14 DAY TRIAL // Now that Firaxis and 2K Games have released Civilization IV: Colonization, the updated version of the classic Sid Meier game launched way back in 1994, I have a small request to make: Please, please get all the necessary rights and create a re-make of the Brian Reynolds made Alpha Centauri.
Bryan Reynolds is one of the most interesting game designers of the last 20 years. Basically, he worked with Sid Meier and, although he always received much less attention from the gaming press and from fans, his contributions were, at times, more important to the success of the games released by the duo. His first major break came with Civilization II, which was more his brain child than of Meier's, and much of the things that differentiated the original Colonization from Civilization was a result of Reynolds' input.
But his biggest and most interesting game is Alpha Centaury, which was released by Firaxis back in 1999, with an expansion, called Alien Crossfire, coming later in the year. The game is a turn based strategy that tells the story of how humanity struggled to succeed in the hostile environment of a planet called officially Chiron. The story element is more present than in the Civilization games, with a deep sci fi background and a nice progression related to consciousness and human evolution. There's also a lot more customization that in the previous games, with the player being able to create units suited for all situations by selecting from a list determined by technology research. There are also super projects which award various bonuses.
One of the strengths of the game is the way it manages the playable factions it offers. The seven original factions and the seven introduced in the expansion have a lot of personality and a clear agenda which often shows how they can win the game. The advantages they get are also very well balanced, with the research of the University exposed to the fanatical military might of the Believers and the diplomatic prowess of the Peacekeepers opposed to the economic power of Morgan Industries.
The game has unique replayability and after almost ten years, I still play it regularly (and some people I know). It always feels epic, new and surprising.
A remake could update the graphics, develop some of the game concepts, like terraforming, customizable units and social choices, and could bring a truly remarkable game to a new generation of gamers. The issue is that the rights to the intellectual property are not currently with Firaxis and it seems that a lot of work will be required to secure them. Still, I think it would be worth it...