Civilization IV: The Complete Edition Coming Next Week

2K Games has announced that it plans to release a package containing the original Civilization IV, the Warlords and the Beyond the Sword expansions and the Colonization stand alone videogame.

It will be available for 39.99 dollars and will be on sales on May 12. 2K is probably out to capitalize on the popularity of the game, which is still seeing mods in development while also getting regular play. Given the amount of content included, The Complete Edition of Civilization IV is a really good deal.

2K Games is following a recent trend and is planning to ship the game without adding any DRM. After all, it might be thinking that all those who were out to pirate Civilization IV have done so already and that true fans of the series, who will likely pick up this new bundle, will be happy to have a copy protection-free game.

Civilization IV represents the pinnacle of the series. The basic gameplay has been streamlined, with most of the annoying elements, like pollution, auto managed by the game itself, allowing players to be interested in the more strategic and tactical aspects of the game. Warlords adds some new options related to combat and makes military conquest a more interesting affair, while Beyond the Swords adds espionage options and new gameplay concepts like corporations.

Colonization, which was released last year, is taking the engine that powered Civilization IV and applying it to the history of the colonization and independence of the United States. The same four civilizations from the first game are present and, apart from the fact that it took a long time to patch some rather obvious problems with the independence declaration and the King's Army, the title is very good, allowing fanatic Colonization fans to finally let go of the 1994 classic.