Civilization V: Brave New World review

Civilization V: Brave New World review

Civilization V wasn't the first title I had played in the well-loved turn-based series, but it’s definitely the one I played for the longest. The new expansion improves on an already impressive core game to add many hours of extra gameplay, even for hardened veterans.

When Civilization V released in 2010 the new interface and hex-based system drew me in straight away and I spent millennia (in-game of course) trying out different leaders and routes to victory. The game received critical praise and deservedly so, the core gameplay is addictive and most importantly, great fun to play.

After countless battles I had exhausted my interest in the game and I longed for more, so the expansions seemed like the next logical conclusion, though I’m usually wary concerning DLC. Often, DLC is used as an excuse to print money, but Brave New World seems to buck the trend. It has some features of traditional DLC, adding an extra 9 Civs and several new units, but goes the extra mile by expanding on the core gameplay with features that complement the vanilla title, just like the previous expansion; Gods and Kings.

Some of the features completely change the way you might play the game. Take the trade routes for example. Previously, I may have attacked an aggressive, expansive rival civ, but now the economic factor really has to be taken into account, even more so at later stages in the game when money becomes more readily available.

I’ve found myself weighing up options more carefully and in some ways it helps the game to echo real-world diplomacy as economic factors have to be accounted for, no matter the crimes of the enemy or how much of a threat they may pose in the future.

The extended roster of Civs and city states means that fighting has improved, nearly every skirmish will be different and you don’t have to deal with the same old leaders again and again as it could end up getting really repetitive.

Getting real tired of you Caesar.. 

Tourism is a good idea but it didn’t seem to affect me too much during my time in-game, for me it was just another thing to keep track of and never really affected the final outcome, though if I had paid it proper attention I’m sure it would have been rewarding in the long run as the culture system has been completely revamped and tourism seems to be instrumental for a culture victory.

The addition of a World Congress founded before the more traditional UN helps more diplomatic leaning players and the AI has been brushed up to be less inclined to mindless violence with little to no warning.

Of the new Civs, I liked Morocco as their special talent ‘Gateway to Africa’ (which adds extra gold and culture for trade routes) was very useful when combined with the new trade route system and Venice is a completely different way to play, as they’re unable to spawn settlers so have to expand differently, with added trade routes to help compensate. Also, Poland especially is a very good rival Civ and always seems to survive until the modern era in my games.

Scenarios are always a fun way to play the single-player game and BNW doesn’t disappoint, with the American Civil War and the ‘Scramble for Africa’ added for even more hours of gameplay, covering big events in (fairly) recent world history.

In short, the game has improved in many ways and I really don’t have any problems with it. I enjoyed the core game immensely but the expansion simply blows it out of the water.

GTA5 is probably going to win nearly every GOTY award going in 2013 and I know Civilization 5 came out in 2010, but so far Brave New World is my game of 2013 and I have no plans to stop playing anytime soon, (or at least until GTA5 comes out).

Score: 9/10