In Short: Civilization on a smartphone (or tablet) is still an enticing prospect but this so-called sequel shows very little improvement over the original and is now missing a major play mode. As a time-waster or short term distraction Civilization Revolution 2 is still a perfectly competent game but there’s very little reason to get this over the previous version, and every reason to wish that a real sequel will turn up on consoles one day… That’s as may be but you don’t don’t justify a five-fold price rise by taking out features and adding hardly anything new. The original smartphone version didn’t launch with the feature either but Firaxis has made it clear they’ve purposefully ignored it for this sequel, in part because not enough people were playing it before.
#CIVILIZATION REVOLUTION 2 REVIEW PC#
Multiplayer has traditionally been very difficult to implement in the PC games but the console version of Civilization Revolution made it a key focus. That would be a perfectly reasonable sum to pay if the game was the true sequel fans would’ve wished for, but there are barely any new features and it’s actually missing one key element from the first game: multiplayer. Civilization Revolution 2 though is whopping great £10.49.
#CIVILIZATION REVOLUTION 2 REVIEW FREE#
There is one big difference between the two games though: the original is only £1.99 and there’s a free ‘Lite’ version. It’s reasonably sensible, but generally only ever attacks you when there’s a war on and ignores other rival or neutral countries.
The artificial intelligence is okay, but again not noticeably different from the older game. There are some new historical scenarios, which are particularly good for a quick train ride, but in terms of Civilization features this is all very much minimum requirement stuff. You have some new leaders, including Churchill and JFK, and new units, buildings, and technology – but nothing that forces any real changes to the way you play. In terms of actual gameplay features though this is less a sequel and more an expansion pack, and not a very ambitious one at that. The controls work, and they are better, but the oddly specific gestures for doing things like accessing famous citizens (pinch your fingers across a city) feel like Kinect style silliness rather than a sensibly efficient use of the touchscreen. It’s all to easy to send a unit half way across the map by mistake and there’s no easy way to check enemy unit stats simply by tapping on them. The touch controls are also new and improved, although some odd design decisions still cause unnecessary problems. Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution 2 (iOS) – battleships vs.
This is not a traditional Civilization experience but it does come surprisingly close and, most importantly, is still enjoyable in its own right. Albeit one more tactical than strategic.Ĭomplaining that the trade, diplomacy and other more complex features have been removed or simplified is unfair, given the vastly different way in which the game is played compared to the PC – in terms not only of the interface but the amount of time you’re likely to have spare to play it. The turn-based nature can still easily confuse a first time player, but half an hour’s practice will teach you the basics at which point the game’s comparatively fast pace and purposefully small maps genuinely begin to feel like a different game. These options are all still possible on mobile, but as with the first game Revolution is much more focused on warfare.įor most of the game you’re still moving around a necessarily plain-looking landscape, detailing warriors to defend and intercept, and settlers to explore and colonise. In the originals this could be accomplished in different ways, such as via trade, culture and exploring space. The basics of Civilization involve starting in pre-history with a single village and building up your tribe into a world conquering, high tech society.