Sid Meier's Civilization® V

For me, this is the gold standard of all Civilization games to date. The original Civ and Civ II are tough to run on modern systems, Civ 3 feels dated these days, Civ IV is great but AI is illogical, and Civ VI really messed up basic mechanics by adding too many layers. Civ V is the first to use hexes, which has its pros and cons, but it's also the first to incorporate a lot of interesting mechanics with its post-launch DLCs.

With 800 hours of gameplay throughout the years I've thoroughly enjoyed making and playing custom maps and modding. For a genuine Civilization experience, you can't go wrong with Civ 5. However, there are plenty of complaints for a game that is more than a decade old:

- Game engine is overworked and becomes painfully slow for larger maps and larger number of player owned cities. Fans will tell you not play on huge maps or acquire a large number of cities, but that's silly. Those fans are purely in for the strategic challenge, not for exploring the limits of Civ. Most of your strategic gameplay benefits from an ideal empire size of 3-8 cities to get the most our of science and national wonders. But why limit yourself there if you've already demonstrated dominance over other civs? Try a game with 100 player owned cities and watch the engine grind to a halt. I've gone as far as 185 cities just to see how bad it could get, and yeah... it's horrid. The results: waiting a long time (sometimes even up to 5 minutes) after you do every single task, even something as simple as viewing a city or moving a unit.

- The system for cultural artifacts, artwork, etc. is incomplete. You can't delete artifacts. So if you no longer want something, too bad. Acquiring more artifacts will eventually fill up all of your slots and you'll be unable to acquire more if you got unfortunate RNG for your artifacts. Worse, the cultural bonus system takes an entire game to get anything close to the more strict buildings, and by then you've already dominated. Also, there's no way to get art/writing/music from other civs unless you capture their cities with them. So to get some of these bonuses, you're forced to go down that victory path.

- Many mods will often crash your game, especially on loading saved games, even if the mod authors have done everything they can to prevent that. The Civ V engine is junk for mods. Yet there are some impressive mods out there, including the famous In-Game Editor that does almost everything.

- To play custom maps, you have to enable mods and start your games from the mods menu, even if you created a normal, balanced map.

- Music is horrid and you'll quickly find yourself disabling it if you're new to Civ V. Pretty much anyone who's played more than one normal paced game will disable it. Only the intro/welcome menu music track is enjoyable. Even for 2010s standards back then the music was bad.

- Denouncing is a poor system. For example: a friendly civ asks for you help in starting a war with a rival civ, and you comply. Let's say that rival stole a city from the friendly civ, and you re-capture it to give back to them. Well, expect to get denounced by other civs for helping here. And if you take out another civ all together, expect to be denounced until the end of time.

- World Congress/United Nations is a pointless system. City-states don't provide delegates until later, when you're either already winning or have lost and it doesn't matter anyways. On a side note it seems like a conflict of interest that you can use city-state delegates to vote on banning trade with city-states. And you have to choose something to propose each time instead of opting to pass. So you'll find yourself proposing something just to vote against your own proposal near the end of a game if there's resolutions that help you left to propose.

- Accidental unit movement. Too many times I've used the right mouse by mistake to scroll/move around the map and accidentally moved a unit that was selected. This would be fine if all I played was Civ 5, but I often play other games that have this reversed. What's even more comical is that it's reversed in the Civ 5 World Builder when you're editing a map, lol! Talk about annoying for muscle memory.

- Unit upgrade path is broken. So many fans complain about this, and fortunately there's mods to correct it. But then again, playing a game of Civ 5 with mods is a pain sometimes due to issues I've already mentioned.

- Units with melee weapons or bows and arrows still damage modern units such as tanks and mechanized infantry. It's good for game balance, but the realism is completely out the window here. In Civ 5 sticks and stones can eventually kill off tanks, artillery, and battleships. Don't forget that bombers of all types take damage every time they bomb anything.

- Religion only exists as a nuisance. Fans will probably argue against my opinion, but honestly it's just another layer that doesn't add much to the game. Sure, you have another victory type you go for, and it gives some small buffs to dominate with spreading your religion, but there's no end game to it. Worse, if you convert the world to your religion, it makes the World Congress/United Nations bonus from world religion hurt you even more. But if you don't try to convert the world, then everyone else is trying to convert your cities unless you leave an inquisitor there all the time (or surround your cities with units). I've tried to have fun with, and I've done everything you can do with this mechanic. But in the end, religion just isn't that fun in Civ 5.

- Spying was neutered in Civ 5. It's so much better in other Civ games. If you're dominating in science progression, spying is an annoying mechanic. If you're behind, spying can help, but it takes way too long to steal technology and you can lose your spy in the process. The great firewall is awesome to stop this nuisance... but only in the city in which you build it. The other buildings don't seem to help much, even though they're supposed to increase time to steal tech or reduce spy effectiveness for other civs. Because if you're leading in science, multiple civs spying on you will eventually spill your leak tech advances.

I should probably stop there since I'll hit the wall-of-text cap for Steam reviews.

I like how this game just sucks you in. But the only downside is the scaling of the AI when it comes to difficulty. The AI doesn't get smarter. They just get buffs that are unfair in my opinion. Maybe in the future, AI will be about playing cleverly and not just starting with like 2 settlers and 6 technologies or something.

Very good balance between fine control and automatic modes for cities and workers, make this a game fun to play, allowing very precise control but also a fluid gameplay without too many thing to worry.

Best strat game there is. Easy to lose hours playing this

This game, with its art-deco UI style, and bright yet mature coloring scheme is one of the games that has stood the test of time. I still consider it the Gold Standard for 4X Civilization type games, when one accounts for all the DLC. Its graphics are still good as is its gameplay. Every system is well thought out and allows the player to make meaningful choices that impact a match and how it ends.

At the time going from squares to hexes was an absolute game changer as was the change to go from doom stacks to 1 unit per tile (with exceptions). Internal trade routes, a gimongous catalogue of wonders, each with their own interesting and efficacious bonuses all combined with the aforementioned elements to create a 4X so solid that few future games have come close to being as complete as game was at its end. It was so good in fact, that I refused to play Civ VI even though a friend bought me the entire game and its DLC.

Honestly, my only complaint with this game is that it is difficult, if not impossible, to play multiplayer with mods. There are some workarounds but by the time I figured them out, all my friends (and I) had moved on to other games.

If Firaxis randomly went back and implemented Humankind's army group system and diplomacy system (grievances, etc), it'd completely blow out Humankind for me. That's how good this game is.

If you've never played a 4X, turn-based strategy game before - start here.

Thanks for the memories, Sid.

Civilization V is an extraordinary game that brilliantly combines strategy, exploration, and history into one immersive experience. From the moment you start, you’re drawn into a beautifully crafted world filled with vibrant visuals and diverse civilizations, each with its own unique traits and playstyles.

The hexagonal grid system offers a fresh approach to strategy, encouraging thoughtful placement and movement of units. This new mechanic adds layers of complexity to combat and city planning, making every decision feel impactful. The streamlined user interface enhances gameplay, making it easy to manage your empire without feeling overwhelmed.

One of the standout features is the depth of the diplomatic system. Interacting with other leaders is engaging and dynamic, allowing for a range of strategies from peaceful alliances to calculated betrayals. Each game feels unique, with countless paths to victory that keep you coming back for more.

The soundtrack and atmospheric sound design perfectly complement the gameplay, immersing you in the rich tapestry of history as you guide your civilization from the Stone Age to the modern era.

Overall, Civilization V is a masterclass in strategy gaming, offering a captivating experience that rewards both careful planning and creative thinking. It’s a game that invites you to lose yourself in the world of empires, and every session feels like a new adventure

O yes, I will definetly recommend this game!
If you´re like me; you love history, like gaming, like games with strategy, love culture-building-games like Catan, if you miss a game where you can be any real historic world-leader you want, with a realistic design, landscape and soundeffect´s, if you miss a open-world game where you can do almost what ever you want with your empire, which is very easy to learn and has a smooth structure, AND, on top of it all, if you should happen to be a nube with classical music but are realy interested in getting to know that style better.. - then Sid Meier´s Civilization V is definetly the perfect game for you!! :D
Trust me you wont regret trying it, I have been playing it for over 10 years now, and honestly, it still fasinate´s me, it never get´s boring, so enjoy the adventure!

I honestly prefer this one over VI not sure if it's the graphics or just the way this one plays. VII is on its way but I think I'll replay this one until VII is fully out. Highly recommend.

This is a truly amazing game. There are an infinite amount of automatically generated maps and many different civs to play as, leading to infinite replay-ability. I have also played civ 4 and civ 6, but neither of them have the same charm as this game. Overall, this is a must play turn-based strategy and is the best of the best no matter if you have DLCS or not.

This 5th iteration brings unique elements from previous games while incorporating strategic concepts such as influence and happiness. An overall worthy challenge for strategy game enjoyers and civ fans alike. If one's used to civ6 (like I am), this is a significant overhaul in terms of difficulty and strategic planning.

Every iteration of Sid Meier's Civilization series brings about new challenges, different mechanics, and new ways to explore, expand, exploit & conquer your way to victory. Civ V however, is not just another iteration. It's a whole new look into the genre that represents a departure from the formula they have been following up to now. Civ II, III, IV are fantastic to me, and I see each one as progressively getting better than the last. With new features, ideas and events that were added to the games, the overall complexity simply became greater. Civ V is the culmination of everything they've learned thus far, while also trying something new. I'd say it's quite the success!

i've put in nearly 300 hours, tried to play it every way possible but always default to a megalomaniac bent on world domination....

As of now, and until possibly Civ VIII, this is the the last great Civ game to feature mechanics that were both new and original to the 4X digital scene. Civ VI's main selling point was the Districts mechanic that debuted in Amplitude Studio's Endless Fantasy, and Civ VII's main feature will be the "Legacies" mechanic that was showcased in Amplitude Studio's Humankind.

Civ V, with all of its DLC expansions, is a delight to play for everyone who signed a prenup with Civ IV and was thus able to adapt to the change of square tiles to hexagons and, of course, the loss of Ye Olde Stacks of Doom (the ability to stack as many military units into one tile as you can afford and hurl it at an enemy). Personally, I quite like the changes, though I do miss the Corporation mechanic, though Religion in Civ V works rather similarly.

When, after hundreds of hours, you find yourself growing tired of how Civ V feels, head over to the Steam workshop and download any number of mods to enjoy, from adding fantasy-themed countries to new Wonders and even military units!

It's more than enough fun to help you avoid considering that, if it weren't for the work of Amplitude Studios and hundreds of content creators working for free, Civ 5 might well have been the last Civ!

Absolute delight. It's become my go-to destresser game, despite being one of the most intense games you will ever play in many cases.

Civilization V is an excellent sequel to Civ IV
Sure it did dumb down details compared to previous one but I like simplicity.
and progress into new eras are made cooler!
Soundtrack is also good
so all I can say is that I find nothing bad about this game!
It is solid!

Although an older game, Civ 5 is still a very excellent game to play providing hours of excitement and fun for the need of entertainment!!! Enjoy!!

This game has already ruined my sleep schedule. I'm talking full-on, "what is time, even?" ruined. Bedtime doesn’t exist anymore—just this weird period between the hours of 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. when my body is technically asleep, but my mind is still plotting the perfect strategy to take over the world one hex at a time. My alarm goes off for work, and instead of thinking, "Another day," I'm calculating how many turns it'll take to get through my workday and back to my empire.

Work? Yeah, work is basically a slog now. It’s like, I know there’s some kind of project I’m supposed to be doing, but all I’m really doing is mentally stacking tiles and wondering how to optimize my city’s production. My boss asks me for a status update, and I have to physically stop myself from saying, "I'm two turns away from a scientific victory." I'm not behind yet, but let’s be real, I’m one late-game crisis away from getting called into HR.

Then there’s my wife. Or at least, I think she’s still my wife? She was there before Civ, but now when I get home, it's just Civ. She'll ask me how my day was, and I'll say, "I built three wonders, discovered gunpowder, and I’m on the verge of a golden age," but apparently that’s not the answer she’s looking for. She wants to talk about our day, and all I can think about is how much better we’d communicate if we were part of a diplomatic alliance with open borders.

It’s all Civ. My YouTube feed? Civ. Every single video recommendation is a tutorial on how to rush the Great Library or a tier list ranking leaders by their war-mongering potential. TikTok, Twitter, Instagram—doesn't matter. Whatever algorithm controls these apps has figured out that I now exist solely to consume Civilization content. It’s like the AI in the game: it adapts to your weaknesses, and my biggest weakness right now is that I can’t stop playing this game.

I’m not sure where this goes from here. Do I try to quit cold turkey? Do I need to set an actual timer to remind me that reality exists? Maybe I just need to negotiate peace terms with my wife before I end up couch-surfing in the real world. All I know is, it’s all Civ now. There's no escape.

it is nice game. I just miss cities under water or in a space, ability to change terrain. And better AI, hopefully civ 7 will be better with AI. As awe can use AI for anything today

As someone who’s been playing Civilization games since Civ III, Sid Meier’s Civilization V continues to hold a special place in my heart. The refined turn-based gameplay, coupled with a well-balanced mix of strategy, diplomacy, and warfare, makes each session engaging and unpredictable. The introduction of hexagonal tiles added a new layer of depth, enhancing tactical combat and city planning. I also love how each civilization feels distinct, thanks to unique units and abilities that shape your playstyle.

The expansions, especially Gods & Kings and Brave New World, really take the experience to a new level. They expand the game’s scope, adding religion, espionage, and a deeper cultural victory system. It’s these additions that keep me coming back for "just one more turn."

I’m still working on collecting a few more achievements, but once I’m satisfied, I’m looking forward to diving into Civ VI and exploring its new features. If you’re a fan of strategy games or have enjoyed previous Civ titles, Civilization V is an absolute must-play.

One of my favorite games, but now the game skips turns, so my units die. Units randomly start doing things that i dont tell them to do. What is happening? I have tried playing Civ 6 and honestly that game is not nearly as good as Civ 5.
Dont let this game fall apart. This is by far my favorite civilization game.

if a friend with 100+ hrs in this game makes u buy this to play with them, don't, cause they're abt to ruin ur life & make u hate this game.

10/10 GAME

its a stragey game where i have control of the strategy i use and usually dominate at easy levels. i disable the time and diplomatic startegies and sledom reach the space race technologies.

My first experience with Civ has been with 5. I liked the look of it more than the cartoon style of 6. (Despite 6 being newer.) It has brought my friends and I back together and playing it every night for the passed few weeks. The strategy, lack of predictability, and challenge of the game is incredible. We failed miserably 5 times and had to restart; until now. We each have pretty great civilizations and are half way through the eras; but, because the leading (by a lot) country declared war on a friend we were all forced into the war to defend each other. It is extremely tough, but has been a good fight. I imagine whether it works out for the best, or whether we are wiped off the map - it will continue to be amazing fun and we will learn something to use on our next run. We are now all anxiously awaiting Civ 7 and will probably be playing Civ 5 until it's release next year. Amazing game - if you're thinking about it, it hardly goes on sale and is easily worth the $30. Pick it up; you won't regret it.

Despite Civilization VI having held its ground for far longer that this title and Civilization VII being on the horizon, Civilization V remains worthwhile as a relative older iteration in the series.

In my mind, it has and will continue to stand the test of time not only due to the plethora of mods for it but, especially, it’s ability to balance deep historicity with dynamic flexibility as players seek to take up the identities of notable societies and shape them according to their own will.

I’ll admit that Civilization VI improved greatly upon many aspects of Civilization V, especially on this title’s shortcomings with regard to AI, diplomacy, and uniqueness among/between civilizations. Nonetheless, in the end this title remains worth sinking one’s time into, for its distinct merits alone continue to warrant “one more turn.”

This is a good turn based game. Your point is to control a country and its government, military etc. Easy to get into and get the hang off, but also not too simple or complex. If you've played HOI games, this is simpler and starts at the very start of civilizations, not 19th or 20th century. I would recommend for anyone looking for strategy game without any experience of the genre. Good English is not necessary

What I like?
-Endless replay-ability. (Tons of unique maps, civilisations, scenarios, DLCs, mods, etc)
-For an old game, still holds good for it's graphics.

What I don't like?
-Nothing to say.

Would recommend.

Great game. Great party game for friends and the randomly generated worlds create excellent opportunities for replayability.

The best version from the Civilization series. A very relaxing and graphically pleasing game. Can easily take over your entire life if you're not mindful.

I like keeping the game settings to a Small Map and Quick Mode with less AI players. This way I can claim either a Cultural or Domination victory in around 1 or 2 hours.

Great depth, good visuals and a great challenge on the harder difficulty levels

Civ 5 to me still is far better then CIv 6... I have played over 3200 hours of Civ 5 versus around 400 hours of Civ 6, and I find the AI in Civ 6 incredibly irritating as it goes out of its way to setup its own cites as close to you as possible. I have had many games where the AI is on a completely different continent having a lot of room to expand on their own lands, but invariably decides to cross the seas to setup shop on your continent. As well as the endless missionaries invading your land like they have nothing better to do then keep building missionary units to convert your people...