Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth
Dec 18, 2014 12 years ago
Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth is a new science-fiction-themed entry into the award-winning Civilization series. Set in the future, global events have destabilized the world leading to a collapse of modern society, a new world order and an uncertain future for humanity. As the human race struggles to recover, the re-developed nations focus their resources on deep space travel to chart a new beginning for mankind. As part of an expedition sent to find a home beyond Earth, you will write the next chapter for humanity as you lead your people into a new frontier and create a new civilization in space. Explore and colonize an alien planet, research new technologies, amass mighty armies, build incredible Wonders and shape the face of your new world. As you embark on your journey you must make critical decisions. From your choice of sponsor and the make-up of your colony, to the ultimate path you choose for your civilization, every decision opens up new possibilities.
What it’s like
Civilization: Beyond Earth reimagines the classic 4X formula on a hostile alien world, shifting the focus from historical nation-building to speculative evolution. You lead a colony ship to an uncharted planet, where survival depends on adapting to strange biomes and choosing ideological paths that fundamentally alter your civilization's traits and technology tree. The experience is defined by its 'Expedition' phase, which encourages exploration over immediate expansion, creating a distinct early-game rhythm compared to traditional Civ titles. While the core loop of managing resources, researching techs, and engaging in tactical hex-based combat remains familiar, the game introduces unique mechanics like terraforming and affinity systems that offer meaningful strategic variety. The narrative emerges organically through faction interactions and environmental storytelling rather than scripted events, fostering a sense of discovery. It delivers a polished, accessible turn-based strategy experience with strong replayability due to diverse victory conditions and dynamic AI responses.
Strong in Exploration / WorldProgression / ReplayabilityAtmosphere / MoodCo-op / MultiplayerGameplay / MechanicsPacingPolish / PerformanceStory / NarrativeSystems Depth / Build Variety
Keep in mind The game suffers from visual homogeneity in its alien terrain, which can make long-term map reading difficult. Additionally, the narrative lacks the deep philosophical weight of its spiritual predecessor, Alpha Centauri, relying more on generic sci-fi tropes than profound ideological exploration.
AI-generated from catalog data, informed by reviews from steamcommunity.com, metacritic.com, bluntlyhonestreviews.com, gamesradar.com, monstercritic.com, gamingtrend.com.
Screenshots
Releases
| Platform | Region | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| PC (Microsoft Windows) | Worldwide | Full release | Oct 24, 201412 years ago |
| Mac | Worldwide | Full release | Nov 26, 201412 years ago |
| Linux | Worldwide | Full release | Dec 18, 201412 years ago |
