City management is a lot easier and the whole turn cycling interface improved is nicer, but the tech tree is also a dissapointment. City States are even thinner in detail, and that is a feature that GalCiv 2 did way better. As others have posted, the missing details in the diplomacy screens are a huge problem that renders diplomacy almost useless.

Once in-game, excitement at the new graphics and combat system are tempered by all the things that are missing. The number of civs and maps available to play is surprisingly low-okay, we get it, you'll be selling DLC-but it's like half of the counts available in Civ 4.

The game looks terrific out of the box, but just on setup a few worrisome issues come clear. The game I had been looking forward to this game for awhile, and I have always been a fan (not a junkie) of Civ games. I had been looking forward to this game for awhile, and I have always been a fan (not a junkie) of Civ games. My guess is that future expansions may address some of these issues. Overall, I am sure this is a good game, but it has to be compared to Civ IV, which was excellent. Sure - the 'stack of doom' is now gone, but defending against such a force was a drama of its own, and doesn't result in the strange mechanic that only one unit can be stationed in a city (which makes it feel more like a board-game then an empire simulation).

Somehow, even on larger maps and longer duration games, it doesn't feel as absorbing as the previous versions did. (There are also some oddities - e.g., great person buildings are now built outside of the city, and are harvested like any other resource). These and other tweaks make the game 'smaller' in it's feel. The changes that are negative are: 'embarking' where almost any unit can cross water without the need for a ship, incomplete information regarding your diplomatic relations, a simplified tech-tree. **If you've played, and enjoyed, the previous installments, you may be disappointed.** The changes that are neutral or positive are : ditching **If you've played, and enjoyed, the previous installments, you may be disappointed.** The changes that are neutral or positive are : ditching the religion (neutral) and corporation elements (good), a hex-based grid (good), full ranged warfare (good), end of roads-everywhere (good).

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