Sid Meier's Civilization V: Gods & Kings

 PC
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 458 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 326 out of 458
  2. Mixed: 78 out of 458
  3. Negative: 54 out of 458
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. RazorEye
    Apr 20, 2015
    10
    The first expansion pack for Civilization V delivers a charming new style of gameplay and a new level of complexity to a game that had been criticized for it's simplistic and straightforward gameplay. Not only does Gods and Kings bringing back religion, last seen in Civilization IV, but it also introduces a system of espionage, radically different from the spies and security agencies thatThe first expansion pack for Civilization V delivers a charming new style of gameplay and a new level of complexity to a game that had been criticized for it's simplistic and straightforward gameplay. Not only does Gods and Kings bringing back religion, last seen in Civilization IV, but it also introduces a system of espionage, radically different from the spies and security agencies that older Civilization players are used to. This new system sees players take one step ahead of the opposition; being able to both monitor the movements of competing players, including potential sneak attacks on the player or another civilization, and to steal a technology from an opposing player. The defensive aspects of the game also draw significantly more importance this time around, knowing that competitors will also be spying on the player in return, granting a genuine sense of both distrust and paranoia to the player as the game progresses.

    In addition to this, the gameplay gets even more exciting with the addition of quests for City States, which sharply raise the importance of City States to the player, who may be aiming for a Diplomatic or Cultural victory. These missions act as short-term objectives for the player to complete during the game's typically long length, and inject new blood into gameplay sessions that otherwise may run stale after quite a while.

    Overall, the introduction of these new layers of gameplay amp up Civilization V's micromanagement element, reducing the likelihood of one's gameplay session devolving into a countless string of "next turn" clicks by a significant percentage. It is a terrific expansion pack for those looking for a more productive and complex Civilization V.    … Expand
  2. Ecresis
    Jun 24, 2014
    5
    All this could have been added in the game in the first place, and we all now it has been released separately to make more money. This is why I can't give more points to this expansion, we all knew it was coming.

    And it was not that good. Of course the religion was an important update, even if I find that it hasn't had enough influence on the game until the Brave New World expansion    All this could have been added in the game in the first place, and we all now it has been released separately to make more money. This is why I can't give more points to this expansion, we all knew it was coming.

    And it was not that good. Of course the religion was an important update, even if I find that it hasn't had enough influence on the game until the Brave New World expansion came out. It is however much better than in Civ IV.

    Let's not talk about the "Kings" which is actually a bunch of civilization you could have had with the Steam Workshop

    In mutliplayer with friends, you can however have a lot of fun trying to spread your religion it it might be a reason for war !

    Conclusion : Buy it in a pack with the other expansion, and at a low price if you can    … Expand
  3. whitepawn
    Jun 19, 2014
    6
    Brings Civ V a bit closer to what it should be, but this should have been inherent in the original game. Also, they removed culture bombing. They had one and only one way of shifting culture borders (illogical and seems to cater to the whiny crowd) and they got rid of it.

    Just opening borders and letting someone else seed religion for you lowers your cost and gives you nearly the same    Brings Civ V a bit closer to what it should be, but this should have been inherent in the original game. Also, they removed culture bombing. They had one and only one way of shifting culture borders (illogical and seems to cater to the whiny crowd) and they got rid of it.

    Just opening borders and letting someone else seed religion for you lowers your cost and gives you nearly the same benefits as if you'd discovered the religion yourself. Kind of lame.    … Expand
  4. Sivus
    Jun 5, 2014
    7
    Feels like the trend of "lets have you pay for what should have been in the original" has really taken flight and it's very shameful. Half of what you pay for in this "expansion" should have been patched in and the other half should have been packaged into a lower priced DLC. Still, this added another 50 hours to my play time so I guess I can only be so angry...I did, after all pay for itFeels like the trend of "lets have you pay for what should have been in the original" has really taken flight and it's very shameful. Half of what you pay for in this "expansion" should have been patched in and the other half should have been packaged into a lower priced DLC. Still, this added another 50 hours to my play time so I guess I can only be so angry...I did, after all pay for it knowing full well what to expect!… Expand
  5. Seryin
    Dec 16, 2013
    3
    Civ 5 is a great game, but I will be frank with my issue: Gods and Kings is NO WHERE EVEN CLOSE to 30 bucks worth of new content. Firaxis or 2k, whoever is responsible for the pricetag of these expansions, NEEDS TO STOP THIS RIDICULOUSNESS!
    Considering the base game's price tag, and the fact that this is pathetically considered a "rich man's game," these expansions should be priced no    Civ 5 is a great game, but I will be frank with my issue: Gods and Kings is NO WHERE EVEN CLOSE to 30 bucks worth of new content. Firaxis or 2k, whoever is responsible for the pricetag of these expansions, NEEDS TO STOP THIS RIDICULOUSNESS!
    Considering the base game's price tag, and the fact that this is pathetically considered a "rich man's game," these expansions should be priced no more than 15 bucks.

    I would prefer to give this expansion a 0/10 for the absurd pricing vs. content, but cannot deny the intuitive, but SIMPLE changes in this expansion that make the base game even better...So I will toss it a couple.    … Expand
  6. gyrate
    Jul 21, 2013
    7
    They've done a solid job of patching up this game. The game runs fairly smooth now and with this add on it's what they should have released day one. You must increase the difficulty to the extreme or it's like playing against children that have never played a pc game before.
  7. Vayra
    Jul 15, 2013
    6
    While the original game was over-simplified and lacking in virtually every department but A/V quality, Gods and Kings adds some much needed depth and variety to various areas of the game. Although not every new element is worked out equally well, the overall feel of the game has improved and especially late game is now more playable and far less boring but still lacking.

    The addition    While the original game was over-simplified and lacking in virtually every department but A/V quality, Gods and Kings adds some much needed depth and variety to various areas of the game. Although not every new element is worked out equally well, the overall feel of the game has improved and especially late game is now more playable and far less boring but still lacking.

    The addition of Religion, though simple in its implementation, is relatively effective especially on maps with many City States. Unfortunately, City States are still underdeveloped and should be able to do more to influence the game and besides that, Religion is really not much of an actual influence. The total revamp of how Culture and Faith is attained is also a change in the right direction, but is still too easy to abuse at such a level that you'll be swimming in points to spend, resulting in major advantages over any AI opponent.

    As with the original release, any civilization who is fastest on building Wonders and boasts one city with an extreme Production capacity will still triumph over any AI difficulty. And still, as with the original release, the only real pain the AI will cause you is mass production and serving you with hordes of troops who will mindlessly storm your barricades. Even the total combat mechanic revamp does not alleviate this issue.

    At its core, Civ 5 G&K still does not offer the depth and replayability of its predecessors, but does see some significant improvements over the original. With those improvements, it has grown from a badly executed, to a simply mediocre 4X game. Unfortunately the real fans will still be forced to look back to earlier installments.    … Expand
  8. elendiel7
    Jun 30, 2013
    7
    As a 4x enthusiast the base game was not well received by Civilization veterans. It was known to lack depth, any meaningful AI, and in general anything beyond the first few eras was boring. Common for a Civilization expansion, you can expect new civilizations, units and wonders that take advantage of the new features of the game. Such features as Religion, and espionage have been included.As a 4x enthusiast the base game was not well received by Civilization veterans. It was known to lack depth, any meaningful AI, and in general anything beyond the first few eras was boring. Common for a Civilization expansion, you can expect new civilizations, units and wonders that take advantage of the new features of the game. Such features as Religion, and espionage have been included. Gods and kings adds enough content to justify part of the cost, but there are still some glaring problems.

    AI just simply needs to be fixed. It's horrible at combat, and it sometimes take a unreasonable amount of time for it to take it's turn. Often times the AI will even hang, resulting in the screen being frozen in place.

    Any multiplayer issues you had in civ 5 have not been fixed. In some cases the multiplayer is even worse. I have never been able to play a game without it crashing on multiplayer. This is supposed to be resolved once Brave New world comes out. The changes will be made for all versions of the game.

    Late game is still very very boring. By the 1800's, you should already know who's going to win. Finishing the game is often a grind at that point. This can be attributed to the majority of 4x games, but I'm surprised it's something that hasn't been resolved yet. Brave new world should fix any late game issues.

    Overall, the base game would be a solid 6, but gods and kings raises it up to a 7 out of 10. Regardless of all the issues the game didn't fix, this expansion does make the game so much better. I easily put 100 hours in the game within 2 weeks of having the expansion. Buy it on sale or get Brave new world when it releases.    … Expand
  9. MrXLiebezeit
    Jun 18, 2013
    6
    It's an okay expansion. They did a few things to improve, like religions, and combat HP. But it could have been a lot more than it was. As some others have said, if you didn't like Civ V, don't buy it.
    I for one, liked Civ V, so it was kind of neat, but nothing special.
  10. JimCorbett
    Jun 15, 2013
    8
    You can't play Civ V without this expansion. It adds so much more depth and options to the game that make it infinitely better than the base game. Sure, these new additions probably should have been a part of the game to being with, but they weren't and to get them you need this expansion. It may be a little overpriced at $30, but if you get it on sale you will definitely become drawn intoYou can't play Civ V without this expansion. It adds so much more depth and options to the game that make it infinitely better than the base game. Sure, these new additions probably should have been a part of the game to being with, but they weren't and to get them you need this expansion. It may be a little overpriced at $30, but if you get it on sale you will definitely become drawn into the world of Civ once more. This is a must own for all fans of the base game.… Expand
  11. KrautCritic
    Jun 13, 2013
    8
    I have to admit... I haven't touched civilization in a long, long time.

    I am old enough to have played the first iteration...and the board game. I stumbled, accidentally, across the Gold pack on steam for less than ten bucks and figured 'why the heck not'. Urgh. Mistake. One looong night later, the alarm clock went down WAY too early for my taste, because time flew by at my computer    I have to admit... I haven't touched civilization in a long, long time.

    I am old enough to have played the first iteration...and the board game. I stumbled, accidentally, across the Gold pack on steam for less than ten bucks and figured 'why the heck not'.

    Urgh. Mistake. One looong night later, the alarm clock went down WAY too early for my taste, because time flew by at my computer into the wee hours of the morning.

    The game is fun. A lot,. Even when you finished it, you can go at it straight away again. Addictive is the right choice of words here. It needs a timer that forces you to save and quit...or...something. A good wife dragging you away from your computer also works     … Expand
  12. greywolf00
    Jun 3, 2013
    8
    Was fairly impressed with the changes to religion. Picking and choosing the perks and making it a viable mechanic outside of just diplomacy numbers was a good change. Can never go wrong with more units, Wonders, and Civs in expansions for this series. Really wasn't impressed with Espionage, it has always felt like a half developed idea tacked onto the series. Still has most of theWas fairly impressed with the changes to religion. Picking and choosing the perks and making it a viable mechanic outside of just diplomacy numbers was a good change. Can never go wrong with more units, Wonders, and Civs in expansions for this series. Really wasn't impressed with Espionage, it has always felt like a half developed idea tacked onto the series. Still has most of the fundamental tuning and balancing flaws from the system & mechanic changes from 4 to 5 but absolutely improves the base game.… Expand
  13. Tytos
    Apr 30, 2013
    2
    This expansion managed to add a little bit more complexity into the very arcade gameplay of CIV5, too bad it's still too dumbed down. The multiplayer part hasn't be fixed either in this expansion, the question remains, why the did they not copy&paste the excellent MP-part of CIV4?
    An inferior product of a once great game-series.
  14. Rainbow_Lizard
    Mar 29, 2013
    9
    A few questionable design choices exist here and there, like the social policies being completely flat bonuses, but overall, it's a very fun game that's easy to get into and hard to master.
  15. KalanYamato
    Mar 20, 2013
    9
    This game is like freaking crack cocaine. Hell, worse than that. It's so god damn addicting it's ridiculous. It's multiplayer just makes matters worse. In less than a week I've clocked 25 hours, and that's only because I could control myself and take breaks every now and then. DO NOT play if you have something else to do.
  16. ILikeBosch
    Mar 14, 2013
    9
    The wonderful thing about this expansion is that even though it feels a bit light by "expansion" standards, the civs that are introduced with it make the game so much more colorful. The longer you play against these new civs, the more ingrained their personalities and tendencies become in your strategy. It's still not perfect, as diplomacy is still broken. Adding more civs to a brokenThe wonderful thing about this expansion is that even though it feels a bit light by "expansion" standards, the civs that are introduced with it make the game so much more colorful. The longer you play against these new civs, the more ingrained their personalities and tendencies become in your strategy. It's still not perfect, as diplomacy is still broken. Adding more civs to a broken diplomacy system just makes me more angry, but I can look past that...I usually get my way in the end. Religion feels unnecessary, but ultimately fun to use as a domineering dictator! Espionage (the use of spies) is a slow, drawn-out mechanic and can vary up diplomatic relationships, but ultimately doesn't impact the end-game. If you are a fan of Civ 5 and find yourself coming back to start new games over and over, buy this expansion. I can't imagine playing Civ 5 without it now that I've purchased it.… Expand
  17. bthomas
    Mar 9, 2013
    8
    Although not a game-changer, "Gods and Kings" introduces some interesting new features to an already great game which will certainly make the player want some more hours leading his civilization.
  18. jangers
    Mar 7, 2013
    8
    It's still that same great Civ V, but improved. Expansion brings religion, spies, new units, wonders, civilizations scenarios. All new content make this game better
  19. Transponster
    Feb 17, 2013
    0
    less than useless. Although my PC is clearly within the crosshairs of this game, it constantly hangs. It always says "Next Turn", but nothing happens. The little workers work, but the game does not progress. I have to get to the Task Manager to close the game and Steam. Really not worth the effort for 5 minutes of play. Throwing it out. Will never buy from Steam or Sid again.
  20. uppermi
    Dec 22, 2012
    8
    The base game felt like it was missing something that I couldn't quite put my finger on. This expansion helped to fill this void. Overall it is one of the best expansions for any game I've ever played.
  21. cdjedi48
    Dec 22, 2012
    6
    The game lacked soul on release and even now continues to lack soul with the upgrade to Gods and Kings. You will expend a great deal of time on this game. You will enjoy it. Its just not as good as Civ 4.
  22. Surg3on
    Dec 13, 2012
    3
    Firaxis seems to be a company in dire straights milking this cash cow for all its worth with minimal investment. Still poorly made, pretty but poorly made. The new systems feel tacked on and poorly integrated. Spying more than religion. Religion being kind of interesting if somewhat pointless.

    Multiplayer is still buggy as hell after so many years to patch it. it crahses (though    Firaxis seems to be a company in dire straights milking this cash cow for all its worth with minimal investment. Still poorly made, pretty but poorly made. The new systems feel tacked on and poorly integrated. Spying more than religion. Religion being kind of interesting if somewhat pointless.

    Multiplayer is still buggy as hell after so many years to patch it. it crahses (though thankfully recovers OK). Pauses for no good reason then wakes up after a minute or two. If you have an AI in the game it cant initiate diplomacy with you! Who has 8 friends to play? I imagine many multiplayer players still need 1 or 2 AI's!

    Civ4 is still a better game. Sad but true.    … Expand
  23. Globular
    Dec 5, 2012
    10
    Playing on a huge map with friends (if you want a long game you can disable all other victory types but domination and enable complete kills), the lush terrain which makes the game pleasing to look at, the hexagon grid forcing everyone to move naturally and making combat more tactical - it actually feels like you're playing a board game on a massive scale (The Campaign for North AfricaPlaying on a huge map with friends (if you want a long game you can disable all other victory types but domination and enable complete kills), the lush terrain which makes the game pleasing to look at, the hexagon grid forcing everyone to move naturally and making combat more tactical - it actually feels like you're playing a board game on a massive scale (The Campaign for North Africa anyone?), city population slowly increasing, cultural borders slowly filling out the land, religions slowly spreading and their effects being noticed in the later game, the tech tree slowly being explored, everyone beginning to diverge into their victory path and unique gaming style, the endless combinations possible with 30+ civilizations and the tons of terrain options available... God I love this game. It's nothing but number crunching/ bit mining (I don't know what to call it), it's like nurturing a plant that you've sowed. I think turn-based strategy games should be this intuitive and easy to grasp - like chess (just learn how each of the six pieces move and the concept of check and checkmate, and you're set for ~10^120 unique games of chess). I never seriously played Civ IV because it was hideous to look at (although I do miss the narration by Spock and the classical music... but I could do without the things I thought were stupid from my limited play of the game: how your city would riot if you took a different tech path or something like that) or any of the other previous Civs. Before anyone calls me a casual I'll have you know that I also enjoy games like Crusader Kings II and Dwarf Fortress which I do think are more complicated and deeper than any Civ game.… Expand
  24. LordDiniz
    Nov 24, 2012
    10
    Gods and Kings is a true expansion pack, not a minor DLC as we keep having from other games.
    The expansion really adds to the game, giving you a bunch of new features to play with, and it makes the strategy-setting more complex and, in result, better. The features include not only the religion, but also new civilizations, units, wonders, the expanded diplomacy... It really improves the    Gods and Kings is a true expansion pack, not a minor DLC as we keep having from other games.
    The expansion really adds to the game, giving you a bunch of new features to play with, and it makes the strategy-setting more complex and, in result, better. The features include not only the religion, but also new civilizations, units, wonders, the expanded diplomacy... It really improves the game!
    In regard to the price, I think that 24 dollars may be a little too much for an expansion, as you can buy a lot of full games for that price, so I'd wait for some sale (like Black Friday) to get it with a good discount.
    But it is definitely worth it.    … Expand
  25. JaguarXJ6
    Nov 23, 2012
    5
    I can't recommend this Civ game. In the franchise, great steps were made to separate this from previous games with new concepts from hex, unit stacking, graphics, social policies, and city states. These succeed in creating new challenges for the player and add to the military strategy game.

    However, what the game does not deliver is an adaquate AI that fails at even the simplest of    I can't recommend this Civ game. In the franchise, great steps were made to separate this from previous games with new concepts from hex, unit stacking, graphics, social policies, and city states. These succeed in creating new challenges for the player and add to the military strategy game.

    However, what the game does not deliver is an adaquate AI that fails at even the simplest of tasks. For example, an automated worker in an unhappy, fledgling empire at game start will not attempt build immediately on resource one tile from the capitol to connect it. Increasing difficulty beyond King (L6) doesn't incorporate new AI routines, it simply handicaps the player by huge bonuses for production, happiness, science, and gold output for all AI players. I have over 200 hours into this Civ with another 500+ for Civ4 and another 500+ hours for every Civ incarnation before it. Even if purchased on a Steam sale, it doesn't overcome the disappointment at the lack of re-playability compared to previous Civs. The game can be fun at times, but those moments of enjoyment are too rare. Like a tribal hut, you get the immediate sense of reward and that is about as good as it gets as the game goes back to tedium of micro-management to overcome a weak AI.    … Expand
  26. Tacoss23
    Nov 20, 2012
    7
    This expansion was a step forward after the franchise took 20 back with the release of Civilization 5. While arguably still the same Civ 5, you can tell the difference in the point of view/direction the game is heading with this expansion. For the ones that don't know, Jon Shaffer, the 20 year old kid developer responsible for the disaster of Civ 5, was fired 2 months after launch (noThis expansion was a step forward after the franchise took 20 back with the release of Civilization 5. While arguably still the same Civ 5, you can tell the difference in the point of view/direction the game is heading with this expansion. For the ones that don't know, Jon Shaffer, the 20 year old kid developer responsible for the disaster of Civ 5, was fired 2 months after launch (no surprise there), and since then Firaxis has been slowly trying to fix the mess. This expansion shows the dedication of the team and great efforts to restore Civ 5 to the franchise standards. Unfortunately, it's still Civ 5 at the very core, which depending on your opinion of Civ 5 it could be very bad or good. If you are new to the franchise or somehow managed to find Civ 5 appealing, then this expansion will only make it better in every aspect. If you are part of the horde of disappointed decades long hard-core fans like myself, then this expansion gives you hope in the future of the franchise, nonetheless still a mediocre mess compared to Civ 4-BTS. Religion, the improved AI, improved combat and several other small changes are really good, and made me play the game again, still with sour taste of Civ 5 vanilla in my mouth though. Conclusion: It's a good step to get Civilization back on track and restore the fan's confidence in the future of the franchise. Despite the efforts, the horrendous mess left by Civilization 5 vanilla it's still too big to be cleaned up by a single expansion and subsequent patches. If you hated what they did with Civilization 5 (like I did), give this expansion a try, it might bring you back to the game. However it still is Civ 5 at the core and therefore you will still have a sour taste in your mouth every time you play it. Hopefully with patches and maybe one more expansion like this we can get back to Civ 4-BTS standards?… Expand
  27. Malinos_97
    Nov 17, 2012
    9
    Game is outstanding like all games from Sid Meier. Innovations brings new solutions and also brings something new in this serie. The only minus is no religion and espionage.
  28. The_Ommadawn
    Oct 16, 2012
    9
    Until last week, I'd never played a Civ game. What was I thinking??? To be quite blunt, the poor user scores confuse the life out of me. I've played some seriously poor games in recent years, yet this ranks right at the top of the good (if not great) games. It offers so much entertainment and scale that only a PC game could offer. I've seen screen shots of Civ games in the past and thoughtUntil last week, I'd never played a Civ game. What was I thinking??? To be quite blunt, the poor user scores confuse the life out of me. I've played some seriously poor games in recent years, yet this ranks right at the top of the good (if not great) games. It offers so much entertainment and scale that only a PC game could offer. I've seen screen shots of Civ games in the past and thought 'Jesus that looks intimidating'. But the reality is quite different (from my point of view at least). The game gives you as much hand holding as you need to find your wings, then it's up to you to experiment with tactics. I love the TW (Total War) games and this kinda resembles the overview map mode game play, which ticks so many boxes for me. It builds upon the all the features I enjoy from TW and adds so much more to the mix. I've had sleepless nights and waking hours considering the best plan of action and this is with just one starting faction! This game has legs and I can see why so many people praise the Civ series. People have passion for Civ 4 and criticize Civ 5 for missing/failing to extend the experience. Having no frame of reference, I can't comment. All I can say is if you haven't played a games from this series and fancy giving it a go, Civ 5 has the ability to change your gaming outlook on turn based strategy. It's a shining example of why gaming is so special. A perfect score from me.… Expand
  29. Wanguard
    Oct 3, 2012
    5
    If you liked Civ5 you'll probably like this expansion too. It adds religion, spying and some minor tweaks to the game but doesn't change the core game mechanics too much. The biggest flaw of Civ5, horrible AI unit movement in war, is still there.
    If you can get it cheap it's worth buying but you can easily cope without it. If you are a civfanatic you've already bought it.
  30. Mercator360
    Sep 21, 2012
    9
    This is a great expansion for Civ 5. It makes the game a lot better. It adds new technologies, balances the social policy tree and adds religion to the game. If you liked Civ 5 this expansion is a mus have. If you did not like Civ 5 you will not like this expansion either.
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

47
#47 Best PC Game of 2012
80
#80 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 53 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 53
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 53
  3. Negative: 1 out of 53
  1. Level7.nu
    Aug 3, 2012
    80
    An expansion with focus on religion. It features many well needed changes.
    Read full review
  2. Eurogamer Sweden
    Aug 1, 2012
    80
    Gods & Kings adds some fun and interesting things to the game, but leaves the core gameplay intact. While none of the additions tries to revolutionize the Civilization V formula, each of them still manages to improve it, which makes Gods & Kings a good catch for those already hooked on the basic game.
    Read full review
  3. PC PowerPlay
    Jul 31, 2012
    100
    The rarest of all expansions: the one that's better than its base game. [Aug 2012, p.58]
See all critic reviews »