Civ 5: Brave New World

Hi I am Tracee McClellan, I am 30 years old and married to a wonderful geeky man named Mike. My specialty is speculative fiction books. But, I also dabble in other areas such as gaming (table top, computer, and platform games)and movies. I also have a degree in history but I don’t know if that counts much toward geek cred. My favorite book changes from week to week, but currently the author I have been binge reading is Dan Wells. Usually I just pick an author and then read everything they have out. As for a real world job, I am a graveyard zombie at a manufacturing plant.

So on that note, I want to talk about Sid Miers Civilization V's recent expansion.

First of all I want to make it clear I am obsessed with Civilization, I have played all of it's versions except for the very first one. This new expansion has added back some of the complexity that I remember from the previous version, Civ IV.

This is an example of a painting.  It's kind of cool that they show the actual thing.  The music ones play the actual piece when you get them.

The thing I like about this new expansion is it's new definition of cultural victory. They have added Tourism as a way to boost one's cultural output. They have also added items to boost culture as well, you can even find items by using an archaeologist in late game play. You can also use a leader to create an item. Slight warning with those Items, they will show you either the picture that goes with the item or play the music that the musician has created. I’ve only seen one piece of racy art, it was a Picasso so just be aware you might have to click out of those depending on your definition of aesthetics, and the appropriate. 



This graph shows your cultural victory progress



Cultural victory is achieved when you produce enough influence over your neighbors that you are basically overpowering their own culture. To paraphrase the leaders of the other groups, “We buy your jeans and listen to your Rock and Roll."  And of course it is accompanied by a sad faced slightly irritated computer animated leader.

They have also put greater emphasis on trade and on diplomatic relations with other cultures. How that has translated to game play is that the AI can be a little more aggressive when you are in a weaker position.   The AI has ganged up on me on more then one occasion and once you have three civs at war with you at once, you are going to lose if your not more advanced.

Caravans have been added.  They can be used to trade not only for gold but you get science bonus’s and luxury resources from whomever you are trading with. Trade is nice but your not the only one who benefits so you have to make sure that the trade from the caravan is more beneficial to you then to your opponent.

They have also added ideologies in for late game. These will give you advantages in how your civ operates. Ideology’s are paid for with culture. They operate similar to the way that religion functions in game.

All in all I love the new options. My only regret about the expansion is that now I have to work my way back up to the prince setting I was trying to challenge, there is always a learning curve with a new expansion in any game.