolutionary game. Civ 2 was a worthy successor. Civ 3 was well.. a step into a new direction. This game however. This game gives you the greatness of civ 1, the streamlined feeling you had in civ 2 and if that wouldn't be enough, civ 4 manages to do the impossible and takes the game even further. The only real negative i could mention in regards of this game is the Civ 1 was a revolutionary game. Civ 2 was a worthy successor. Civ 3 was well.. a step into a new direction. This game however. This game gives you the greatness of civ 1, the streamlined feeling you had in civ 2 and if that wouldn't be enough, civ 4 manages to do the impossible and takes the game even further. The only real negative i could mention in regards of this game is the fact, that it will completely take over your life. Other than that, its 10/10 +. One of the titles that truly deserve the maximum score.… Expand
  88. bb
    Jun 29, 2008
    3
    It's very frustrating seeing your entire army get wiped out by 2 archers.. the 2nd time it happened (after rebuilding it AND having a Military "Great Person" assigned to some units) i was ready to throw my fist through the screen... anybody want to buy and barely used version of Civ4 Gold?
  89. Oyster
    Jun 18, 2008
    8
    This game is very fun to play, but it's pretty unbalanced.
  90. JamesH.
    May 25, 2008
    2
    Civ four falls hard coming to the worst of the series. The graphics are about a 6.5 and only on par with other games in its class just barely better then those of Civ 3. In what they have made up for in streamlining the game they have lost in strategy. There is no middle ground in this game it is either ridiculously hard or boringly easy. The AI show little to no improvement from that of Civ four falls hard coming to the worst of the series. The graphics are about a 6.5 and only on par with other games in its class just barely better then those of Civ 3. In what they have made up for in streamlining the game they have lost in strategy. There is no middle ground in this game it is either ridiculously hard or boringly easy. The AI show little to no improvement from that of civ 2 While the negotiation is much more complex even on the easiest of level the player will find 80% of negotiations wasted and unusable. The civ knowledges are so dumb down that most of them are nonsensically as wells as their improvements they lead to throughout the game. Its hard to build cites through the map because of borders and war constraints based on the layout of most of the maps and area that each city consumes. The movies also take huge steps back compared to those of 3 and 2. The palace and animated counsel are completely missing as well as the large array of units and improvements. Civ 4 is almost an identical copy of Age of empires 2 and Total War crossed over and mashed together. How Sid Meiers could slap his name on this crap is beyond me. Over all advice is to save your money.… Expand
  91. NealV.
    Feb 26, 2008
    9
    Very good and addicting gameplay. Fans of the genre will spend hours replaying with different civilizations and options. Difficulty allows players of different abilities and investment to play at a challenging level. Only drawback is ok AI and tedious micromanagement near the end of the game. Expansion packs help with the AI.
  92. TJYale
    Feb 17, 2008
    4
    I am particularly surprised how this game got such a high rating from reviewers... that is unless they were bribed. Sorry, but "wow great graphics! 100!" just isnt a solid, or even truthful review. There have been many games with significantly better graphics and more organic play than Civ4. Hell, the original Myst had better graphics than this tripe. The gameplay is actually quite fun, I am particularly surprised how this game got such a high rating from reviewers... that is unless they were bribed. Sorry, but "wow great graphics! 100!" just isnt a solid, or even truthful review. There have been many games with significantly better graphics and more organic play than Civ4. Hell, the original Myst had better graphics than this tripe. The gameplay is actually quite fun, which warrants a solid 4/5 points from me - however it gets bogged down quite quickly with all the war micromanagement required to beat cheating computer opponents. Other than the gameplay... I can't give this game anymore points. It hogs system resources and has not significantly improved anything at all since the second addition.... unless you consider the massive cost increase to be an improvement.… Expand
  93. MarkV.
    Jan 24, 2008
    10
    This game is a huge improvement from the last versions so I give this a ten.
  94. BilgeG.
    Jan 14, 2008
    3
    First time I have tried an 'epic strategy game' in some years, and what can I say? its just not a sufficiently interesting strategic challenge for the time invested. My old complaints from (probably) Civ2 remain: the AI is not at all interesting, surprising, or even rational, and must cheat to be 'challenging'. The game soon bogs down in micromanagement, unless maybe First time I have tried an 'epic strategy game' in some years, and what can I say? its just not a sufficiently interesting strategic challenge for the time invested. My old complaints from (probably) Civ2 remain: the AI is not at all interesting, surprising, or even rational, and must cheat to be 'challenging'. The game soon bogs down in micromanagement, unless maybe you want to use the in-game helpers, which are as bad as the opposing AI... and then the graphics... they are worthless and distracting in such a strategy game. I had to turn on this extra layer of silly balloons to 'clarify' what is supposed to be displayed in the graphics, and still, something as significant as a huge hostile army at the border is not at all clear... so you are left to make your strategic decisions with incomplete information. and although it proports to be not solely a wargame, wars seem unavoidable, and are the worst and most tedious micromanagement of all. there are a lot of interesting aspects to this... but it certainly cannot be seen as any kind of meaningful 'historical simulation', so all this 'stuff' is mainly clutter, and not really that interesting strategically. maybe the makers should just play 'go' for a few years, and get back to the basics.… Expand
  95. JacobT.
    Jan 7, 2008
    2
    The gameplay is fully identical with rise of nations and sizes are wery weird
  96. ZachF.
    Jan 2, 2008
    10
    To all the people who say "this game sucks", "you can't build more than 6 or 7 cities because the economy crashes", and other things, tell me which is more realistic: 1. 30 tiny little towns all based around one big city, which is constantly having people go make more tiny little towns. 2. 6 or 7 large, well developed cities, with little tiny towns (the civ 4 way, not the civ 3 way To all the people who say "this game sucks", "you can't build more than 6 or 7 cities because the economy crashes", and other things, tell me which is more realistic: 1. 30 tiny little towns all based around one big city, which is constantly having people go make more tiny little towns. 2. 6 or 7 large, well developed cities, with little tiny towns (the civ 4 way, not the civ 3 way of towns) growing into more large, well developed cities. To elaborate, the civ 3 towns, in my view, are size 1 and size 2 cities, and civ 4 towns, in my view, are the "town" culture improvement.… Expand
  97. MilesL.
    Dec 28, 2007
    10
    I have never spent so much time on a game, even though i only played single player
  98. Anon
    Dec 26, 2007
    10
    Really solid and fun turn based strategy game, and worthy sequel to Civ series. It's not perfect, though. It has few bugs, and the AI is not that good, but these are minor flaws, as the game itself is really enjoyable and replayable. I'd give it 8 or 9, but for the sheer despise for the ignorant people who gave this game 0-2 points, I'll give it a 10. Even disasters like Really solid and fun turn based strategy game, and worthy sequel to Civ series. It's not perfect, though. It has few bugs, and the AI is not that good, but these are minor flaws, as the game itself is really enjoyable and replayable. I'd give it 8 or 9, but for the sheer despise for the ignorant people who gave this game 0-2 points, I'll give it a 10. Even disasters like Halo 3 deserve more than 2 points.… Expand
  99. Sylvio
    Nov 27, 2007
    3
    Map system is a shame if we compare it with Total War series for instance, and the battles are really poor and frustrating. I love Medieval Total War!! But I hated Civilization after about 10 hours playing it. As you can I see, I tried. I'd really like to love Civ but I couldn't.
  100. AlexM.
    Nov 18, 2007
    10
    This game is amazing, but even better than original content is the user community thats helped craft it into a game engine that can do anything.
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best PC Game of 2005
7
#7 Most Discussed PC Game of 2005
8
#8 Most Shared PC Game of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
94

Universal acclaim - based on 50 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 50 out of 50
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 50
  3. Negative: 0 out of 50
  1. IGN
    94
    While the game hasn't lost any depth or detail, every aspect of the design has been streamlined to make it easier for new players to jump in and less monotonous for veterans. Die-hard fans will definitely find that the game offers up so much more variety this time around.
    Read full review
  2. Yahoo!
    90
    Firaxis shows an impressively consistent grasp of what to abstract and what to detail, and a remarkable talent for presenting large-scale strategic challenges in a format that's easy to digest.
    Read full review
  3. 1UP
    90
    From the mellow sounds of Leonard Nimoy's narration to the polished world view that allows you to smoothly scroll from satellite view to up-close and personal, this is the consummate update of a classic.
    Read full review
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