Civ lite
Well it's been stated before but I'm sure most fans of Mr. Meier's opus were loath to think that a translation to consoles would be anything more than a colossal failure. Who were we to doubt? Personally I've whittled away quite a few hours on this game that I think is quite addictive, well animated and, well, just fun. It falls short of that true Civilization zen especially as the matches drag on, and a sparse feature set may have you thinking twice about the mileage you may get but given a chance it's hard not to smile if you're a fan of the series.
Let's get the cons out of the way. If you are an in depth strategist and die hard fan you will definitely miss the minutia of managing workers and some of the other micromanagement. Also you have a very belligerent A.I., I don't recall every going more than 10 or so turns before one computer controlled opponents wasn't trying to hustle me out of gold, technology, or great people. Most of the time you can get away with just blowing them off though but you will find yourself mixing it up much sooner than you may prefer. I also believe some of the Civilizations are just plain overpowered. The bonuses civs get throughout the different ages are just silly and I would have to liked more effort to balance them all a bit more. In theory this is a Civ game but in practice it's a bit too simplified.
Yet! That's not to say that it is a poor game. Especially online where matches can be fast and furious bouts in which you have limited time to wax Napoleon and get to conquering. Each of the different civilizations have leaders that are charming and unique in their incoherent babble and it's funny to see advisors and leaders jostling for position to get a chance to talk to you.
The graphics are quite nice. The environment is colorful and vibrant and there is a lot of personality in the animation. The sound is also good, from the way the music swells up just as you are about to attack to the whooping and hollering your warriors do after they beat up on some barbarians. This is a game with a good deal of polish.
In the end this is a game that strategy fans will prefer more than others, especially since consoles are inherently oriented towards action this game may not appeal. And if you are expecting Civ IV for the 360 you are only setting yourself up for disappointment. But if you are looking for something that will sate the fix for strategy for your console from the comfort of your couch this may be just the ticket.
