When we usally here the words "console strategy game" we usally immediately dismiss the game as rubbish. But it seems like Civilization is the ray of sunshine we've all been looking for. Now at its base this is a civilization game, its turn based and centred around nations going from the birth of cities to the space race and modern times. Players try to dominate their opponents through military means by capturing all the capital cities, getting superior culture and building the United Nations, getting the most money and building the world bank or getting the most technology and being the first to get to the planet Alpha Centauri.
The main difference between this console version and the PC civs is complexity. Civ Rev has been simplified to make the games shorter and to target a different kind of audience, the console gamer. That doesn't mean that the average Modern Warfare 2 player will enjoy this game, far from it, but its going for the type of console gamer who's into video games, who wants to try new things. The average game can last up to 2 hours, which may sound long compared to other console games but compared to the PC version its quite short.
The game gives you an excellent sense of progression. From the huts in your original city thousands of years BC to the metropolis that it becomes in the 21st century you really get the sense that every decision you've made has impacted the game.
There isnt a story mode, just single player with AI, single player scenario matches and multiplayer. Multiplayer supports up to 4 human players with one AI player being the 5th man. This is quite fustraiting and it seems they could have taken the AI player out or replaced it with a human player. This game is best suited to play with friends, preferably with you knowing all 4 players.
Civilization Revolution is a great game and well worth the $30 cost on Xbox Live marketplace.
