2k Games had a large presence at Pax East 2012. Borderlands 2 and Spec Ops both had massive displays where gamers were able to get hands on preview of these two upcoming titles. However, the Civilization V: Gods and Kings booth was my favorite. Fans were able to sit in the most comfortable chairs of the convention and enjoy a thirty minute presentation of the game. Fans seemed to be really excited about the enhanced game play.
The Game is just as smart as you
The team at 2K Games has enhanced the game’s Artificial Intelligence. No longer will a player who has the most gold win a diplomatic battle. The developers adjusted the importance and power of gold. Gold can still advance your civilization, but no longer can you just simply buy all the city states in your quest for world domination. Furthermore, naval battles become important. In previous versions of the game the importance of having a navy was minimized. With the enhanced AI, Navies can now enter and capture cities. Clearly, this is a major improvement for the war hungry gamers. Lastly, the improved AI has lead to an additional nine playable civilizations. The enhanced AI has really helped to change the overall play of the game.
Religion Is Back
The video shown at Pax East clearly shows the developers obsession with the Renaissance period. Religion is back and more robust than ever. In fact, learning to properly utilize this feature will pay off in the early stages of the game. Players can now found a religion of their choosing via the “Faith” resource. A player can even name their own religion. PCSism? Focusing on religion will help expand your civilization’s influence over city states and competing civilizations. Proper use of this tactic will help expand the breath of your power.
Spy vs. Spy
Finally, spies are back. But gone are the spy units. Spies are now placed in rival city states and civilizations. Spies will be able to steal technologies, rig elections, perform reconnaissance missions along with additional spy duties. To continue with the enhanced AI, spies are given promotions for how long they are able to remain anonymous. Additionally, a leader can not create an infinite secret army. Instead, the AI limits the amount of spies available according to timeline based on performance. This adds an additional level of strategy. One will have to weigh the options of what mission to carry out. Fortunately, the game provides odds of success. But be careful spies may be able to infiltrate your own capital.
Our Impressions
Both Joe Marchese and I have been fans of the Civilization series for a long time. In fact, we have played this game from its first release until its most recent release. Additionally, we also played the versions that became available for the handheld and home consoles. To say we are fans is an understatement. However, it has been a while since we have played Civilization 5. Game play became stagnant and it fell to the back of our gaming libraries. The Civilization 5 drought for the series ended as soon as the preview video ended. We are psyched about the impending release. From the minor fixes to the AI to the added civs and units, the amount of new content is immense and that was enough to get our blood boiling. But the reintroduction of Faith and Espionage to the game sealed our fate.
Civilization 5 Gods and Kings is scheduled for release on June 19 and will be available via Steam, Online retailers and via Big Box locations for $29.99. New Gamer Nation highly recommends this title, so get it when you can.
