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. EldarWarlord
    Jun 26, 2012
    10
    Civ5 was a disappointment, but since then with the patches and DLC's, and now with this expansion, the game is finally standing up as an alternative to Civ4 BtS. Religion and espionage is revamped for the better. Religion now give you options to help you toward your victory goals and not as boring as it was in Civ4. On the other hand, espionage is now done in 1 screen but the simplicityCiv5 was a disappointment, but since then with the patches and DLC's, and now with this expansion, the game is finally standing up as an alternative to Civ4 BtS. Religion and espionage is revamped for the better. Religion now give you options to help you toward your victory goals and not as boring as it was in Civ4. On the other hand, espionage is now done in 1 screen but the simplicity make spying more streamlined. Many bugs was fixed, and exploits was taken care of in the policy trees and tech tree. AI's diplomacy has improved a lot, and the new combat system is getting better. They also changed the little things to make the gaming experience easier. For example, units gifted by city states are put right at your city so you don't have to walk them around anymore. Also AI's come up to you to renew open border and trade deals. Overall, all the devs efforts on Civ5 up until now deserve a 10 from me.… Expand
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. Gorkoan
    Jul 10, 2012
    9
    My love for the Civilization series started as a kid playing the first Civilization on my Amiga. I've seen features appear and disappear trough the various installments, but never did so many features go missing as it did between the forth and fifth game. Therefore I was excited when this expansion was announced, as it was bringing back espionage and religion, two things that had in factMy love for the Civilization series started as a kid playing the first Civilization on my Amiga. I've seen features appear and disappear trough the various installments, but never did so many features go missing as it did between the forth and fifth game. Therefore I was excited when this expansion was announced, as it was bringing back espionage and religion, two things that had in fact been introduced in an expansion to Civilization 4. The question; Is it worth buying something that maybe should have been included from the start? In short, YES! This expansion adds another layer of strategy to the game, and also fixes some of the imbalances in the tech tree and dominant strategies. Also worth mentioning is the 9 interesting new nations that are focused on either city states or the new religion mechanic "faith". There are also a bunch of new units that "plugs" the gap between the late 19th century and the start of the 20th century. All in all, a great expansion to an already great game!… Expand
  7. Kanazawa
    Jun 20, 2012
    9
    Managed to breathe life into a nearly dead game. The religion and Spy system made the game a lot more fun to play. The religion was entertaining to observe as multiple countries would send ministers to others and spread their religion like a plague. It was like a silent war. It has diplomatic repercussions of course, as many don't like me going into their town and preaching. The spy systemManaged to breathe life into a nearly dead game. The religion and Spy system made the game a lot more fun to play. The religion was entertaining to observe as multiple countries would send ministers to others and spread their religion like a plague. It was like a silent war. It has diplomatic repercussions of course, as many don't like me going into their town and preaching. The spy system was exciting and fun at first, but quickly died out. It's still a very useful tool, and you really need it to prevent attacks and such, but it wasn't very fun after a while. It got rather annoying that other countries would always steal your city state with their spy and there is nothing you can really do about it, as there is no way to fight another spy in a city-state. The new civs were interesting to learn, and I enjoy most of them over the original provided ones. The new scenarios were shockingly fun, where as the old ones always seemed very dull. The new units made the game a lot more competitive, making that small lead in technology really pay off rather than everyone having the same units 4-5 branches behind you. The water battles were far more fun and required a lot more work and strategy than before. I used to never use naval units unless it's required, but now I can't live without them. It's really fun. I love the new wonders, and technologies as well. All these additions certainly drag on the game on a lot longer, but it's more worthwhile and less dull.… Expand
  8. TrueGamer81
    Aug 30, 2012
    9
    The new expansion turns Civilization 5 into a modern, improved version of Civilization 4.

    That is, overall, a good thing.

    It is a real shame that we have to pay for what should have been in the first place.

    Civilization 5 is an absolute blast to play, I must admit.
  9. Jacksonbauer
    Jun 22, 2012
    9
    This expansion wasn't intended to "fix" these features of the game you didn't enjoy, but rather add and implement new features into the game and they did it quite well. Every review I saw below was from people that disliked the original Civilization V, so how could they even like the expansion? If you enjoyed Civ V, then you'll love Gods & Kings. It adds some variety to the formula you'veThis expansion wasn't intended to "fix" these features of the game you didn't enjoy, but rather add and implement new features into the game and they did it quite well. Every review I saw below was from people that disliked the original Civilization V, so how could they even like the expansion? If you enjoyed Civ V, then you'll love Gods & Kings. It adds some variety to the formula you've been tiring yourself on for hundreds of hours over the course of two years. It breathes new life into the game, and i foresee myself staying up until 3 AM once again, playing this game. Now, the espionage feature is a bit lacking, very limited, but its intended to make it possible to redeem yourself from a slow start. This feature is more of a sympathy thing with a few perks in between. Now, Religion is where it gets interesting. With faith you can produce any of the other resources like gold or culture, to add a new twist on how to receive these items. this is ultimately effective and plays off well. So, like I said above, if you loved Civ V, then you'll love the expansion. If you didn't like Civ V, you won't like the expansion... It's as easy as that.… Expand
  10. 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.
  11. BillyIdol
    Jul 31, 2012
    9
    One of the best strategy games of all times !
    Highly addictive, great quality, the only problem I can find in this game is that once you start playing it, you just can't leave it alone
  12. Cytokinesis
    Jun 19, 2012
    9
    To start this off: I am a HUGE Civ fan. I listen to Civ podcasts all the time, i watch let's plays and I have over 500 hours in Civ 4 and 700 in Civ 5. I am a civ nut. If you don't like Civ 5 this probably won't change anything for you and I highly doubt anything ever will, honestly. But if you do like Civ 5 this expansions is great. So far I've played it almost 10 hours playing 3 gamesTo start this off: I am a HUGE Civ fan. I listen to Civ podcasts all the time, i watch let's plays and I have over 500 hours in Civ 4 and 700 in Civ 5. I am a civ nut. If you don't like Civ 5 this probably won't change anything for you and I highly doubt anything ever will, honestly. But if you do like Civ 5 this expansions is great. So far I've played it almost 10 hours playing 3 games with 3 different Civ's. The new religion is really cool and offers a lot of diversity to how you play the game. It really opens up a ton of strategies that weren't possible before. The espionage system, sadly, is not as cool. It's still alright because it allows you to do some unorthodox strategies that you simply wouldn't have been able to do before espionage, but ultimately it is very shallow. The new units and combat revamp add a lot of life and depth back into war and the city state changes were all around a huge upgrade. Definitely get this if you like Civ 5, it will make you fall in love again because of all the new strategies you are able to do.… Expand
  13. frankdew
    Jun 20, 2012
    9
    After 6 hours of gameplay, I can say that I am satisfied with Gods and Kings. It may not be perfect, but it takes an "ok" game and make it a good one. I even find the religion thing as a whole better than it was in Civ 4. The level of customization for your civilization is great. Its not just more gold and happiness anymore. They also made slight changes to the tech tree, making it harderAfter 6 hours of gameplay, I can say that I am satisfied with Gods and Kings. It may not be perfect, but it takes an "ok" game and make it a good one. I even find the religion thing as a whole better than it was in Civ 4. The level of customization for your civilization is great. Its not just more gold and happiness anymore. They also made slight changes to the tech tree, making it harder to get Civil Service with the Great Library. Diplomacy is enhanced and the AI is better at waging wars. Maybe my mind is playing me but it seems that the espionage stuff is more like Civ 3 than Civ 4, which I find a little bit disappointing. I prefer the spy as a unit on the map, discovering blurred tiles and acting on the field, not only in cities. But nevertheless, I am looking forward to test it at a lan party with my friends this weekend.… Expand
  14. Odin_the_Red
    Jun 21, 2012
    9
    Overall a great edition to the series, but about ten dollars overpriced. Even with all it's overhauls and additions, I don't think that the publisher has much legitimacy to charge anything more than $25 or $20 (not sure what the dev costs where but I doubt they were enormous). Unless you're a big MP fan, wait till this goes on sale. Now content... Religion and Espionage have beenOverall a great edition to the series, but about ten dollars overpriced. Even with all it's overhauls and additions, I don't think that the publisher has much legitimacy to charge anything more than $25 or $20 (not sure what the dev costs where but I doubt they were enormous). Unless you're a big MP fan, wait till this goes on sale. Now content... Religion and Espionage have been integrated quite well but don't feel very satisfying as they probably should (still better than magically founding religions in Civ4 though). I like the faith system, it's simple yet varied, as well as the complex spy actions. One of the nicer changes I think is the naval combat, now with Great Admirals, more ship types and greater bombardment power. Taking a City-State by pummeling it with frigates and then sweeping in with privateers to storm it's docks is a very satisfying feeling. New Civs and music are awesome and fresh, adding a great deal of variety to the game-play and audio pleasure. As far as AI goes, I don't see much of a difference, although, it does seem more organized and a bit more buffed so good enough I suppose. The new tech tree is fantastic, it feels much more realistic and intuitive than the previous one and allows for a much more interesting modern and ancient ages as far as wars go (composite bowman, Gatling/machine guns, WWI Units etc.) Don't worry too much about re-balancing, there's not too much and not too little if you know what I mean. Bottom-line, if you're a hardcore fan or a big MP player, buy it! If you're a causal player or unsure, wait till it goes on sale. Don't miss it though, for me it pretty much completes the game, though the edition of corporations and space exploration would satisfy my last wishes for content. This is definitely a great step forward from clunky and easily-cheapened Civ4 (although, it will always be a classic, and a good one at that). Happy Ruling.… Expand
  15. DrZ
    Jun 22, 2012
    9
    My history with Civ: I have played all Civ series and Alpha centauri.

    After first playing Civ V I thought it wasn't good enough of a series for the masterpiece Civ IV was. There were a lot of bugs, balance issues and a wierd diplomacy system. But after spending some time to understand it I begun to think that it has more tactical value than IV because of the combat system. It reminds me    My history with Civ: I have played all Civ series and Alpha centauri.

    After first playing Civ V I thought it wasn't good enough of a series for the masterpiece Civ IV was. There were a lot of bugs, balance issues and a wierd diplomacy system. But after spending some time to understand it I begun to think that it has more tactical value than IV because of the combat system. It reminds me of Panzer general in some way. The expansion addresses a whole lot of issues that the Vanilla had: - great improvement in the AI (it will no longer just walk into the range of my units, also combines his units in a good manner) - Diplomacy far more intelligible - RA spam is no more - Open border selling span is gone because now you need an embassy and it comes later into the tech tree - Religion is far less passive than in IV and has a lot more diversity - City states are no more easily bought with money but you really need to do quests now.

    Over all i think the developers really tried to balance it and listened to the community. I hope more people will try it out    … Expand
  16. Teflonicus
    Jun 26, 2012
    9
    Being a loyal Civ fan since the beginning, I played five games of the original Civ V. The warfare system was vastly improved, but the economy was well-out of balance, there were some bugs, and--for me at least--it lacked intricacy that needed to be there to flesh things out. Civilization: Gods & Kings improves a lot with the original. The economy is vastly improved and better balancedBeing a loyal Civ fan since the beginning, I played five games of the original Civ V. The warfare system was vastly improved, but the economy was well-out of balance, there were some bugs, and--for me at least--it lacked intricacy that needed to be there to flesh things out. Civilization: Gods & Kings improves a lot with the original. The economy is vastly improved and better balanced (mainly due to the addition of "belief benefits"), with the religion aspect adding a great deal of detail to what was previously a little too basic.

    Added to this, new units are inserted, AND they are inserted with some measure so that they improve the balance of warfare rather than overwhelming it. The addition of an Admiral was also a nice tack-on.

    The spy system is the one thing I am disappointed with in this game. It feels clunky and isolated from the rest of the game--perhaps because it is. Admittedly, it does add just a little bit more complexity alongside the rest of the expansion, and this all goes towards improving Civ V significantly.    … Expand
  17. KvltKitty
    Aug 2, 2012
    9
    A solid expansion, well worth the cash. Should it have come with the game at release? Probably, but it's probably better they waited and sorted out the bugs so we'd have it to play in the meantime. Religion was very well integrated, better than in IV. The espionage is a nice touch, doesn't take up too much time per turn but your decisions are very important (much like a lot of Civ V'sA solid expansion, well worth the cash. Should it have come with the game at release? Probably, but it's probably better they waited and sorted out the bugs so we'd have it to play in the meantime. Religion was very well integrated, better than in IV. The espionage is a nice touch, doesn't take up too much time per turn but your decisions are very important (much like a lot of Civ V's aspects). Nice additions to the tech tree, definitely more balanced. To all the people whining about long turn times and glitchy multiplayer, I have yet to experience any of these issues. Get a better internet service provider, or just get a better plan cause I have yet to drop a game with this expansion. As for the game chugging, upgrade your computer or try overclocking a bit, mine runs smooth as a whistle on max settings AND online. Noobs are still just angry cause they can't stack anymore lol. It's pure strategic bliss. Get it and your weekend will go by wayy too quickly.… Expand
  18. 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.
  19. 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.
  20. 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
  21. 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.
  22. Attricus
    Jul 16, 2012
    8
    It expands the Civ V at new levels, it adds the things were missing on original release. And not only has things as were on Civ4, it has that things in a better way. This expansion is a must have if you like Civ V.
  23. chevmech
    Jul 26, 2012
    8
    A nice comprehensive package. New civs are great and they are heading in the proper direction with relig. and esp. I wish esp was fleshed out a bit more. Some other options for spies would have been nice. In this case a step backward (toward civ4) is the step forward. AI is still as dumb as a bag of hammers and AI diplomacy is still as fickle as ever. Overall a good expansion worthA nice comprehensive package. New civs are great and they are heading in the proper direction with relig. and esp. I wish esp was fleshed out a bit more. Some other options for spies would have been nice. In this case a step backward (toward civ4) is the step forward. AI is still as dumb as a bag of hammers and AI diplomacy is still as fickle as ever. Overall a good expansion worth having though.… Expand
  24. 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
  25. crushilista
    Jun 19, 2012
    8
    I went into this with low expectations. I heard that the expansion didn't fix any of the AI problems or add anything really new to the mix. I'd like to explain why that's wrong. You start of the game and you off the bat see that there are 9 new civilizations to meet with. They are all well done in how they look and sound besides maybe the Mayans which are a tad lackluster. Religion is theI went into this with low expectations. I heard that the expansion didn't fix any of the AI problems or add anything really new to the mix. I'd like to explain why that's wrong. You start of the game and you off the bat see that there are 9 new civilizations to meet with. They are all well done in how they look and sound besides maybe the Mayans which are a tad lackluster. Religion is the most paramount thing in the beginning. You start off by making a pantheon, which later leads to creating your own religion. The only thing that I would have liked with the religions is the option to import a picture of my own instead of picking one of the main religious symbols for already held religions. At first, it seems as though religion does nothing. This made me really disappointed for a while, until later when I had converted whole countries over to my side and they were steadfast allies through thick and thin. However, places that already have a religion to spread will become very upset if you spread yours in their land. I'll come back to that near the end of the review. After you play with religion for a bit, spies come out of the woodworks. The spy menu is one of the reasons this isn't a perfect expansion. It looks and feels like a facebook game in the way it's handled. This would bother me much more if it wasn't for the fact that, once you get used to it, it's kind of nice to not have to manually tell the spies where to go. (They are spies after all. You should just tell them where to go and what to do.) They can steal technology and tip off players on oncoming death by war. Which leads me to my favorite parts of the expansion. The diplomacy seems to be more deeper. When someone says to not build more lands near them, you can promise not to. After a certain period of time, when it is seen that you are not spreading your lands about, you will get an increase in your relationship with them for staying true. However, on the other side of that coin, if you were trying to force your funny named religion onto other people who didn't want it, swore that you wouldn't do it again, then did it again because you have a short memory span, then they will be very upset. The best part of my play through was getting tipped off by my best ally, Attila, that the Sweeds were trying to attack one of my main cities. At first I wasn't sure if it was trickery on his part or if he was just trying to help. The first time I ignored him. Later he comes back and warns me that they are planning total war with me and I should prepare. This time I took what he said into consideration and build a basic combat unit in each of my cities. Knowing the combat system from vanilla Civ 5, I was positive that they'd send a single unit in, I'd smash its face in, then they'd beg for peace. Then war was declared.... I look up upon the city that Attila had warned me they'd strike, and there were two generals manning trebuchets, three long swords man, a musketman and archers following suit in the background. I pissed myself. I scrambled to find an ally near me and took comfort in Theodora to protect me. It seemed nice of her, seeing as I broke promises to her and surrounded her lands full of cities that kept trying to convert her. While she fought with me, she actually came over. I was surprised at the amount of competence in the AI for a change. I attacked Swedens trebuchet and it retreated; smart move on the AI once again. After a while though, I guess my ally learned that she could have my lands with the help of Sweden and no longer have to put up with forced conversions. She turned on me, and for the first time in Civ 5, I lost my city. Bittersweet moment there. The new combat 100 point system is much better. An example would be a warrior attacking a tank no longer does 1 damage out of it's very minimal amount of life and threatens it's stability. It makes it much more balanced and worth it to upgrade. Altogether, I have to say that the game is a must-buy for any players of Civ 5. PS Dido might have a stupid name, but her voice whenever she makes a deal with you is adorable. ... Maybe it's just me.… Expand
  26. 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
  27. abdulmannon
    Jun 23, 2012
    8
    This dlc has good enhancements and gives many options to customize some religion features. An option to rename pantheon and other religious features to something even more general (or suited to one's comfort, sensitivities and enjoyment) would have been nicer for some more sensitive people. Not everyone would like to build a "polytheistic pantheon" or "pantheon to the gods" before foundingThis dlc has good enhancements and gives many options to customize some religion features. An option to rename pantheon and other religious features to something even more general (or suited to one's comfort, sensitivities and enjoyment) would have been nicer for some more sensitive people. Not everyone would like to build a "polytheistic pantheon" or "pantheon to the gods" before founding a monotheistic religion (some religions teach that polytheism came after monotheism). But hats off and thanks to devs for already taking it this far with religious sensitivities (by allowing renaming and making many aspects more general or customizable). I just hope modders can do something about that and take it even further. There is already a thread about this on civfanatics site.… Expand
  28. frax
    Jun 28, 2012
    8
    Really good expansion. A little bit expansive but if you have the money, buy it ! I give an 8 because of the price but if the expansion drop at 15$, it's a 9/10 easily. If you like the main game, you must buy it. The religion's gameplay is really good. Also, a lot of small changes give the experience more enjoyable.
  29. 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.
  30. 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
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 »