Sid Meier's Civilization V

 

Excellent tactical battles and a slick interface make the latest Civilization another wonderful addition to a classic franchise.

The Good

• Hours of addictive turn-based glee  
• Fantastic new tactical combat system  
• Excellent interface makes it easy to keep track of every aspect of the game  
• Great automation features allow you to focus on the big picture  
• Lovely visuals and classical soundtrack.

The Bad

• Inconsistent, overly aggressive AI  
• Scattered annoyances, particularly in multiplayer.

Strategy fanatics have lost hundreds of hours of their lives to Sid Meier's beguiling creations over the years, and they should prepare to lose hundreds more. Civilization V is yet another glistening example of turn-based bliss that will keep you up long past your bedtime. It exercises its power over your mind using many of the tricks the series has long been known for: varied ways of accomplishing your goal of world domination, the thrill of expanding a paltry city into a bustling empire, and the suspense of venturing into unknown territory. The latest Civilization game takes those basics and layers onto them new features that make moment-to-moment gameplay feel more dynamic than in the past. Most noticeably, the square grids of previous Civilization games have been jettisoned in favor of hexagons that nicely accommodate the other most consequential transformations: Military units can no longer be stacked, and ranged units can fire from multiple tiles away. The tactical combat that rises from these modifications is a lot of fun and makes warfare a lot more exciting than in Civ games of yore. AI quirks and a few other minor issues become apparent the more you play, but these are wholly forgivable foibles in an attractive and sophisticated game that constantly begs you to remain at your keyboard for just one more turn.