14 DAY TRIAL // One of the most expected PC videogames of the year is Civilization V, the turn based strategy title that is being developed under the leadership of Sid Meier at Firaxis and set to be published by Take Two. We already know quite a bit about how the game is being changed when compared to the still excellent Civilization V: Beyond the Sword but it seems the developers are interested in making changes that go well beyond the actual gameplay mechanics.
At the E3 trade show, Firaxis has confirmed that Civilization V itself will become a community hub for gamers, allowing them to interact with other players and friends without actually leaving the game.
Scenarios can easily be shared, scores can be compared, Achievements can be shown off and fan sites can be visited from inside the strategy title, making it easier than ever to get new content and interact with others who are enjoying the same experience. There are also promises that the mod tools linked with Civilization V will be more powerful than ever, allowing gamers to create fresh scenarios and universes that their peers can then experience.
Civilization V aims to design a deeper gaming world the player can explore while leading their civilization and claiming a place in history. The landscapes are more real, the overall enemy civilizations and their leaders have more character and the entire diplomatic model has been reworked. Each Artificial Intelligence controlled leader will have a personality governing how they talk to the player and how they act, City States also appearing in order to allow for quick expansion or for fruitful long term partnerships.
The entire combat model has also been changed in Civilization V, with the introduction of hexes and the limits placed on stacking leading to wars, which feel more tactics-based and more relevant to the development of an empire. Some units can also shoot over enemy lines, chancing the way warfare works in the series.