Sid Meier's Civilization V

 PC
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2963 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,247 out of 2963
  2. Mixed: 454 out of 2963
  3. Negative: 262 out of 2963
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  1. LongSlayer
    Aug 6, 2014
    9
    Sid Meier's Civilization V can be summed up in one word: addicting. I find it extremely difficult to pull myself away from this game at most times, and I end up playing for hours upon hours. It's exhilarating to choose a civilization and try to dominate the other opposing civilizations. Whether winning by cultural, domination, diplomatic, or science victory, it's all really fun. It's aSid Meier's Civilization V can be summed up in one word: addicting. I find it extremely difficult to pull myself away from this game at most times, and I end up playing for hours upon hours. It's exhilarating to choose a civilization and try to dominate the other opposing civilizations. Whether winning by cultural, domination, diplomatic, or science victory, it's all really fun. It's a great experience to see your civilization explore the area, meet new civilizations and city-states, and fight off barbarians, as they grow and technologically advance from ancient times to modern times. Multiplayer can be really fun, but it's almost impossible to finish a game because either the random people you get paired up with leave the game right away or everyone gets disconnected, so it can be frustrating at times. This is a fantastic game but also addicting so beware.… Expand
  2. smilzoboboz
    Oct 6, 2014
    9
    I'm no turn-based strategy games fan and Civilization V is actually the first one I ever play of this kind.
    Still I have to say I enjoyed playing this game.
    Just one thing I found quite off, it seems like other countries ASK to get burned down to the ground, I found the diplomacy part quite hard to understand, or I actually didn't understand it at all, because everyone was angry at me    I'm no turn-based strategy games fan and Civilization V is actually the first one I ever play of this kind.
    Still I have to say I enjoyed playing this game.

    Just one thing I found quite off, it seems like other countries ASK to get burned down to the ground, I found the diplomacy part quite hard to understand, or I actually didn't understand it at all, because everyone was angry at me even if I did nothing to them...

    Anyway, really good game or, better, a really good game if you get a package with all DLC contents, because I don't even wanna know what was this game without its 14 DLC packages (14 it's a lot, probably too much).    … Expand
  3. srdavidhoney
    Oct 15, 2014
    9
    So I’ve played civ iv and I’ve got to say that the game is a lot different from civ V, are some things dumbed down yeah sure but I would say that the game is unbelievably fun I’ve got over 400hours into the game and for the people that say the games easy or that it simplified they probably never played past the first 100-200 turns, **** just try to get a domination victory in this gameSo I’ve played civ iv and I’ve got to say that the game is a lot different from civ V, are some things dumbed down yeah sure but I would say that the game is unbelievably fun I’ve got over 400hours into the game and for the people that say the games easy or that it simplified they probably never played past the first 100-200 turns, **** just try to get a domination victory in this game it’s a freaking mind screw, the stacks of doom were ridiculous in civ iv making things a little cheap and gay. people that say civ v is boring in comparison to other civ games need to realize that this is not the same as those games they are not civ v and if they hate the game because it doesn’t play like civ iv or civ 3 or 2 they should just play those games, hell sometimes I want to pick civ iv up but I won’t because it’s kind of outdated so yeah.… Expand
  4. jelikey
    Sep 10, 2015
    9
    A fantastic addition to the Civ franchise. My greatest complaint with previous Civ games, which I've been playing since 1991, was that large armies were extremely unwieldy and frustrating to manage. Sea transportation logistics were also a frustrating time sink. Both of these problems have been solved with Civ V. Everything about the game screams polish and it runs like an absolute dream,A fantastic addition to the Civ franchise. My greatest complaint with previous Civ games, which I've been playing since 1991, was that large armies were extremely unwieldy and frustrating to manage. Sea transportation logistics were also a frustrating time sink. Both of these problems have been solved with Civ V. Everything about the game screams polish and it runs like an absolute dream, haven't had a hitch yet which is becoming so rare with new releases.… Expand
  5. goldenelk
    May 16, 2016
    9
    The vanilla version of this game did seem a little bland, but the DLC they added greatly improved the game as a whole. There are also plenty of mods available that can further enhance game play as needed. I have spent around 1800 hours on the game so far and enjoyed almost every minute of it.
  6. Nepharos
    Feb 2, 2015
    9
    Though I have never played this game when it first came out or before the DLC's came out, I do like to give my review of this game.

    I have to say: thoroughly enjoyable. Though the game-play is very very slow, the depth of this game is incredible. On strategy games, this is fantastic. You can play numerous strategies to achieve the same goal (Scientific, Cultural or Warmonger    Though I have never played this game when it first came out or before the DLC's came out, I do like to give my review of this game.

    I have to say: thoroughly enjoyable.
    Though the game-play is very very slow, the depth of this game is incredible.

    On strategy games, this is fantastic. You can play numerous strategies to achieve the same goal (Scientific, Cultural or Warmonger Victory).
    City Management and Great Person management create an extra dimension in this game, while you try to find the correct spot to expand your empire.
    Politics have a great influence on AI players or people players.

    This game is slow and long, I have played multiple multi player games with friends and had a lot of fun doing so. Even when we had to quit, because someone had to leave.

    However, there are a few downsides on this game.
    For instance, I feel not every civilization is evenly matched in strength. Some civilizations have completely useless traits, others are really good for every type of victory.

    Another downside is that the AI is either very hard, or very easy to beat. And they are kinda random in politics.

    And... it takes so very long to finish a single player or multi player game!

    But due to it's great depth in strategy, politics and technology (!which is really great in this game) AND a high replay value.
    This game deserves to have a 9.    … Expand
  7. PhoenixEX
    Jan 24, 2015
    9
    i'm going to go back a few of years to a time where I was obsessed with strategy games like Plants VS. Zombies and Bloons Tower Defense. While shopping, I have come across Civilization Revolution and immediately got hooked. I saw that you could build a gigantic empire and have epic troops destroy others and I practically fainted. Playing the game got me obsessed. I was so immersed everyi'm going to go back a few of years to a time where I was obsessed with strategy games like Plants VS. Zombies and Bloons Tower Defense. While shopping, I have come across Civilization Revolution and immediately got hooked. I saw that you could build a gigantic empire and have epic troops destroy others and I practically fainted. Playing the game got me obsessed. I was so immersed every time I would play it. Eventually I became a pro at that game. While shopping again I saw that they had a whole series of games and I got a little excited inside. I got one of the games, which I forgot which one, and had no clue what the heck I was doing. Eventually the game became boring and now I will never find it ever *cries*. Coming back to December 2014 was the Steam Holiday Sale. I had quite a bit of money for Gaben so I decided to look at all of the games. I saw that Civilization V with all of the DLC was 50% off and I decided to get it. I then remembered all of the memories I have had with Civilization Revolution. While playing the game I had a lot of fun although I so far hadn't played it much. It was kind of hard getting back into the Civilization franchise, but eventually I was back in it and I was having a lot of fun. In this game you play as one of the world's leaders of pretty much most of the countries. Your goal is to build an ultimate civilization (duh) and to be the best in technology and some other stuff. The game can be quite addictive because you may get into some long points of heavy thinking like wars and such, but when it is hushed down then the game may be a little boring and hard to get back into seeing as how it is a turn based game and you are going to have to wait quite a few turns for something to happen. Otherwise, this game is a fantastic game and deserves a 9.3.… Expand
  8. mcfry
    Feb 2, 2015
    9
    I think this was the best Civ game when it came out - IF there weren't these small AI bugs that essentially made it unplayable without either addons or mods to fix these. Well, aside from that:

    Part 5 featured changes to the gameplay that made it generally much *more* playable than its predecessors. The interface got improved a lot, which is crucial with this type of game, and you could    I think this was the best Civ game when it came out - IF there weren't these small AI bugs that essentially made it unplayable without either addons or mods to fix these. Well, aside from that:

    Part 5 featured changes to the gameplay that made it generally much *more* playable than its predecessors. The interface got improved a lot, which is crucial with this type of game, and you could pass turns very efficiently. Many said that CIV 5 lacks depth, and I want to comment on that: - I think its complexity is enough and not too little for time-limited people.

    It must be a subjective rating, and for all the hours that I've played Civ titles, I should give each one a 10 - but can't with a good feeling, and this, too, is only a 9. Main reason: The mess-up mentioned in the beginning, and the long turn times when you play on large maps with much AI going on. This might be due to the nature of the game, but it excludes mid-end machines from playing large maps.    … Expand
  9. IllusivemaN7
    Apr 24, 2015
    9
    Solid 9!!!! The only thing keeping it from being a ten is some frustrating occasional bad AI. It's a lot better now though than it was at launch. There's still some bogus, like every other country conquers and kills a dozen cities but you take one and everyone starts shaming you and some other things will not be forgiven or forgotten by other nations. You spied on use 276 years ago?? LetSolid 9!!!! The only thing keeping it from being a ten is some frustrating occasional bad AI. It's a lot better now though than it was at launch. There's still some bogus, like every other country conquers and kills a dozen cities but you take one and everyone starts shaming you and some other things will not be forgiven or forgotten by other nations. You spied on use 276 years ago?? Let us hold that over your head forever now even though we did far worse to you. Other than that, this is the pinnacle of massive replayability!!… Expand
  10. RodrigoFD99
    Sep 5, 2018
    9
    All you need to know is that this game is a masterpiece, a must-have... Stop wasting your time and purchase it.
  11. NoWorries
    Oct 28, 2015
    9
    Having played every installment of Civilization since the first one, for me getting Civilization V was a no brainer. Initially, I thought the new graphics and approach to units (i.e., eliminating stacking) was a little off-putting. But I grew to like it. Together with all of its expansions, Civilization is one of the classic games which every aficionado of strategy games should have inHaving played every installment of Civilization since the first one, for me getting Civilization V was a no brainer. Initially, I thought the new graphics and approach to units (i.e., eliminating stacking) was a little off-putting. But I grew to like it. Together with all of its expansions, Civilization is one of the classic games which every aficionado of strategy games should have in their video game library, even if it seems to nod a little much toward a console friendly point of view.… Expand
  12. RavenThunderfal
    Jun 10, 2016
    9
    I have played Civilization since they started adding numbers to each new version. I love Civilization V, for a few reasons. The graphics are beautiful..2 The graphics are beautiful...3 The graphics are beautiful..4 Nice spread of world civilizations. And 5 Nice graphics. *laughs* That being said. I would like to behead ALL of my brainless workers. What makes me go totally mad, is when II have played Civilization since they started adding numbers to each new version. I love Civilization V, for a few reasons. The graphics are beautiful..2 The graphics are beautiful...3 The graphics are beautiful..4 Nice spread of world civilizations. And 5 Nice graphics. *laughs* That being said. I would like to behead ALL of my brainless workers. What makes me go totally mad, is when I use the 'road maker' where you can, or are supposed to be able to start at one point, have them make a road to end point. Sounds simple right. NOT. They will go back 50 miles UP the road they just built, to go further down the map as I assign them. I want to pull out MY hair and there heads. Is there NO way to fix this idiotic mess?????… Expand
  13. R77
    Jul 23, 2016
    9
    It isn't the greatest 4x game ever made, but with all its expansions and DLC in the mix, it's definitely one of the most fun.

    The Good: - The classic 4x mechanics are all here: you can explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate freely at your leisure. Gameplay is easy to pick up, but still deep and difficult to perfect. - While the war mechanics aren't perfect (more on that - and    It isn't the greatest 4x game ever made, but with all its expansions and DLC in the mix, it's definitely one of the most fun.

    The Good:

    - The classic 4x mechanics are all here: you can explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate freely at your leisure. Gameplay is easy to pick up, but still deep and difficult to perfect.
    - While the war mechanics aren't perfect (more on that - and diplomacy - later), combat is still at its most tactical and interesting in some time. The hexagonal map, along with the limited stacking available to units, leads to engagements that require thought and planning.
    - The style and look of the game gets a 10 out of 10, and comparatively the aesthetics are the best in the series (not counting Alpha Centauri). The art deco theme throughout the game is refined, but not too pretentious, and the cohesive feel of the menu screens and UI (particularly with all the expansions installed) helps everything come together.
    - The variety of different victory conditions and game settings make it possible to extensively tailor your experience, something I loved. While not all the Civs feel distinct or innovative, there's still enough variety and flavor to keep each new game feeling fresh and surprising. Just make sure you take out Gandhi before the Manhattan Project gets built.

    The Bad:

    - Diplomacy, even after two expansions, still feels like it got tacked on at 11:45 the night before the game went gold. You can trade resources, but otherwise it's all superficial. AI civs also stay mad about warmongering for way too long - I get that taking out my closest neighbor just cause I wanted his Pyramids was bad, but that was thousands of years ago! I've changed, and I want to be able to make fair trade deals again.
    - The religion system is fine, but the neverending stream of missionaries flooding my borders and making me waste religion points on inquisitors is weak. It's like the pollution mechanic from Civ 3, only with priests instead of orange nuclear waste.

    Civ 5 isn't perfect. The game has its flaws, but it's still an absolute blast - I feel like those 875 hours were well spent.    … Expand
  14. PimN
    Feb 28, 2018
    9
    Civilization V starts with your settlers founding your first city. From there on, your civilization will grow and expand by your command. As the game progresses you will meet other civilizations, and you will start trading, and getting involved in international politics. The ultimate goal is to get your civ to defeat all other civs. This can be done in multiple ways. You can win with aCivilization V starts with your settlers founding your first city. From there on, your civilization will grow and expand by your command. As the game progresses you will meet other civilizations, and you will start trading, and getting involved in international politics. The ultimate goal is to get your civ to defeat all other civs. This can be done in multiple ways. You can win with a Military, Science, Cultural, Diplomatic or Time victory.

    This is the best game of the franchise. I've spent rougly 200 hours in this game (only 100 hours on the steam version), and I think I have seen all of what Civ V has to offer.

    If you ever loved any strategy game, I think you should try Civilization V. It is simply the best 4X and best turn-based game out there. The game is very cheap on sales, so if you're hesitating, just get it on sale.

    If you're buying this you should get the complete bundle with all DLC packs, because the expansions are great.    … Expand
  15. Sokar
    Mar 18, 2017
    9
    I think that is one of the best strategic games in the world, you can do everything you want with your empire and this "everything" is made so so good.
  16. NZAnimeManga
    Dec 7, 2017
    9
    Excellent turn-based strategy game - hands down the best purchase that I made in the steam autumn sale (in a bundle with all DLC for just £8.06). Already put 42+ hours into it in the last 2 weeks: to the potential detriment of my university grades...
  17. gautamkumar633
    Dec 8, 2022
    9
    One of the best strategy games ever made. It is easy to learn for people who are unfamiliar with this type of game, but can still provide adequate challenge as there are 8 difficulty levels to choose from. Doing multiplayer with your friends can be even more fun. This is the first game I would recommend to anyone looking to get into turn based strategy games or just strategy games inOne of the best strategy games ever made. It is easy to learn for people who are unfamiliar with this type of game, but can still provide adequate challenge as there are 8 difficulty levels to choose from. Doing multiplayer with your friends can be even more fun. This is the first game I would recommend to anyone looking to get into turn based strategy games or just strategy games in general. A flawless masterpiece.… Expand
  18. Axilley
    Jul 22, 2021
    9
    good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good
  19. RagingPoet
    Aug 8, 2018
    9
    Civilization 5 continues success of its predecessors. It has pretty much the same strengths and weaknesses: it's highly addictive, accessible and replayable but has terrible AI ruining any chance at diplomacy.

    P.S. A lot of negative reviews here are outdated, the game at its current state has barely any bugs.
  20. canceRnya
    Oct 30, 2018
    9
    Потрясающая игра, наиграл часов 5000, кста.
    Весело в мультиплеере, не менее весело наблюдать тупейшэго ИИ в сингле, к которому уверенна прокатившись блицкригом как гроссватэр, приходишь просить пощади в его последний город с населением в 2. Поэтому и из за зачем-та вырезанных цивилизаций, доступных лишь за отдельную плату собственна лишь 9.    Потрясающая игра, наиграл часов 5000, кста.
    Весело в мультиплеере, не менее весело наблюдать тупейшэго ИИ в сингле, к которому уверенна прокатившись блицкригом как гроссватэр, приходишь просить пощади в его последний город с населением в 2. Поэтому и из за зачем-та вырезанных цивилизаций, доступных лишь за отдельную плату собственна лишь 9.
  21. Feels64
    Apr 20, 2018
    9
    My favorite strategy game. I have played Civ 5 since release and always come back to it. With the DLC's it's really an incredible game. I'm using a few mods that enhance things further and fix a few gripes I have with UI. There's really only 2 things I don't like about the game. 1: There's a lot of vital information that is hidden from you. Things that you should be able to see. I use theMy favorite strategy game. I have played Civ 5 since release and always come back to it. With the DLC's it's really an incredible game. I'm using a few mods that enhance things further and fix a few gripes I have with UI. There's really only 2 things I don't like about the game. 1: There's a lot of vital information that is hidden from you. Things that you should be able to see. I use the mod InfoAddict to counter this. and 2: The AI, though they should be predictable and for the most part are, occasionally do really stupid and infuriating things that make no sense. Why are you mad at me for not getting along with the Mongols? Weren't you at war with them a few turns ago? Nonetheless, fantastic game. I love it so much I haven't even glanced at Civ 6. This game suits all my strategy civ-like needs.… Expand
  22. AteshPasha
    Feb 1, 2019
    9
    gameplay is very good but sometimes it can be boring gameplay because it repeats itself.graphic enough for a strategy game.
  23. RoamGod
    Feb 23, 2019
    9
    Из-за этой игры я начал интересоваться культурой разных стран.
    Например играл я за Наполеона,а после игры я просто взял и прочитал несколько книг про их историю.Настолько это игра тебя затягивает своим геймплеем.
  24. Noah-
    Mar 28, 2019
    9
    One of the best strategies of all time. Play interesting,the game has a large number of countries and many ways to win. I liked the fifth part more than the others. But one game lasts a very long time, you can sit and play all day,if not more.
  25. isaacm
    Jul 20, 2019
    9
    one of my favorite games ever. i always come back to it it so fun i play it for hours at a time. i never played strategic turn based games before but i loved this game its a great entry point into these types of games. easy to understand hard to master. the game has lots of options on how to play many civs to choose from and with mods being so easy to use it doesn't lose anyone of my favorite games ever. i always come back to it it so fun i play it for hours at a time. i never played strategic turn based games before but i loved this game its a great entry point into these types of games. easy to understand hard to master. the game has lots of options on how to play many civs to choose from and with mods being so easy to use it doesn't lose any replay-ability once you've played the first time.… Expand
  26. Kekkone
    Dec 11, 2020
    9
    Best Civ in my opinion, although I find it hard to compare this with Civ II (especially the Test of Time), which was awesome at its time.

    To get everything out of this game, you absolutely have to have the DLCs, which combined are not too cheap. Diplomacy could have a bit more depth and there could be more varied victory conditions, and also the civ bonuses and social policies should    Best Civ in my opinion, although I find it hard to compare this with Civ II (especially the Test of Time), which was awesome at its time.

    To get everything out of this game, you absolutely have to have the DLCs, which combined are not too cheap. Diplomacy could have a bit more depth and there could be more varied victory conditions, and also the civ bonuses and social policies should be better balanced (can be fixed with mods1), but still it's a great game.    … Expand
  27. CriticalHit20
    Oct 23, 2019
    9
    Lots of strategic fun. Late game turns can take forever though. I usually try not to build too many cities.
  28. sss_riders
    Jan 22, 2020
    9
    Civilization V or Civil 5 I call it!.... I give this game a 9.0 out of 10 rating because this game is absolutely by far the most anticipated strategy game I have ever played even though this came out in 2010. Civilization V is one of the first 4X strategy type of games I have ever played in my entire life except for Civilization IV but I never stuck to it because it didn't interested meCivilization V or Civil 5 I call it!.... I give this game a 9.0 out of 10 rating because this game is absolutely by far the most anticipated strategy game I have ever played even though this came out in 2010. Civilization V is one of the first 4X strategy type of games I have ever played in my entire life except for Civilization IV but I never stuck to it because it didn't interested me back then. However this game has been one of the most creative, intricate, analytic and diplomatic game I have ever played. So many Gold stars I just want to give it lol. A game that allows different Victories for example Domination, Cultural, Science, Diplomatic and Time. I love all the different civilizations I can be including the Added DLC packs and expansion packs of this game. I love that you can chose a large number of teams of AI or players added to the map where as other RTS games only allow 6-8 but here you can have more playing simultaneously. The maps are huge and small which gives a variety of ways to play. I also love how you take turns for each player because it reminds of board games I use to play, and always have to come up with different strategies and Ideas to counter or to interact with other players. Civ 5 does just that. I also love the fact that you can come up with different ideas every turn and solving problems and coming up with solutions for example; when to attack, should I trade, should I ask city states to help me declare war on and many more. This game has thousands of options to chose for. This was the first game I had to write a review because it was too good to not say anything about it. This game is definitely a 9/10 for and has so many Pros to offer.
    There are cons in this game. Warmonger I almost won in turn 70 but I didn't like how AI can Guard themselves because its a bit unfair because in late game, like Turn 200, they were too hard to compete even though I was declining every friendship they wanted with me. I wish Warmonger penalties weren't that harsh, I mean I came up with a strategy of a large force to take them out in a few turns. Lucky last Positive Religion and Culture is a great feature for me to change from War fighting destruction sort of style a play and actually focused on converting enemy kingdoms to accept my religion. Thats a bonus score added to this game. Well done 2K Games you have made me come back from playing no games for years into playing something that can be a bit too addictive .    … Expand
  29. KonstantinPayne
    Aug 29, 2020
    9
    Не стоит слушать тех, кто считает ванильную 5 цивилизацию лучше шестерки. Визуально - возможно да, но в случае механик и глубины геймплея определенно нет. Желаете сыграть в супремативную цивилизацию, устанавливайте мод Vox Populi, а можно еще и Enlightment Era. Все дополнения пятерки меркнут по сравнению с этим гигантом, вписывающимся в игру безупречно. В этом случае да, пятая частьНе стоит слушать тех, кто считает ванильную 5 цивилизацию лучше шестерки. Визуально - возможно да, но в случае механик и глубины геймплея определенно нет. Желаете сыграть в супремативную цивилизацию, устанавливайте мод Vox Populi, а можно еще и Enlightment Era. Все дополнения пятерки меркнут по сравнению с этим гигантом, вписывающимся в игру безупречно. В этом случае да, пятая часть бессмертная, уже сейчас, классика.… Expand
  30. MasterFoxMan
    Nov 30, 2022
    9
    Being my first real taste of the civilization games it started off bittersweet for the first 50 or so hours. I didn't fully understand what I was getting into and how it was "supposed" to be played.

    It took me around 150 hours before it clicked, and the fast addiction to the game had begun. The systems of Civ 5 are by far the most simple we have seen in the series (Even when compared to    Being my first real taste of the civilization games it started off bittersweet for the first 50 or so hours. I didn't fully understand what I was getting into and how it was "supposed" to be played.

    It took me around 150 hours before it clicked, and the fast addiction to the game had begun. The systems of Civ 5 are by far the most simple we have seen in the series (Even when compared to the newest Civ 6) and can easily be picked up.

    Although there are still issues, specifically with the AI and some of the choices (Or lack of choosing a choice) it can make. From suddenly being an ally to some minor political move making them an enemy and suddenly the world congress wants to embargo you from the world. Crippling your economy over a singular turn. To the AI declaring war when you far outnumber them and as soon as they are able to offer a peace deal for YOUR cities.

    Then on top of it all the game has a massive snowball effect in terms of science the high level Ais may do and just spiral out of control for you the player to deal with. Which can lead to you losing a game before it's begun but you don't realize it till it's way too late.

    Oh, and once you play online multiplayer this "AI" breaks completely, making any online game nearly feel hollow as it's just you and your few friends playing together as the AI sits and does mostly nothing the entire time

    Now, despite these flaws, this is still one of my favorite strategy games of all time, I continue to come back this game every few months and do a few day binge of it. With mod support it has you can make nearly limitless amount of possible civs, strategies, and even full conversion mods that can turn this game into a HARDCORE strategy game to the finest details.

    A game I will continue to recommend to my friends especially if they ask for a good strategy game!    … Expand
  31. FidelGastro
    May 16, 2020
    9
    One of the best strategic games created ever. I have over 2000 hours played in this game. I love playing it when im traveling on train for hours and hours.
    Every game you play is different. It still looks good. I actually love it more than VI.

    9/10
  32. Hellgates666
    Jun 25, 2020
    9
    This game is easily one of the best strategy games ever created, and it's beautifully crafted. With the power to suck you in for hours on end, beautiful graphics, and endless gameplay possibilities, Civ V will always leave you wanting more. This game forces you to simultaneously plan ahead, strategize in innovative ways, and think on your feet, all at the same time. Truly a masterpieceThis game is easily one of the best strategy games ever created, and it's beautifully crafted. With the power to suck you in for hours on end, beautiful graphics, and endless gameplay possibilities, Civ V will always leave you wanting more. This game forces you to simultaneously plan ahead, strategize in innovative ways, and think on your feet, all at the same time. Truly a masterpiece within it's genre.… Expand
  33. DIDAZ
    Oct 3, 2020
    9
    Jeu ayant une durée de vie infinie. Chaque partie est unique. Un des meilleurs jeu de stratégie de tout les temps. 9/10
  34. Fallconex
    Dec 17, 2020
    9
    Spent many hours playing, multiplayer is well done. The game is full of interesting content and mechanics.
  35. OldManGamerOMG
    Dec 7, 2020
    9
    Civilization V is a very addictively fun strategy game. The fun historical facts thrown in, along with the personalities that have related bonuses for having that said leader make this game more challenging and increases the replayability. Having it on random is not nearly as fun, as you do not get to line up the bonuses with the map that you will play, but it does add to the difficulty,Civilization V is a very addictively fun strategy game. The fun historical facts thrown in, along with the personalities that have related bonuses for having that said leader make this game more challenging and increases the replayability. Having it on random is not nearly as fun, as you do not get to line up the bonuses with the map that you will play, but it does add to the difficulty, if you, for instance, get Queen Elizabeth I on a map that isn't good for naval combat, which is her biggest bonuses.

    The fun with Civilization V that keeps me coming back, is it is fun to build, fun to be diplomatic, though the computer controlled players are very unpredictable and will hate you no matter what in the end. For instance, I was in a position of being friends with a map of 15 other civilizations, when just after declaring our friendship, 3 declared war on me. I took their lands and that set me to dominating the map, so I cannot complain too much. I ended up winning through culture in that match, which brings up another thing that absolutely love about this game. Victory is not any one thing. You can win by being diplomatic and convincing other civilizations to vote you as world leader; you can win by decimating your foes and taking their starting capitals (or all cities if changed in the options); you can win what I find as the easiest way to win, via the culture victory; and you can win via science, and launching a space shuttle into space, leading to the next game which I will be playing soon.

    The combat is also fun to watch, and after playing for quite some time, and when you are going for a faster match, you can turn off the combat animations and have it instantly display the health changed and results. While you have the animations on, however, you can see each troop do their own specific type of attack or defense. The naval combat is my favorite thing to focus on, as having a good naval fleet is very powerful in this game. There is nothing like having an aircraft carrier, a couple of missile cruisers and a couple of nuclear submarines loaded along the shore of your next target. It takes a little bit to get built up that powerful, so you have to be diplomatic to start, especially if you try to hold off making too many troops up to that point. If you do not like naval combat and prefer ground troups, you will love the giant death robots, which obliterate their enemies. Strategy of using them is important, as you can easily lose your strongest troops if you do not plan your attacks well. The maps you choose also make a huge impact on the flow of the game, and your play style within it.

    Whether you are militaristic, diplomatic, scientific, or a builder of culture, religion and/or trade, this game has a path for you to take for victory. I definitely recommend Civilization V for strategy gamers, and all gamers who might be on the fence.

    I personally am not impressed with Civilization VI, and will be enjoying this game a while longer, until Civilization VII finds its way about.    … Expand
  36. ThaMoor88
    Jun 7, 2022
    9
    I only played 1000 hours, and still think it's a pretty nice game. Liked it more that Civ 6.
  37. MDXV
    Jan 27, 2023
    9
    Like
    LikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLike
  38. KiraSSJ2
    May 7, 2021
    9
    For me on of best strategy games, Game play is very satisfying, One bad thing is units' auto move, they don't know which way should go. Different options in difficult always do good job.
  39. CheetoPhingers
    Aug 18, 2021
    9
    Great game for those who like siv games. Not terribly challenging but fun for those that like to build.
  40. KarlStorm
    Sep 7, 2021
    9
    Civilization V engages and gives a lot of satisfaction, great music, great challenges and curiosity what the new gameplay will bring. The only drawback is AI. A very good strategy game.
  41. meatmant
    Nov 7, 2021
    9
    Геймплей - 10/10
    Графон и визуальный стиль - 8/10
    Сюжет - 10/10 (выбираешь сам абсолютно)
    Саундтрек - 9/10
    Общая оценка - 9/10
  42. IJustWorkHere
    Nov 17, 2021
    9
    I'm glad to see Civ V get some love on Metacritic. I enjoyed both it and Civ VI and consider them to be some of my favorite games. I have over 500 hours in this game according to Steam which is amazing to me but also makes sense considering how immersive it is. As Online Co-Op games go, this is a top pick.
  43. Rnoviok
    Dec 4, 2021
    9
    the best game in the series
    fun for up to hundreds of hours .
  44. Jackie_Jackson
    May 26, 2022
    9
    Я понимаю что это не лучшая цива евер но для меня это лучшая цива евер а вы как думали
  45. imalynxcat
    May 1, 2023
    9
    I do not like stratagy games but civilization 5 is something different for me. I enjoy every moment i play.
  46. fnenamg
    Sep 8, 2023
    9
    The unique atmosphere of this game is still unforgettable. It splendidly and wonderfully satisfies the demands of history enthusiasts. It's still a great game even for those not interested in history.
  47. Goosebump
    Mar 15, 2011
    8
    Very nice game. Was looking forward to it and am happy with it overall. The only downside for me is the inability to skip the cinematic stuff at the start promptly and in a large game that's gone on for a while, your computer may start to feel like it's suffering from Arthritis! (8 GB Ram Win7 64bit). Worth buying though to any Civ fan - very enjoyable.
  48. derpderpderp
    Sep 24, 2010
    8
    First things first; All credit goes to Firaxis who still show faith in the pc by releasing civ V, even though they have given nods to the consoles with Civ Revolutions in the past.

    I think Civ V overall is a well designed game. It is a completely different game compared to IV, and that is also saying something in an era where a rehash is simply enough to guarantee equal sales. And the    First things first; All credit goes to Firaxis who still show faith in the pc by releasing civ V, even though they have given nods to the consoles with Civ Revolutions in the past.

    I think Civ V overall is a well designed game. It is a completely different game compared to IV, and that is also saying something in an era where a rehash is simply enough to guarantee equal sales. And the radical changes that make the game so different work very well, and give a new experience after 20 years of civilization.

    Some changes really add extra depth and flexibility to the game, but overall it does feel like Civ V compensates a bit too much when it tries to appease the market of new civ enthusiasts. If you are a fanatic of the previous games in the franchise, you will notice how the total weight changes suck the depth out of the franchise. Some changes are huge improvements, but Civ V seems to go overboard at times. I cannot blame them, because Firaxis needs to extend it's market appeal to the new crowd. As said, if you are a civ veteran, you may feel that the game is a bit more restrictive in it's radical changes.

    Also, I am not too fond of the long waits between turns later in the game, or the games high specs. it will need alot of love from the developer with patches and expansions, and a dedicated modding community to make it appealing for the hardcore civ fan. But the expansions and mods added a lot to Civ IV(that was haunted by similar problems), so I believe that this game will be great.    … Expand
  49. Tubie
    Oct 7, 2010
    8
    This is a very good game. I might not rate it higher because I over hyped myself too much over it but after a few marathon sessions I can say I am satisfied. I am not a long time fan of the series, I did play Civilization IV for longer than I should admit to so I can only compare the two and so far I think IV had a bigger impact on me.
  50. Breat
    Oct 13, 2010
    8
    à première vue très simplifier comparé aux anciens opus, mais il n'en est rien. le point négatif principal étant le manque de civilisations, ce qui je pense sera corriger via divers DLC
  51. MrPozor
    Oct 14, 2010
    8
    Civ5 is great. The developers started from scratch, trying new things and throwing old ballast over board. Some people might not like the game because it is very different from Civ4. But the additions really make for a much better gaming experience (Hexagonal tiles, only 1 unit per tile etc.). The game is also very stable on my computer and looks stunning.
    On the downside, there are still    Civ5 is great. The developers started from scratch, trying new things and throwing old ballast over board. Some people might not like the game because it is very different from Civ4. But the additions really make for a much better gaming experience (Hexagonal tiles, only 1 unit per tile etc.). The game is also very stable on my computer and looks stunning.
    On the downside, there are still some bugs, the AI is dumb as ever and the game could benefit from more layers of complexity. The former will probably be fixed by patches, the latter by expansions as has been the case with previous installments.    … Expand
  52. goodsnpr
    Oct 14, 2010
    8
    Very solid game that did alot of what it promised, yet compared to some aspects of CIV 3 & 4, its lacking some content. I've not played multiplayer, but singleplayer is a wonderful game that when played on the right difficulty, gives you enough of a challange without having to worry about stacks of doom rolling over your cities. Example: Held a single tile bridge chokepoint with nothingVery solid game that did alot of what it promised, yet compared to some aspects of CIV 3 & 4, its lacking some content. I've not played multiplayer, but singleplayer is a wonderful game that when played on the right difficulty, gives you enough of a challange without having to worry about stacks of doom rolling over your cities. Example: Held a single tile bridge chokepoint with nothing but a spearman and archer against a horde of enemies. Some of the downfalls is inbalance between civilization attributes and civil policies seem a bit bulky. Also noticed that you can fall into debt fast, and not have any way out short of war, and thats without building up a large army or alot of buildings.… Expand
  53. Ashton2571
    Oct 19, 2010
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Civilization V was unfortunately dumbed down to the point which all the advanced features were gone, features such as espionage. Another disappointing feature was the victory screen, where was the video? where was the spaceship flying to alpha centuri? the victory screens were unfortunatly simple and boring. Not to mention the numerous bugs (such as the infinate iron and horse bug); Besides that, Civilization 5 had much more interesting game combat and the introduction of social policies was also exciting. 6/10… Expand
  54. gizm0steve
    Oct 20, 2010
    8
    The biggest problem with this game is that it's too true to a near-perfect form. It is a sequel like Sims 3 is to Sims 2. If I had not already burnt out on Alpha Centauri and Civilization IV, I would be just as hooked to the incredible gameplay. Updated graphics, better AI, and tweaked gameplay (arguably for the better). It's more robust while being more accessible. There are some majorThe biggest problem with this game is that it's too true to a near-perfect form. It is a sequel like Sims 3 is to Sims 2. If I had not already burnt out on Alpha Centauri and Civilization IV, I would be just as hooked to the incredible gameplay. Updated graphics, better AI, and tweaked gameplay (arguably for the better). It's more robust while being more accessible. There are some major flaws however with the diplomacy system. Maybe it's just not intuitive - or simply useless. For example, what does a Pact of Cooperation and Secrecy mean? No explanation in-game as far as I can see. A diplomatic win condition really has more to do with protecting city-states while dumping exorbitant loads of cash on them rather than maintaining peaceful relations with other players. Too many leader-characters have war-mongering bonuses. Overall the balance of the game could be more polished in these regards. However, it's still very recommendable to strategy or simulation gamers of all persuasions, especially if they have not yet been touched by Meier's greatness.… Expand
  55. Industrial
    Nov 4, 2010
    8
    An excellent game. I haven't played civilization since CIV2, and it really is quite fun. It was easy to get into the game and start playing, etc. I haven't had any performance issues, crashes, etc. It got a little boring around 1300 AD for me, but quickly got interesting again.
  56. Psyco_
    Dec 3, 2010
    8
    This game is an amazing new addition to the Civ series. The 'feel' of the game is nothing new to experienced Civ player. But do not let this discourage you if you are not familiar with the series though! The game has a variety of difficulty settings, customizable rules and terms of victory to the game which makes it a fun game for the casual and more experienced player. You can choose manyThis game is an amazing new addition to the Civ series. The 'feel' of the game is nothing new to experienced Civ player. But do not let this discourage you if you are not familiar with the series though! The game has a variety of difficulty settings, customizable rules and terms of victory to the game which makes it a fun game for the casual and more experienced player. You can choose many different civilizations with their own specializations and unique units, which can be very enjoyable to explore.The culture trees are a fun way to make long term (but not absolutely decisive) strategic decisions for your empire. The tech tree is realistic and seems to be very accurate to real world dating of similar inventions. You can have hours of game play just experimenting with all these possibilities.
    A huge upside is that the developers listen to the players carefully and consider each proposition. The patches are huge and so far added quite a few extra options to enhance game play. One major flaw however, is that, in my opinion, they made a poor choice by (already) releasing several DLC packs this soon after release of the game which could already be added to the game in the first place. (for example the map packs called 'Cradle of Civilization' released early December 2010). However, it is to be expected these days. Be reassured: the packs do not enhance or alter the game play. So, if you do not want them you won't miss them. All in all it is, and will be, one of the better turn based strategy games with a wide variate of choices and options to win the game.    … Expand
  57. Ghengiz
    Mar 16, 2011
    8
    I was actually expecting a lot less than I got, so maybe my numbers are a little elevated over what they should be. Still, it felt like a great refinement of the franchise. I really missed Spock's voice, though.
  58. trpkamel
    Mar 5, 2011
    8
    Good overall game design, balanced and well polished. There might be a lack of depth and authenticity to the game, one wouldn't want to meet Vienna in southern Africa. The new tile design is a major step forward, although it fails to generate realistic maps in smaller worlds. Polished but more of the same.
  59. Amathev
    May 16, 2012
    8
    I hated it at first, and then I loved it.
    I guess that at first I had an idealized image of what the series was, but after actually having gone back to play the old games I came back with a fresh look on CIV V.
    This is now my favourite game in the series, although there are some things missing that I would like, but they're apparently going to be re-introduced in the upcoming expansion.
  60. hmjhoss
    Apr 28, 2011
    8
    I've played all of the Civ's. Frankly I'd much rather have a remake of Alpha Centauri than a new civ, but thats beside the point.

    Civ V is just like all the other civs, a remake on the previous one. There's things missing, things done well and things done not so well. No more roads and railroads to no where. that in of itself is awesome. No more doom stacks of units. This is a trade    I've played all of the Civ's. Frankly I'd much rather have a remake of Alpha Centauri than a new civ, but thats beside the point.

    Civ V is just like all the other civs, a remake on the previous one. There's things missing, things done well and things done not so well.

    No more roads and railroads to no where. that in of itself is awesome.

    No more doom stacks of units. This is a trade off really, but a change for the better in my opinion. One unit per city is also more of a good change than a bad one. It does put more focus on open ground than before.

    Social policies are neat, but they need some form of revolution put into them. I can do without religion... but it is something a lot of people liked.

    I'm okay with the tech tree, but one thing that really bothers me is the "Giant Death Robot." Sorry, but that belongs in a scenario not the normal tech tree.

    Diplomacy is just, lacking. It at least needs the little tooltip that pops up when you scroll over another civ's name that tells you the + points and - points. like: -2: Our close borders spark tensions.

    My first attempts at this game were met with mediocrity. I had my issues with it and I put it down for a bit. I gave it a real attempt a few weeks ago and found myself warming up to it. It needs more in the way of leaders and diplomacy, but I've come to really enjoy it. I'm sure the DLC / Exp's will address some of this, while I'm not the most keen on the idea of DLC, whatever works...

    Over all I very happy they are trying such (relatively) radical ideas with the Civ series. That means the franchise is still going at it. There's stuff that will push away some Civ 4 fans, but there's also a lot of novel ideas put into form. Try it, make your own judgement... I've put in 30 hours playing on a huge map with 14 civs going for a military victory. So something was done right if I'm still playing.

    This is more of a 7.5/10 on my scale. Giant Death Robot made it drop that extra .5... However, the most fun I ever had in a Civ game was Civ 1. A save game I put on a 3.5 Disk and lost... Earth map where the aztec's had all of North and South America fortified with better tech. I spent days taking all of it. Good times.

    Just do an alpha centauri remake please... I've lost my copy ages ago and cant find a new one.    … Expand
  61. drlowdon
    Mar 25, 2020
    8
    The latest instalment of the long running series continues the evolution of the ultimate strategy game. Starting with a single band of settlers at the dawn of man-kind the goal is to create the ultimate civilization to eclipse all rivals. Whether you do this by colonising the stars, waging war on your enemies or marvelling all comers with your sophisticated culture is completely up to you.The latest instalment of the long running series continues the evolution of the ultimate strategy game. Starting with a single band of settlers at the dawn of man-kind the goal is to create the ultimate civilization to eclipse all rivals. Whether you do this by colonising the stars, waging war on your enemies or marvelling all comers with your sophisticated culture is completely up to you.

    Forgoing the usual campaign mode Civilization instead allows players to create a world of their own devising and jump right into it either by themselves or with others in multiplayer. Customisation has always been key to the series and before each game players can choose the makeup of their world such as the balance of ocean to land or the scarcity of natural resources.

    Continuing its turned based, rather than real time, gameplay this new edition does make a few changes from the previous instalment. For the first time it ditches the square based tiles and replaces them with hexagons allowing for more realistic terrain movement. The ability to stack multiple units on single tiles is also removed. This prevents the 'stack of dooms' seen in previous titles that made battles dull wars of attrition at later stages of the game.

    As would be expected new technologies and units are also added to the mix and a few features, such as religion, have been removed although most impact positively on the gameplay. In the end whether you are successful or not the Civilization series has always been about creating your own stories and yet again it succeeds.    … Expand
  62. Erathil
    May 17, 2011
    8
    Civ V is a good game. I've been a fan of the series for over a decade and I can confidently say it stands well among its peers. It is greatly simplified over Civ IV, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing in this case. While I do miss the sheer depth of the last title Civ V has the sort of simplification that, more often than not, works well for the game. It's certainly a moreCiv V is a good game. I've been a fan of the series for over a decade and I can confidently say it stands well among its peers. It is greatly simplified over Civ IV, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing in this case. While I do miss the sheer depth of the last title Civ V has the sort of simplification that, more often than not, works well for the game. It's certainly a more approachable title for newcomers to the franchise, and there's still plenty for experiences players to finesse. The process of waging war is undeniably superior in this version, with the new hex grid adding a tactical element none of the other games ever had. The hex grid itself makes the playable world look and handle much nicer too. There are some definite improvements here, but the game doesn't quite live up to Civ IV's grandeur. Civ IV, especially after its expansions, is the better game, but Civ IV is one of the best 4x games ever conceived. By its own merits, Civilization V is still one of the best releases of the last year and well worth anyone's attention.… Expand
  63. dreambob
    Nov 20, 2011
    8
    fun if you have the computer power.
    a good board game that can be really fun if played with friends. the endless possibility's of strategy is going to keep you coming back.
    Playing with the ai is good up to 300 turns on a large world, Even with a decent pc, I was waiting a few minutes between turns.
  64. twentyfumble
    Feb 14, 2012
    8
    Long Civ fan here, been playing since Civ1 on the Amiga.

    Civ5 was full of bugs and incomplete features at release. Now, 1 year and half later, it's pretty stable and way more balanced. I have played more than 800 hours and the game is great, it's easily the best strategy game around. I don't give it 10/10 because it still has some flaws that need addressing and because I expected more    Long Civ fan here, been playing since Civ1 on the Amiga.

    Civ5 was full of bugs and incomplete features at release. Now, 1 year and half later, it's pretty stable and way more balanced. I have played more than 800 hours and the game is great, it's easily the best strategy game around. I don't give it 10/10 because it still has some flaws that need addressing and because I expected more from a Civ game. In fact some of the problems that rid Civ5 were brilliantly solved in Civ4, it's like Firaxis forgot what they did in their previous game and started from scratch. Despite some flaws, there are no game-breaking problems anymore, the game is great and will give you hundreds of hours of fun, the mod community is alive and there are some excellent mods around.    … Expand
  65. Wadeyboy
    Apr 5, 2012
    8
    The latest incarnation of the all time PC classic is the best yet. This latest version has changed to a hex based system and combat has been completely overhauled, making it much more tactical. After the disappointing Civ 4, this is a welcome return to form for the series and the turn based 'just one more go' gameplay is more addictive than ever. This version has integrated modding builtThe latest incarnation of the all time PC classic is the best yet. This latest version has changed to a hex based system and combat has been completely overhauled, making it much more tactical. After the disappointing Civ 4, this is a welcome return to form for the series and the turn based 'just one more go' gameplay is more addictive than ever. This version has integrated modding built into the interface and allows mods to be selected and loaded in-game very easily, giving it infinite replay value. Multiplayer implementation is now a much more viable proposition than in previous versions, making this the complete package. This game will take up many, many hours of your life and therefore comes wholeheartedly recommended.â… Expand
  66. Elc1247
    Jul 2, 2013
    8
    They decided to try to revamp the Civ series with Civ V, and in my opinion, they did a pretty decent job.

    If you are coming from Civ IV, there are quite a large number of changes that you need to note, the largest thing they changed was the fact that the map is hex-based and you are limited to 1 military, and 1 civilian unit per hex. This does allot to fix the anemic combat in the Civ    They decided to try to revamp the Civ series with Civ V, and in my opinion, they did a pretty decent job.

    If you are coming from Civ IV, there are quite a large number of changes that you need to note, the largest thing they changed was the fact that the map is hex-based and you are limited to 1 military, and 1 civilian unit per hex. This does allot to fix the anemic combat in the Civ games, and adds a large amount of actual strategy to fights, instead of moving stacks of death to steam-roll things. They also made it very hard to attack cities compared to before, since cities actually have a large amount of power, and can actually hold off a crowd of units by themselves.

    Anyways, if you enjoy building and managing an empire with the focus on managing the empire combined with some turn based combat, then Civ V is a great choice. If you didnt really like the Civ series before this due to the combat, try this one, its much better.

    The vanilla game is fun, but I would heavily recommend that you get the God & Kings expansion at the very least, as it fixes a ton of issues with the combat (all units health are measured with 100x more HP, so a modern tank cant be destroyed by bum-rushing with a mob of super low tech units), and adds a bunch of new things in the mix like espionage and religion.

    If you decide to get this game, get the gold edition. Prepare to lose many hours of sleep to this game once you start playing though... a standard game will last anywhere between 8-10 hours on average.    … Expand
  67. Yazah
    Nov 21, 2011
    8
    I loved the game, but am disappointed with how much is being sold as DLC rather than being included in the original game, and DLC that only adds civilizations and not really anything new or interesting. I do like most of the changes to the base game, but overall it is just another addition to a very successful franchise.
  68. Hemi
    Feb 3, 2013
    8
    I've been playing this franchise since Civ III Vanilla came out. It took a little while for me to get used to Civ V because I was used to the way things worked in past games. Managing your happiness, gold, culture, and science is no longer as simple as adjusting a slider. You have to have a plan for each of your cities or your goals won't be realized, especially on higher difficultyI've been playing this franchise since Civ III Vanilla came out. It took a little while for me to get used to Civ V because I was used to the way things worked in past games. Managing your happiness, gold, culture, and science is no longer as simple as adjusting a slider. You have to have a plan for each of your cities or your goals won't be realized, especially on higher difficulty settings. I don't like it as much as I liked Civ IV, but I haven't gone back to Civ IV either. The G&K expansion adds some nice touches with religion and espionage. Plus a whole lot of new Civilizations. Civilization still sets the bar for strategy games.… Expand
  69. danerman73
    Nov 20, 2011
    8
    This score may be a little misleading considering this game probably ties Civilization 3 with the lowest score I'd give a game in this wonderful series. That being said the game made a couple of bold choices that I believe help move the series forward. The two ideas I really love in this game is the one unit per tile combat system and the policy tree system. Many probably loved theThis score may be a little misleading considering this game probably ties Civilization 3 with the lowest score I'd give a game in this wonderful series. That being said the game made a couple of bold choices that I believe help move the series forward. The two ideas I really love in this game is the one unit per tile combat system and the policy tree system. Many probably loved the governments in the former games and I liked them too but I feel this system shows the evolution of a civilization better than a I'm going to be a despot for most of the game then suddenly switch to communism or democracy towards the end. I feel it shows the idea that the history of your culture is not lost and allows ideas like England having a republic/democracy but keeping its original monarchy structure. Also allows for more customization of exactly how your economy/government structure is going to function. The things that disappoint me about the game is global happiness and the lack of espionage. Global happiness is too dumbed down and it's unrealistic that a poor town on the fringe of your empire would have the same happiness level as the capital city that is a thriving metropolis. The lack of espionage to me is the biggest miss, I enjoyed both using espionage to my advantage and defending my cities from enemy use of espionage. It's a vital part of the dynamics of war and diplomacy throughout history and I wish they would have kept the idea in the games. Overall a good game, not on the level of Civ 2 or Civ 4 but another yet another good addition that helps move the series forward.… Expand
  70. Ztride
    Jan 20, 2012
    8
    A fun game with lots of replay value. The main things I dont' like about it is the overly aggressive AI. Your ally from the last 100 turns could just choose to attack you over nothing because you might be a threat considering you share borders. The game has quite a good balance between accessibility and depth, but I'd like to have more depth in combat, while it is still a vast improvementA fun game with lots of replay value. The main things I dont' like about it is the overly aggressive AI. Your ally from the last 100 turns could just choose to attack you over nothing because you might be a threat considering you share borders. The game has quite a good balance between accessibility and depth, but I'd like to have more depth in combat, while it is still a vast improvement over previous iterations.… Expand
  71. Dusty_Hayes
    Apr 21, 2015
    8
    If you are going to buy Civ V or new to the series get Sid Meier's Civilization V: Complete Edition instead, since this is the the best and the definitive version of Civ V with all the flaws ironed out.
  72. JawnMan
    Feb 28, 2012
    8
    I played about 20 hours of Civ IV almost 5 years ago so my memory of the game is hazy, and I basically came into Civ 5 as a newcomer. The game is addicting. I can see why veterans prefer the previous title. It was more challenging, there were more civilizations, multiplayer was more stable, it was DRM free, etc. Civ 5 makes it much easier to learn the game and presents a superior interfaceI played about 20 hours of Civ IV almost 5 years ago so my memory of the game is hazy, and I basically came into Civ 5 as a newcomer. The game is addicting. I can see why veterans prefer the previous title. It was more challenging, there were more civilizations, multiplayer was more stable, it was DRM free, etc. Civ 5 makes it much easier to learn the game and presents a superior interface and better graphics (which it better do since it came out in 2010 and the budget I assume was huge). The strategy is still there and the introduction of the hex grid is arguably better. For newcomers, this is a great place to start and get a feel for the game. What I dislike about the game are the poor AI diplomacy, unfair AI difficulty in later settings, and a botched multiplayer that lacks turn animations, has consistent connectivity issues, and puts players in unfair location on the map (sometimes 3 players can be on the same continent while a 4th player is by himself on a separate continent). But aside from that, it's still a fun game and I've spent 70 hours with it so far.… Expand
  73. ChoicestGames
    Mar 3, 2012
    8
    There are a lot of good ideas here but unfortunately a myriad of performance issues and a sloppy multiplayer mode prevents this Civ iteration from achieving true greatness.
  74. taygor
    May 14, 2012
    8
    Good version of Civ games, new generation of victory conditions and interactions with other nations on map. Graphics good, replayability good, a knock on in game cutscenes being replaces with static images, and some on screen improvement tiles losing in game action. The mines used to actually have cars and flames, etc.
  75. TotalNyan
    Jul 22, 2012
    8
    Having never played a Civilization game before this, I was pretty pleased with this game. I can't compare it to Civ 4 like others, but what I got was a varied turn-based strategy game that was a lot of fun. I agree with others that the city-state mechanic is awful - they often just act as a frustrating buffer between you and enemies. However, they can be removed. The game was prettyHaving never played a Civilization game before this, I was pretty pleased with this game. I can't compare it to Civ 4 like others, but what I got was a varied turn-based strategy game that was a lot of fun. I agree with others that the city-state mechanic is awful - they often just act as a frustrating buffer between you and enemies. However, they can be removed. The game was pretty enjoyable and provides a lot of play time for your money. It must be said that the steamworks modding system is really good and some of the mods are useful and others change the game enough to keep it interesting.… Expand
  76. Jouna92
    Dec 25, 2013
    8
    Civilization V is one of the best turn-based strategy games (very addictive). Not many problems but overly aggressive A.I. is really kind of annoying.
  77. Ahthurungnone
    Jan 4, 2013
    8
    This Civ V brings lower depth to the series but with it's new Workshop players are able to create a new experience with mods. With the new Workshop people are able to get a mod that creates more depth to an equal level with Civ IV such as this http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=77097295&searchtext=Nights
  78. pokrishka
    Dec 7, 2015
    8
    It's a very strong entry to the series of a well-deserved praise. I rate Civ V as a whole game with all the expansions so you might wish to buy some sort of golden edition for a complete experience since expansions add a lot.
  79. iseeall
    Jul 26, 2013
    8
    As a lifetime of Civilization and Alpha Centauri, I liked this game. Actually, the 5th version is better than 3d and 4th. It's also slightly better than Civ 2 but still a bit worse than Alpha Centauri.
    The new things i liked were the hex grid, the ranged units (though they were in Alpha Centauri already), the cities which can fire at enemies, the OCC mode, the civ-specific bonuses, the    As a lifetime of Civilization and Alpha Centauri, I liked this game. Actually, the 5th version is better than 3d and 4th. It's also slightly better than Civ 2 but still a bit worse than Alpha Centauri.
    The new things i liked were the hex grid, the ranged units (though they were in Alpha Centauri already), the cities which can fire at enemies, the OCC mode, the civ-specific bonuses, the culture and growth of city-worked area.
    The things I didn't like are the independent cities (useless and pointless addition, I just conquered them all), the strange new system of happiness (depends on special resources, wft), and the strange system of government tweaking (you just unlock something once, and it stays).
    Overall, it's a good game and I played it 5 or 10 times in total, won on 6th level of difficulty (but never managed to beat the 7th). I am still playing Alpha Centauri and have been playing it for 10 years at least, just for comparison.
    Cmon guys, please make Alpha Centauri 2.    … Expand
  80. Creardo
    Aug 12, 2013
    8
    It´s important to look at details in every work that has its history of doing great things. But what most bored me in Civ V were, beyond the details, the feelling. The feeling that the old and invincible atmosphere of great games, like Civ II and Civ III, or til the good job from Civ IV, were completely missed by a kind of test or adventure to try a "new thing" that perhaps would make someIt´s important to look at details in every work that has its history of doing great things. But what most bored me in Civ V were, beyond the details, the feelling. The feeling that the old and invincible atmosphere of great games, like Civ II and Civ III, or til the good job from Civ IV, were completely missed by a kind of test or adventure to try a "new thing" that perhaps would make some revolution... here is the thing: they tried, but they couldn´t. Civ V is a disrespect to everything that previous Civilization games gathered.… Expand
  81. joeybear
    Dec 29, 2012
    8
    The game is plays well enough, looks nice and has great peripheral qualities. However it ultimately feels like a step back from CIV 4. Many of the intriguing elements of the previous installment are missing here. There is less resources, less improvements, no religion and your limited to one unit per tile. The global happiness mechanic doesn't perform as intended. The civ-specificThe game is plays well enough, looks nice and has great peripheral qualities. However it ultimately feels like a step back from CIV 4. Many of the intriguing elements of the previous installment are missing here. There is less resources, less improvements, no religion and your limited to one unit per tile. The global happiness mechanic doesn't perform as intended. The civ-specific abilities are extremely unbalanced. City states are more a nuisance than anything else and are out of place in a 4X game.… Expand
  82. jangers
    Mar 4, 2013
    8
    My first experience with a series of "Civilization" I would rate positively. This is good and nice strategy game giving a lot of possibilities to create and lead their own civilization to victory. The game addictive well but end-game is boring
  83. Seryin
    Dec 16, 2013
    8
    I bought this during a major sale and to be honest, thought it was quite boring at first. Every once in a while I would get in the mood to play it, would get a few hours into a match, and then end up quitting it or starting a new one.
    These games were never my type of game anyway...
    However, recently I picked the game back up and started a new match. This time, I managed to make it    I bought this during a major sale and to be honest, thought it was quite boring at first. Every once in a while I would get in the mood to play it, would get a few hours into a match, and then end up quitting it or starting a new one.
    These games were never my type of game anyway...

    However, recently I picked the game back up and started a new match. This time, I managed to make it into the 1700s-1800s and found myself getting extremely into the game. After minding my own business for quite some time, Queen Elizabeth started spying on me and stole my technology! I mean, what a b****! I gave her luxury pearls for nothing when her kingdom needed it most! So I decided to go and confront her about it and she just blows me off! This is unacceptable! Let's see how she feels when her Prodestant missionaries show up in my Buddhist's Holy City again!!!...And then after I wiped her smug attitude off the continent, I took over the World Congress and enacted MY religion as the world religion! I hold 60% of the delegates and no one will stop me! MY RELIGION WILL RULE THE WORLD!!!!!!

    You get the idea.....    … Expand
  84. ILikeBosch
    Mar 14, 2013
    8
    This is the first game I've played in the Civ series, which is probably why I'm giving it an 8/10. Civ 5 does have faults, but they're not as nagging to me as they might be to a true Civ veteran. Diplomacy is broken, and has been through several patches (even G&K didn't fix it). Why is it that I can sell a luxury for 240 gold easily to someone else, but when I try to buy one of theirThis is the first game I've played in the Civ series, which is probably why I'm giving it an 8/10. Civ 5 does have faults, but they're not as nagging to me as they might be to a true Civ veteran. Diplomacy is broken, and has been through several patches (even G&K didn't fix it). Why is it that I can sell a luxury for 240 gold easily to someone else, but when I try to buy one of their surplus luxuries for 240, they woefully demand I give them half of my cities as well as 3 additional luxuries? Other than that oversight, the game is sleek and pretty in its design and gameplay. Civ personalities are more or less true to nature, and the random personalities option is ALWAYS a pleasure. I haven't played anything past difficulty 5, so I'm unsure of how stacked the odds are in your favor of winning through anything other than domination. I enjoy the game immensely on Prince difficulty as it seems the most balanced for my caliber. If you have an interest in turn-based strategy that isn't wholly polluted with infinitesimal management points, this is a wonderful game to start with. The large selection of civs, as well as cheap DLC, will keep you coming back for years to come (if it's true that Civ 6 isn't coming until Q4 2015). Can't wait for the next installment or DLC.… Expand
  85. kaohunter
    Apr 26, 2013
    8
    If you want to buy this game its about an 8 I think standalone but with Gods and Kings Id say its a 10 it fixes almost all its problems and I've played way more gods and kings than vanilla Civ 5.
  86. 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
  87. GleeSNIPEshot
    Jun 16, 2013
    8
    I love this game, I started off on civ when I illegally downloaded civ 2 and loved it so much I got my parents to buy it.. I bought civ 3, 4, and 5 too as quick as possible. Civ vets are obviously going to notice a big loss in micro control over tons of different aspects of the game, it's much more simple then the past... kind of sucks in a way, I do miss the control.. but I dig the easeI love this game, I started off on civ when I illegally downloaded civ 2 and loved it so much I got my parents to buy it.. I bought civ 3, 4, and 5 too as quick as possible. Civ vets are obviously going to notice a big loss in micro control over tons of different aspects of the game, it's much more simple then the past... kind of sucks in a way, I do miss the control.. but I dig the ease of learning it new, I've been able to get more people planning it then the older ones, because everyone was just too scared.. I love the combat with non stackables, thats one reason the AI was so good in the old, it's a computer and can manage 100 units on one tile better then a human, graphics are gorgeous.. I will add I didn't like they left the spys and UN voting concept out for DLC, kind of felt cheated on that a little, but the game is still a great game, it's like a new flavor of the old, battles are more enjoyably, and the key concepts of tech, culture, and diplomacy are great.. The best thing that makes this game for me is the multiplayer, I play on the LAN with multiple friends, (Noobies and vets, since it's more friendly for noobs now) and I have a blast, we can play marathon for weeks and have so much fun with diplomacy and allying up with friends against other friends. PS 60 dollars is a lot, catch a deal at steam, I got two more copys for friends on steam this weekend for 13 dollars each!! (that was with all DLC EXCEPT the brave new world DLC coming next month)hope this helps one person at least… Expand
  88. tenmuter
    Jun 18, 2013
    8
    I love this game. I bought it on steam so it's easy to mod and I found the gods and kings expansion a real improvement over vanilla (where I would often run out of luxury resources and my people would be pissed at me). My beef with this game is that I find the map types really limiting. I would like to see more creativity in the map designs and then maybe I will stop playing on fourI love this game. I bought it on steam so it's easy to mod and I found the gods and kings expansion a real improvement over vanilla (where I would often run out of luxury resources and my people would be pissed at me). My beef with this game is that I find the map types really limiting. I would like to see more creativity in the map designs and then maybe I will stop playing on four corners, continents, and pangea. All in all, this was my first Civ game and I really enjoyed the simplicity of the user interface and the complexity of figuring out how to do well in this game. I would recommend this game to others.… Expand
  89. HONDOMAN
    Oct 15, 2013
    8
    This game is the most addicting game I have ever played. While I have only played Civilization IV and this one, I can say that Civilization V is fantastic. Managing an entire empire is extremely fun to do. this game is also very visually appealing. My biggest concern with it was that everyone seems to hate you because you settle land that nobody owns, but the leaders "consider it theirs."This game is the most addicting game I have ever played. While I have only played Civilization IV and this one, I can say that Civilization V is fantastic. Managing an entire empire is extremely fun to do. this game is also very visually appealing. My biggest concern with it was that everyone seems to hate you because you settle land that nobody owns, but the leaders "consider it theirs." Also passed about 500 turns, the game can get glitchy no matter what computer I play it on.… Expand
  90. RyukosYlithrien
    Mar 24, 2015
    8
    I enjoy playing this games, though it does get on my nerves quite a lot. That one wonder you really want to build, and have spent x amount of turns building... yeah, some AI will build it one turn before you finish building it. It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't key to my success and I'd rushed it, but oh well.

    Also, the not being able to stack Units to create armies can get very    I enjoy playing this games, though it does get on my nerves quite a lot. That one wonder you really want to build, and have spent x amount of turns building... yeah, some AI will build it one turn before you finish building it. It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't key to my success and I'd rushed it, but oh well.

    Also, the not being able to stack Units to create armies can get very annoying. I preferred the Combat in Civ IV where you could stack units, whack a great General on top, activate its ability and boom, everyone gains experience. Now your Great General has a tendency to take the most dangerous route possible if you don't manually direct him every step of the way. Not very "great" if you ask me.

    I have the two expansions and they really did make the game deeper. overall, i suggest getting the game, however be prepared for frustration, annoyance and anger, but also joy, relief and celebration.

    p.s. there is a bug that when ever i get to around 1000 AD the game crashes. Every time. So make sure you save... often...    … Expand
  91. Kazek7
    Feb 24, 2015
    8
    Civilization 5 is responsible for me going to sleep at 5am on numerous occasions. This game is highly addictive, and endlessly fun to play. Each of world leaders have their own personalities, and methods of victory, Such as Shaka for domination, Babylon for Science, and France for culture. It is far more enjoyable however to cause chaos and war, and of course nukes. The AI is smart atCivilization 5 is responsible for me going to sleep at 5am on numerous occasions. This game is highly addictive, and endlessly fun to play. Each of world leaders have their own personalities, and methods of victory, Such as Shaka for domination, Babylon for Science, and France for culture. It is far more enjoyable however to cause chaos and war, and of course nukes. The AI is smart at higher difficulties and may backstab you, or just attack your empire while it's weak. This game will have you forget about the time, which as stated previously can make you stay up all night. The game also supports mods, so you can get more entertainment out of that.
    My main major complaint against this game is the Multiplayer. Laggy, with no unit-animations, Which makes it completely boring. The AI also are unwilling to make a fair trade with you late game, and often when you have a large military it gets annoying to command 30+ units each turn.
    This game is definitely worth its cost. Civilization 5 will consume all your time, your social life, and your soul.    … Expand
  92. Isten
    Feb 26, 2014
    8
    I played the hell outta Civ3, skipped Civ4 and play a lot (like 400 hours +) of Civ V.

    It is a great casual time sink that still captures the spirit of the Civ experience. We joke it is spreadsheet empire creation, but really there are a lot of ways to win. I do miss world effects like Pollution, greenhouse, planting trees etc. I also think that the last expansion are Weak. Brave    I played the hell outta Civ3, skipped Civ4 and play a lot (like 400 hours +) of Civ V.

    It is a great casual time sink that still captures the spirit of the Civ experience.

    We joke it is spreadsheet empire creation, but really there are a lot of ways to win.

    I do miss world effects like Pollution, greenhouse, planting trees etc.
    I also think that the last expansion are Weak. Brave New World, not worth it. Culture / Tourism is awful and dull. Stick with Gods and Kings.

    Stacking armies I can take or leave. For me the effort it takes in Civ V to PROPERLY surround and take entrenched enemies / cities is a PERK not a down side.

    It does run a bit rough over the Multiplayer (I often switch to Grid view) later in the game as it tries to keep up with all the renders, AI actions and fights.

    Solid game. Just don't expect Civ 3 (or I guess 4)    … Expand
  93. thehumangerm
    May 26, 2014
    8
    Great game but you will want to pick up the first expansion at a minimum to truly enjoy the game. Brave New World really fixes almost all of the game mechanic issues found in this series. Combined they are a 10 in my book.
  94. The_Butcher
    Sep 24, 2014
    8
    Nice graphics / sound / music
    Improper balance of heroes ... some pretty useless
    a bit slow at start and turn very fast once you reach industrial era... i believe it should be slower.

    DLC should be free...
  95. TheMorbidMole
    Sep 13, 2014
    8
    a strategy fans dream come true. This game is simple to learn and reaches for that oh so hard to reach gigantic scale that strategy fans crave. also has an extremely high replay value. My only complaint is that it is puzzling that the game wasnt released with the content found in brave new world and gods and kings, I guess its a good money making trick.
  96. chayshirin
    Jun 25, 2016
    8
    A good strategy game is one that makes you lose your job, find yourself divorced, and hated by those around you.
    This does not exactly reach those heights, but you'll certainly be poorer after you're done with this game.
  97. edibleshrapnel
    Apr 25, 2015
    8
    PROS
    Extremely addictive, but radically different. I can honestly say after wasting 32 hours of my life on this game, it's pretty good. They changed the tiles to hexagons, which I think is unnecessary. But, good graphics, inter face, luxuries, interesting happiness system, I love the BNW expansion, and good gameplay in general.
    CONS Nobody plays Multiplayer, and after actually    PROS
    Extremely addictive, but radically different. I can honestly say after wasting 32 hours of my life on this game, it's pretty good. They changed the tiles to hexagons, which I think is unnecessary. But, good graphics, inter face, luxuries, interesting happiness system, I love the BNW expansion, and good gameplay in general.

    CONS
    Nobody plays Multiplayer, and after actually managing to find one, They quit on you, lose connection, Lag, Ping spike, whatever. Messed up. There are a few civ's that are superior to other, Assyrians, nuff said.    … Expand
  98. Rangaman
    May 3, 2017
    8
    A great game, with a few problems that drag it down. I've logged almost 300 hours on this game, more than any other game I own. Yes, I know that's pretty small by Civ standards, but it's particularly impressive by mine.

    So those problems: well, the easiest is Universal Happiness. It's a mechanic designed to limit expansion. In theory, population growth and city building add unhappiness,    A great game, with a few problems that drag it down. I've logged almost 300 hours on this game, more than any other game I own. Yes, I know that's pretty small by Civ standards, but it's particularly impressive by mine.

    So those problems: well, the easiest is Universal Happiness. It's a mechanic designed to limit expansion. In theory, population growth and city building add unhappiness, so you must please your population before expanding further. Sounds good, right? Wrong. Natural resources play a big part in this, and if you don't have any population-pleasing resources in range, you're screwed. On top of that, happiness is completely random at times. Dropping from 2 to -3 for seemingly no reason on one memorable occasion.

    Oh, and the AI is rock-stupid. And it will declare war on you for no good reason.

    But aside from those issues, Civ V is a fun, well-executed strategy game that, while perhaps not as well-balanced as its legendary predecessor, is definitely more accessible.    … Expand
  99. Lich_Master
    Jan 8, 2016
    8
    Good ideas were wasted here.
    Hexes and 1upt cover the fact that this game was released as CIV for dummies - and even after 2 expansions it is screaming STREAMLINES! STREAMLINES EVEYWHERE!

    Good game on it's own
    Bad step for series
  100. JustSomeGamer
    Jun 30, 2016
    8
    This game is in my opinion somewhat overrated, but still pretty good. This strategy game is about nearly all aspects of empires, from trading and economy to city building, war and even religion. This is a pro as well as a con in my opinion. The diversity is fun but it lacks some depth comparing to other strategy games, esspecially if you don't own the expansions.
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Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best PC Game of 2010
5
#5 Most Discussed PC Game of 2010
3
#3 Most Shared PC Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 70 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 66 out of 70
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 70
  3. Negative: 0 out of 70
  1. Thunderbolt
    Apr 3, 2011
    90
    Despite my gripe with the animations in multiplayer, Civilization V is the perfect entry for the series' debut in the current generation of gaming.
    Read full review
  2. games(TM)
    Jan 20, 2011
    80
    We're just a little bit disappointed that this Civ evolution isn't as polished as we'd expected. [Issue#102, p.108]
  3. Eurogamer Spain
    Jan 15, 2011
    80
    An old franchise that knows who to evolve to adapt to modern times. Its latest new ideas might not be perfect, but serve the purpose of making the game even more interesting.
    Read full review
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