Civilization Revolutions Demo Review

Another JC Braz Disclaimer: I am writing this review with two orange juice and vodkas in me.

Your’s truly is a real time strategy fan. Warcraft, Rise of Nations, Age of Empires, Starcraft, you name it. There has always been one franchise that has brought me to the brink of throwing my overpriced computer across the room; that game is Civilization. Much like Franciscan Nun’s take a vow of celibacy, I took a vow of celibacy from the Civilization series.

When I turned on my computer the other day, I saw a little cheeky fellow that looked like Napoleon that was urging me to download of a demo for Civilization Revolution. It was either GTAIV or the demo, I choose the demo.

I have to admit, this game is actually fun. JC Braz is a big history buff and enjoys nuances in games that have a historical significance. Revolutions fits that bill with the Civilopedia.

The one thing I hated, I absolutely detested about prior Civilization games, was what seemed like an overcomplicated and convoluted interface. Revolutions finally gets it right. Much like a bartender who takes four or five tries to get that perfect mixture, Sid Meier finally got it right.

Graphically, Revolutions is very colorful which is a nice change from the humdrum graphics of previous Civilization games. Your advisors pop up on the screen when you accomplish tasks like building cities, science, and deal with armies. It is kind of funny to see them push each out of the way when you change from task to task.

The game is essentially about building an empire. Unlike other RTS where you amass a fortune, build a ludicrous speed army, and annihilate the other player, this game can be won in several different ways. You can win with “culture” which for those pacifists out there, would be the preferable way of winning the game. This game does what other RTS games does not, it takes into consideration different playing styles.

The 360 versions is fantastically streamlined and perfectly mapped to the 360 controller. I wasn’t sure about the transition here, but it really works well.

I love the blatant stereotypes of the different leaders. If you don’t know what I mean, just check out the feminine Greeks. I actually visited some forums who were upset about the stereotypes. Seriously people, it’s a freaking game.

I am really looking forward to this game when it is released. I suggest the readers download the demo and give it a try for themselves.

Wow, a serious post by me.