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Don't believe the doom sayers

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 10 / 18
Date: November 12, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I almost didn't get this game. I know the previous versions and as late as last year was I playing III - and being very happy. This is a great strategy game - and version IV adds even more dimensions.

However - while the game has expanded, so has the requirements to run it. And they're not in the low end ... and windows being windows, if you have it loaded with all kinds of crazy stuff, you may not even be able to play. Example, I (still) use HP drivers that thinks it's "ok" to popup a small window every other hour while it does it maintenance business. This behavior causes the desktop to appear - and the game stays minimized. I just click the game back into focus and resume from where I left it. So of course, I close those "background" programs. This recommendation goes for _any_ full-screen game. Close everything else running, or you're asking for trouble.

The game uses 3D a lot .. this puts high demands on the graphics card, and the requirements for display are also high. READ the specifications careful and make sure your system can handle it. Remember, there's more to computer power than CPU and memory.

For me - the game installed without hickups. The only "fun" thing, is the 2nd CD is labelled "play" but you need the "install" CD to play ;)

I've not used the mutli-user functionality. To me that counter intuative. If I wanted to out-think opponents, I would use my "Rome - Total war". Same concept and the battle side is out of this world. But Rome doesn't have as much on the strategy side. The religion and "specialists" just adds more dimensions.

If you're new to Civilization; this is where you should start! If you play on the easy levels, it's not frustrating. You'll easily catch on. Civilization can easily be used for teaching too - it describes what sociaty is built on; and how growth is achieved. It will show a student, that life isn't black and white - that there isn't always an easy solution to problems.

The game has been opened up to "mods" - I can't wait to see what comes out. This game could stay interesting for years to come.

GREAT JOB at (re)creating a GREAT game!

Beware

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 8 / 13
Date: January 02, 2006
Author: Amazon User

After 9 hours of trying to install this game, I gave up. First, the game would freeze when I inserted the 2nd CD. Then, on the 11th try, it got past that error, only to delete the entire installation because of a "C++ 7.1" error. I found a work-around for that on a public website -- that took another 2 hours. Got past that problem, only to have the game completely freeze my system after installing patch 1.5.

Obviously the game works for some people, but my advice is to try to install it the same day you buy it so you can return it if your experience turns out like mine. NOTE: this was not a problem with my computer, which is very high end.

Great No Matter How You Put It

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: January 20, 2007
Author: Amazon User

OK, I don't play on-line or with partners or anything. I don't have 1,000 patches, scenarios and I don't have Warlords. I simply enjoy the play of the game and each time I play I notice something new. What is amazing is the graphics. Roll the mouse button for closeups and the attention to the most minute detail is amazing.

New resources, new ways to treat religion, new Wonders, new units - it is practically a completely new game. Bravo to Sid for yet another winner.
So when is Civ V being introduced?

Same Game, Vastly Improved

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: August 26, 2006
Author: Amazon User

If you loved Civ III, then you'll definately want Civ IV. A makeover of the graphics, as every new civ has done, isn't the only good point about the game though. The tech tree has changed, but not so much that you'll have to learn it all over again. Now there are multiple paths that you can follow to get access to the higher techs. The government changes add an interesting twist as well as the addition of religion. The biggest change for me has been the corruption and happiness changes. Corruption has been more realistically covered, and cities no longer "shut down" because of unhappiness, the just eat progressively more food and produce progressively less shields as they get more unhappy.
Overall, there are enough changes to the game to warrant buying it, especially if you're a long time Civ fan. New players to the series may find it a bit more intimidating though, the learning curve is definately a bit steeper.

Great Game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: March 13, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This game has great graphics compared to Civ 3. However, I found that it doesn't add much to the interest level. If you love Civ 3 then you'll love this. If Civ 3 got boring after a while then you won't find much in Civ 4 that will keep your interest for very long.

Game does not work. Wait 3 months and buy it for 29.99

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 7 / 11
Date: November 11, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Overall the game is fun, but you cannot play it in Multiplayer, and the during a long game it will dump on you. Its just not ready and I wish I read the reviews before I bought it. Yes its fun but unplayable! I would wait 3 months and buy it for 29.99 if they fix it.

Best of the series!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 9
Date: May 24, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I've been a fan of Civilization and Sid Meier since back in the 80's. The Civ series has to be one of my personal favorites, right up there with Pirates. Sid's team does a good job of making sure game play comes first.

Each version in this series has done an excellent job of redefining itself while retaining what works and trimming what doesn't. Graphics have improved in each version and new features added, while keeping the same game play and feel.

Bruce's review below does an excellent job of pointing out all of the changes and new features in this version, but I cannot stress enough how Civ IV fixes most if not all of the micromanagement issues introduced in Civ III. I believe they retained the Governor feature that managed a given city for you in this version, but I have yet to need this feature which was a staple in the previous version. In fact, I couldn't play CIV III without this feature enabled.

One other new feature that I'd like to touch on is that of Religion. The developers did a wonderful job of making Religion matter without having it be a political issue. Each religion is identical in what it grants players; however the diplomatic aspects of religion can play a big part in a given game. It's a very nice touch. The computer's AI and diplomacy is also far superior to previous versions and it makes single play so much more enjoyable. Civ III often turned into me against the 10 computer foes. Everyone seemed to always be angry at you and demandanding tribute from you. Religion helps keeps your brothers and sisters of the faith happier toward you and I've had a computer ally in almost every game played to date.

Patch Patch Patch!
I will say that if you purchase this game or had purchased it and found it to be slow or crashing, Get the latest patch. On my 3.2 GHZ machine, I often experienced crashes while viewing the planet as a whole and certainly had to deal with the slowness issues many reviews have mentioned. Since installing the 1.6 patch, the game plays fabulously! It even exits to the desktop in a matter of 4-5 seconds now. This used to take what seemed like minutes before the patch.

A great game that you'll enjoy especially if your looking for the elusive "Turn Based Strategy Game"

Could Be The Best Game In The World...

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 12 / 26
Date: June 08, 2006
Author: Amazon User

...could be the worst. I wouldn't know, because I spent 3 days trying to get the thing to work. Just to be clear, I'm well over the minimum qualifications in RAM (768 MB), processor speed (1.8 gHz), and I have a 256mb GeForce 5200 NVidia card - and THE GAME WON'T PLAY FOR 2 TURNS! EVER! No matter the graphic card settings - no matter the virtual memory - it's a flawed product and it should never have seen the light of day.

Buying a game should not be a 72-hour search for hacks. Save your money and spend it on toilet paper, at least you'll be able to use it...

Very buggy and lacking in fun

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 7 / 12
Date: December 06, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I played all the Civ's and for years enjoyed them. I was serverly disappointed with this version. Nice eye candy, but not much has improved in game play except it is a little more difficult to comprehend (the other CIVs took some time to understand, but they had a fun learning curve not so with civ 4!
Anyway the main problem with this poro excuse for a game is that it is a memory hog and crashes so much that I decided to delete it from my PC and shelve it. I honestly wasted my money on this piece of junk!

Bad Reviews Not True - At Least Not Anymore

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 15
Date: November 27, 2005
Author: Amazon User

The negative reviews ALL seems to be related to the release version of the game being buggy. I'm sure it was when it was released, what, a couple of weeks ago? It's complex software. Shouldn't have been released buggy, but okay, what about now, a couple of weeks later?

I bought it yesterday, after playing the demo. The demo convinced me to rush out and buy it for 50 bucks. That's saying a lot. I don't like parting with $50. But I figure, it's a couple of months of entertainment for me, so that's not bad. I'd say after a couple of hours of playing it, you'll be completely addicted to it. Good side: You got your money's worth. Bad side: Your wife/parent/whomever won't see you for a while.

The install went fine, except that there's a bug in the early release that "Play Disc" was printed on disc 2, when it should have been disc 1. Interestingly, the dialog that said you have the wrong disc inserted had a link to their website where they immediately described the problem. Bug solved in about 30 seconds. Upon launching the game intro, there was a sound glitch on my system. So, I went to the advanced menu with an active internet connection, and updated the game. I haven't experienced one bug since. Not one. So enough about the bugs.

I won't describe the gameplay any further as that's been done ad nauseum, apart from saying it's a heck of a lot of fun playing. For me, it's not so much of an improvement to Civilization 3, as a complement to it.

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