Sid Meier's Civilization V

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Sid Meier's Civilization V is a turn-based strategy game focused on building and developing a civilization from ancient times to the modern age. Players can choose from various historical leaders, each with unique abilities and units, to expand their empire through research, diplomacy, and warfare. The game features enhanced graphics, improved AI, and a hexagonal tile system that adds more depth to strategic gameplay.

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 74,213 reviews

gameplay1,260 positive mentions

stability417 negative mentions

gameplay
3,368 mentions
37 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Civilization V is widely praised for its addictive "just one more turn" mechanic, offering a rich blend of strategic depth and accessibility that appeals to both newcomers and veterans of the series. Players appreciate the introduction of hexagonal tiles and the one-unit-per-tile combat system, which enhances tactical gameplay while streamlining mechanics compared to previous iterations. The expansions, particularly "Gods & Kings" and "Brave New World," significantly enrich the gameplay experience by adding new mechanics such as religion, trade routes, and cultural victories, making it a highly replayable and engaging strategy game.
- “The gameplay strikes the perfect balance between depth and fun, and the combat and strategy keep you hooked.”
- “With its deep gameplay mechanics, expansive tech tree, and diplomatic options, it provides endless replayability and strategic depth.”
- “The refined turn-based gameplay, coupled with a well-balanced mix of strategy, diplomacy, and warfare, makes each session engaging and unpredictable.”
- “The gameplay, although robust on paper, often feels repetitive and tedious.”
- “The gameplay is an oversimplified, tedious grind with no sense of accomplishment or reward.”
- “The gameplay can get somewhat repetitive after a certain number of hours.”
graphics
1,860 mentions
49 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The graphics of Civilization V are generally praised for their charm and detail, with many players appreciating the vibrant landscapes and unique civilization designs. While some users note that the graphics can feel dated compared to newer titles, they still hold up well for a game released in 2010, providing a visually appealing experience that enhances the strategic gameplay. However, there are occasional reports of graphical glitches and performance issues, particularly in late-game scenarios.
- “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 graphics are stunning, with beautiful landscapes and highly detailed units.”
- “The graphics are beautiful, the music is fitting, and the AI opponents are challenging but fair.”
- “Unpredictable frequent crashes, graphics glitches.”
- “The graphics and general UI are fairly outdated by modern standards.”
- “The graphics are dated but the gameplay is still great, the narrator and UI is timeless.”
replayability
1,453 mentions
53 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The replayability of "Civilization V" is widely praised, with many users highlighting its near-infinite potential due to randomly generated maps, diverse civilizations, and various victory conditions. The game's depth, combined with a robust modding community and expansion packs, enhances its replay value significantly, making each playthrough feel unique and engaging. Overall, players report spending hundreds to thousands of hours enjoying the game, often citing it as one of the most replayable titles in the strategy genre.
- “The simplest way to explain how much replayability this game has is like this: you could literally spend hundreds of hours playing as a single civilization, on a specific game type, with a specific ruleset, and still not get bored.”
- “With its deep gameplay mechanics, expansive tech tree, and diplomatic options, it provides endless replayability and strategic depth.”
- “The replay value is huge as each playthrough is unique and offers a new experience.”
- “The replay value is nearly endless; different strategies are interesting, and there are many fun single-player scenarios with special rules to try out.”
- “The sheer replayability and depth to this game is staggering, and even more so with Steam Workshop mods... it's endless.”
- “With a plethora of races/civs to choose from, this title offers an uncanny amount of replayability.”
music
730 mentions
49 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in Sid Meier's Civilization V receives mixed reviews, with many praising its atmospheric and immersive soundtrack that adapts to different civilizations and eras, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. While some players find the music beautiful and fitting, others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking variety over extended play sessions. Overall, the soundtrack is often highlighted as a significant aspect of the game, contributing to its appeal, despite some players opting to mute it in favor of their own music.
- “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.”
- “The music is beautifully done, and I can never stop myself from humming or singing the beginning.”
- “The soundtrack is a soaring accompaniment to your conquests, with themes that adapt to the era and your civilization.”
- “The music isn't varied enough and it gets really irritating after a short time.”
- “The music is grating, and to boot, it kept crashing every hour or so.”
- “The main menu music also just isn't as good as the likes of Civ 4's Baba Yetu or Civ 6's Sogno di Volare.”
story
488 mentions
15 % positive mentions
79 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The story aspect of Civilization V is largely characterized by its absence of a traditional narrative; instead, players create their own unique stories through gameplay. While some players appreciate the emergent storytelling that arises from interactions with AI and the dynamic nature of each game, others express disappointment over the lack of a structured campaign or overarching plot. Overall, the game is seen as a platform for personal storytelling rather than a linear narrative experience.
- “Every playthrough is a different story, and there are so many fantastic mods, many of which are still fully functional despite it being a very old game.”
- “The great thing about this game is that by playing random maps, every game feels unique; every game tells its own story.”
- “Each game of Civ 5 you play will have its own unique style and story that unwinds as it plays out.”
- “Campaign had a terrible story and quite frankly the multiplayer wasn't much better.”
- “There is no story/campaign, not really.”
- “If you are looking for a storyline or a game like Subnautica, then this isn't for you.”
stability
452 mentions
6 % positive mentions
1 % neutral mentions
92 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent crashes, graphical glitches, and significant issues in multiplayer mode, making it often unplayable. Many players express frustration over the game's persistent bugs and the lack of effective updates or fixes from the developers. While some enjoy the single-player experience, the overall consensus is that the game's stability issues severely detract from its potential enjoyment.
- “No glitches, no crashing.”
- “The gameplay is smooth and bug free.”
- “All in all this is a very solid game, good gameplay, few to no glitches that I have encountered.”
- “The level of frustration you may have for having a good start and then you couldn't finish the game due to these crashes, desyncs, and spontaneous glitches is paramount.”
- “Despite all my hours in this game, I cannot recommend it to anyone because it's an unstable, buggy piece of nonfunctional garbage.”
- “The multiplayer is incredibly fun; unfortunately, it's buggy and never got fixed.”
humor
222 mentions
98 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is frequently highlighted as a standout feature, with players enjoying the ironic and absurd situations that arise, such as Gandhi's unexpected warmongering and the hilarious interactions between civilizations. Many reviews mention the comedic potential of naming cities and religions, as well as the amusing AI behaviors that lead to unpredictable and funny outcomes. Overall, the game is described as a source of endless laughter, especially when played with friends, making it a memorable and entertaining experience.
- “The irony of it all had me laughing out loud.”
- “With Gandhi, even religious expansion feels like a harmonious, almost humorous journey toward enlightenment!”
- “The infinite replayability of this game can lead to some amusing AI mishaps and hilarious or tense interactions with friends.”
- “Writing a letter to PewDiePie just to tell him thanks for ruining the internet because you're not funny.”
- “If you want to do something really interesting, add quotes that appeal to social criticism rather than unfunny crybabies clearly lacking any sense of humor.”
- “Rule #5 (optional): Create a review for Civ 5 using bland and unfunny humor. You're welcome, by the way.”
grinding
201 mentions
1 % positive mentions
9 % neutral mentions
89 % negative mentions
The aspect of "grinding" in the game is frequently described as tedious and time-consuming, particularly in the late game where micromanagement and unit movement can become overwhelming. While some players appreciate the strategic depth and complexity, many express frustration with the repetitive nature of gameplay and the need for extensive time investment, often suggesting that it requires a significant commitment to enjoy fully. Overall, the game appeals to those who enjoy grinding mechanics, but it may deter players looking for a more streamlined experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “No tedious districts and no workers that vanish after building a few farms.”
- “The only fun win condition is domination, and the game goes to every length to make it as tedious as possible.”
- “The gameplay, although robust on paper, often feels repetitive and tedious.”
- “This game becomes a grinding waste of time after more than an hour of playing.”
optimization
166 mentions
33 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
16 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its ability to run smoothly on a wide range of hardware, including older machines. However, there are significant complaints regarding performance issues, particularly in multiplayer modes and during late-game scenarios, where processing times can become excessively long. Overall, while the game is generally well-optimized for single-player experiences, it struggles with stability and performance in more demanding situations.
- “I'd say the game is overall really well optimized.”
- “It's highly optimized, which means that even on older machines, the game can be enjoyed without a hitch.”
- “The game is well optimized, fairly balanced and beautifully rendered.”
- “Crashes, performance problems, and long loading times are just some of the technical deficiencies plaguing Civilization V.”
- “The most recent update to the game, which includes nothing more than a new launcher, has prioritized advertising at the expense of game functionality, and in the case you are able to gerry rig a solution to get the game to start, performance.”
- “First things first: prepare to be frustrated by the incredibly poor mid and late game performance with end of round 'processing' times that are beyond excessive.”
monetization
137 mentions
2 % positive mentions
1 % neutral mentions
96 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn significant criticism due to the introduction of a new launcher that primarily serves as a platform for aggressive advertisements promoting Civilization VI, which many players find intrusive and unnecessary. This update not only disrupts gameplay but also raises concerns about data collection and the overall integrity of a game that players have already purchased. Overall, the monetization strategy is viewed as a blatant cash grab that detracts from the gaming experience.
- “Does this game use real money for in-game purchases?”
- “All the same titles, all the same mechanics, all the same games, only today with a 60 euro price, and microtransactions.”
- “Civ V is a good game, but the base game lacks some depth, and I would rather play Civ IV BTS or Civ III CNC than play Civ V BNW. If you can get it for under 50 dollars, go for it, but it lacks multi-leader civs, no civics or religion from Civ IV, no scenarios without buying DLC.”
- “After over 5 years of not updating the game, they straight-up broke it with a new launcher that's nothing but adware in disguise, shoving advertisements for Civ 6 down your throat every time you try to launch the game - and not even working properly most of the time, no less.”
- “This is an obnoxious anti-consumer move; they went out of their way to make a product I've owned for years objectively worse to incorporate advertising into their launcher.”
- “The most recent update to the game, which includes nothing more than a new launcher, has prioritized advertising at the expense of game functionality, and in the case you are able to jury-rig a solution to get the game to start, performance.”
emotional
54 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express a wide range of emotional experiences while engaging with the game, from heartwarming moments that inspire tears of joy to feelings of loss and nostalgia. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to create deep emotional connections with both the gameplay and the characters, leading to a sense of investment in their civilizations. However, some also note that the emotional highs can be accompanied by frustrations, particularly in multiplayer settings, which can detract from the overall experience.
- “I cried.”
- “This game made me feel life in a new way.”
- “Never before has a video game made me feel actual emotions and form actual bonds with AI.”
atmosphere
51 mentions
49 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive experience, enhanced by a dynamic and atmospheric soundtrack that evolves with the gameplay. Players appreciate the detailed world design and nuanced interactions between civilizations, which contribute to a rich historical tapestry. Overall, the combination of sound design, music, and the game's pacing creates a soothing yet engaging environment that keeps players invested for hours.
- “The immersive experience is one of the game's strongest suits, especially thanks to its atmospheric soundtrack, detailed world map, and the nuanced interactions between civilizations.”
- “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.”
- “The music, atmosphere, pacing, nations, and multitude of additional maps and nations make this the definitive civilization game in my eyes.”
- “It lacks atmosphere, it is painfully slow and units randomly lack sight and cannot fire at their intended range.”
- “Heroes of Might and Magic III is a good turn-based strategy game that has a better atmosphere than this game, but Civilization V probably makes up for it with its ensemble of game mechanics.”
- “The soft, slow melody of the main menu synchronized with the heavy atmosphere of responsibility rushed towards us.”
character development
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is noted for its depth, although some users criticize the character designs as unattractive. Additionally, there are concerns about gameplay mechanics, such as the fog of war, detracting from the overall experience.
- “The game has depth and character development.”