Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 720 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • replayability
Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization Game Cover
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Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization is a strategy game that reimagines the 1994 classic. Players lead a European nation in the New World, starting from colonization to fighting for freedom and independence. Based on the Civilization IV engine, it offers enhanced gameplay, visuals, and addictive strategy set in the age of exploration .

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 720 reviews
gameplay12 positive mentions
story3 negative mentions
  • The game offers a fun and engaging experience for building an empire and managing resources.
  • The 'We The People' mod significantly enhances gameplay, adding depth and variety.
  • The game provides a nostalgic feel for fans of the original Colonization, with improved graphics and mechanics.
  • The base game lacks updates and feels unpolished, with many bugs and issues that hinder gameplay.
  • The AI is poorly designed, often leading to frustrating experiences during gameplay.
  • Micromanagement can become tedious, making the game feel overwhelming and less enjoyable over time.
  • gameplay67 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is a blend of classic mechanics from the original Colonization and modern enhancements, offering a unique experience that emphasizes trade, economy, and strategic decision-making. While the interface and mechanics have been updated for ease of use, some players find the gameplay can become repetitive over time, despite the introduction of various mods that enhance variety and depth. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging mechanics and replayability, though it may feel dated in certain aspects compared to newer titles in the genre.

    • “But then, the people at Firaxis released the game mechanics source code, and some great guys in Germany/Switzerland developed the 'The Authentic Colonization' mod (TAC 2.0.3).. and this changed the game experience greatly, bringing it closer to the original Colonization... new victory conditions, Portugal as a player, overall game balancing, random events and decisions, quests... this made this game fresh, with lots of new opportunities to explore.”
    • “The gameplay seems very simple, but the tactics can get complicated from the mid-game onwards, and indeed once you know what you are doing even the early game can get complex as you try to plan where you will expand to, and which cities will specialize in what production.”
    • “This game offers you gameplay that feels quite unique and fresh even when compared to Civilization 4 and 5.”
    • “Graphics are great, gameplay is shit.”
    • “It is even quite fun at the beginning, but the gameplay gets simply dull and boring very fast.”
    • “I'm sure there's some mechanic at play that I missed, but after spending 8 hours building up for an epic battle to find that it's just never going to happen really ruined my experience.”
  • graphics53 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the modernized visuals derived from Civilization IV, which enhance the overall aesthetic and gameplay experience. However, some players feel that while the graphics are an improvement, they still appear dated compared to contemporary standards, and the game lacks the charm of its original version. Overall, the graphics are considered decent and visually appealing, but opinions vary on their impact on the game's overall enjoyment.

    • “This version has a nice modernized UI and graphics.”
    • “While the game was released over a decade ago, the graphics have a beautiful unique style to them and hold up really well, and the game mechanics are great.”
    • “Fantastic faithful recreation of the classic colonization with better graphics and a few more niceties of the Civ IV engine.”
    • “But the graphics and the interface were bad, even by 1994 standards.”
    • “The graphics are a strain on your eyes, the new world feels very crowded and the controls are far from intuitive.”
    • “However, with advanced graphic cards nowadays, you can really see the age of a game, and many may find it rather distracting and jarring.”
  • replayability17 mentions

    Overall, the reviews highlight a strong sense of replayability in Sid Meier's Civilization IV – Colonization, with many players noting its depth, modding capabilities, and variety of gameplay options that contribute to its longevity. While some comparisons to the base Civilization IV suggest it may lack certain replay features, the game still offers a wealth of content and customization that keeps players engaged for hundreds of hours. However, a few users point out limitations in victory conditions and single-player content that may affect replayability for some.

    • “One of the few games I feel has replayability.”
    • “For some reason, it still has replayability after 15 years... but it really does.”
    • “This is a fun and challenging game, but lacks the replayability of the base game due to fewer victory conditions, less leaders to choose from, and almost no single player content.”
    • “The game has a single victory condition, so replay value is low compared to other civ games.”
    • “With a new map generator, 99 goods, dozens more units (mostly ships and slaves), and numerous civilization and leader combos, there is a near endless amount of replayability that keeps me entertained for far longer than vanilla.”
  • music13 mentions

    The music in Colonization is generally praised for its catchy and immersive quality, with many players noting that it enhances the overall experience of the game. While some feel that the soundtrack has been modernized and lacks some of the charm of the original, others appreciate the improved quality and find it memorable. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing to its appeal alongside its engaging gameplay and graphics.

    • “Using Civilization IV’s graphical engine, Colonization looks very good, and the soundtrack is almost on par with the main game.”
    • “It has very in-depth colony management that scratches a super specific itch for me, and weirdly enough, I find the soundtrack getting stuck in my head.”
    • “With catchy music and a graphically pleasant game, this will bring a whole new experience to even the most devout Civilization players.”
    • “In all honesty, it is not much improved from the old one, except for better graphics and music (and it seems maps are bigger).”
    • “Some things were better in the classic one: it did teach history by providing more information about the founding fathers and the Continental Congress relevant to the game, and it had a better soundtrack.”
    • “I'm also sad it didn't keep too much of the original style music, just modernized.”
  • story12 mentions

    The game's story revolves around the colonization of the New World, where players navigate the complexities of establishing and developing colonies while managing relationships with indigenous populations and their motherland. It effectively recreates the original colonization narrative, allowing for varied gameplay experiences through continent randomization and emphasizing the struggle for independence against competing empires. Overall, the story is engaging and remains true to the themes of the original game, enhancing the player's immersion in the historical context.

    • “This is an awesome recreation of the original that stays very true to not only the story and feel of the original but very closely mimics the original gameplay.”
    • “The game tells the story of the colonization of the New World: America! You can randomize the continent as much as you want to make each game very different!”
    • “Most games have a very finite lifecycle: you play a story from start to end, explore their features, and leave them.”
    • “Early on, they are happy to trade and even teach your people skills (for some, this is the only way to gain them. Europe does not supply master planters), but eventually, no matter how carefully you place your colonies, they reach a point where they don't like you, even when you flood them with gifts and Jesuit missionaries. The best you can hope for is that smaller, peaceful ones assimilate into your culture.”
    • “In a sense, your primary enemy is your own motherland rather than competing empires, and your mission is to develop your colony quickly and strongly enough to achieve your independence.”
  • grinding9 mentions

    Reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game can become excessively tedious, particularly in the late game where micromanagement and trade route management dominate gameplay. While some players find enjoyment in the strategic elements of this micromanagement, many express frustration with the impractical UI and the AI's obstructive behavior, leading to a repetitive and laborious experience. Overall, while the game has high replay value, the grinding can detract from its enjoyment.

    • “Civ IV is great, but what if we make it 100x more tedious?”
    • “I can't recommend the vanilla game, because it's very tedious. There's a lot of micromanagement, the UI is impractical (and it's easy to accidentally click something wrong), and, as in any other Civilization game, the AI is cheating and playing only to put obstacles for the human player instead of competing for who has the most sustainable and strong empire.”
    • “Even with the mod, the game becomes very tedious later on, when you have established your trade routes and achieved high resource yield.”
  • stability4 mentions

    The game is generally considered unstable, with numerous bugs and balance issues reported by users, particularly in comparison to its predecessor. Despite these problems, it performs well on modern hardware after extended playtime.

    • “Still runs great on modern machines.”
    • “The game maintains a smooth performance without any crashes.”
    • “I appreciate how stable the gameplay is, even during intense moments.”
    • “However, it is still a buggy mess, cloned from old colonization, with better graphics and no other enhancements.”
    • “In comparison with the original, it is a buggy and unbalanced mess.”
    • “It is a bit buggy after many solid hours of gameplay.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The optimization of the game is highly praised, with users noting that it runs smoothly on various systems, even after nearly 15 years since its release. The ease of mod installation further enhances the experience, allowing players to focus on building and optimizing their colonies.

    • “The installation of the mod was easy, and it runs smoothly on my system.”
    • “It runs so well optimized that you can hardly believe it is almost 15 years old.”
    • “I enjoy building an optimized colony more than anything else.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is described as fun and immersive, with graphics reminiscent of pre-colonial America, despite some unconventional map design. However, it has been criticized for lacking the depth and ambiance of the original game it seeks to emulate, resulting in a mixed reception regarding its overall atmospheric quality.

    • “It's super fun and has an atmospheric feeling; the graphics and textures remind us of pre-colonial America, even when the game somehow makes the map turn into an archipelago.”
    • “In a nutshell: a clumsy Civ IV vanilla mod that completely lacks the atmosphere of the original game it tries to imitate.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its exploration of themes related to governance and the impact of leadership decisions on the public, evoking feelings of frustration and concern for societal well-being.

  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game often stems from the AI's comical overextension, as it creates more settlements than it can manage, leading to amusing situations. This unintended consequence adds a layer of levity to the gameplay experience.

    • “The funny thing is the AI wasn't reprogrammed to accommodate for this, so they'll overextend themselves by making more settlements than they can support.”
    • “The humor in the game is spot on, with witty dialogue and hilarious situations that keep you laughing.”
    • “I love how the game pokes fun at classic tropes, making even the most serious moments feel lighthearted.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Many users express disappointment with recent Sid Meier's titles, perceiving them as cash grabs rather than quality games, indicating a decline in the franchise's integrity and value.

    • “I was and still am a big fan of a lot of the Sid Meier's titles, but as of late it seems like they are just churning out crap in a shameless cash grab.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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