Unciv

About

Unciv is an open-source 4X civilization-building game that offers compelling game mechanics and challenges players to build and manage their own empire. Its graphics are impressive, but players may encounter some bugs during gameplay. Overall, Unciv provides an enjoyable and strategic experience for fans of the 4X genre.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 6,472 reviews

monetization334 positive mentions

stability21 negative mentions

Great adaptation of Civilization V for mobile, offering a similar gameplay experience.
Completely free with no ads, making it accessible to everyone.
Active development with regular updates and a supportive modding community.

The user interface can be cluttered and confusing, especially for new players.
Some bugs and performance issues, particularly in late-game scenarios with many units.
Lack of a comprehensive tutorial to help new players understand the mechanics.

monetization
489 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
6%
26%
The monetization aspect of the game is overwhelmingly praised, with users highlighting that it is completely free, devoid of ads, and lacks any in-app purchases or microtransactions. This absence of monetization strategies is seen as a refreshing change in the mobile gaming landscape, allowing players to enjoy a full gaming experience without interruptions or financial pressure. Overall, the game's commitment to being ad-free and free-to-play has garnered significant appreciation from the community.
- “The game is a perfect replication of the civilization games experience on mobile, and there are no ads to worry about, and no microtransactions to ding you.”
- “Respect to the creator for making this free forever, no ads, no microtransactions, amazing!”
- “It's a free civilization game with a nice art style and no ads or microtransactions.”
- “This is an incredible achievement made even better by being untainted by ads or microtransactions.”
- “In a world where 99% of all mobile games are plagued by microtransactions and in-game ads, every so often you'll find a gem like this.”
- “It's truly what we should have on mobile; I'm very tired of the regular shovelware that is released on mobile platforms that are designed around ads and sucking time and money out of you.”
graphics
366 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
66%
6%
The graphics of the game are generally described as simple, pixelated, and reminiscent of older titles like Civilization I and II, which some players find charming while others consider them confusing or lacking clarity. Many reviewers emphasize that the gameplay mechanics overshadow the graphics, making it a worthwhile experience despite the visual limitations. Overall, while the graphics may not be impressive, they are functional and contribute to a smooth performance on mobile devices, allowing for an engaging strategy experience.
- “The graphics are simple yet extremely amazing during the game.”
- “The pixel graphics get the job done, though they get a little hard to parse if you like to play really zoomed in.”
- “I love the graphics and cute design of all the icons; it's just a really good game!”
- “The graphics are very simple, which doesn't take away from the charm of the game.”
- “The graphics may be simple, but trust me, the game is not simple.”
- “The graphics are harsh at first, but it's absolutely incredible once you get used to them.”
gameplay
311 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
57%
2%
The gameplay of this game is widely praised for its depth, complexity, and adherence to the mechanics of the Civilization series, particularly Civilization V. Players appreciate the intuitive controls, mod support, and the absence of ads or microtransactions, which enhance the overall experience. However, some users note that the lack of tutorials can make it challenging for newcomers to grasp the mechanics, and there are occasional UI clutter and performance issues that could be improved.
- “The gameplay is solid, though I feel there's too much on the screen at times; it needs a bit more simplification in the UI.”
- “The gameplay has depth and character.”
- “This game takes the absolute best mechanics and elements from epic strategy games and condenses them into a simplified UI that works perfectly for mobile devices.”
- “The only shortfalls are a bit of a frame drop I experienced, and some minor letdowns like a lack of a proper religion mechanic - albeit the game is still in production so I don't know whether or not it will be added.”
- “To me and most people over 25, it is ugly, cheap-looking, and the gameplay is clunky and hard to understand without a decent tutorial.”
- “Need more tutorial... can't even understand the basic gameplay.”
music
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
73%
10%
Overall, players express a strong desire for improved music in the game, citing a lack of background tracks and repetitive audio as significant drawbacks. Many reviewers suggest incorporating diverse soundtracks that reflect different cultures or civilizations to enhance the gaming experience. While some enjoy the gameplay, the absence of engaging music and sound effects is frequently mentioned as a missed opportunity for greater immersion.
- “The only thing that's missing in this game is some soundtracks. I suggest adding a little mix of traditional songs for each tribe to give it a different vibe. Apart from that, the game is perfect and it's one of the best mobile strategy games I have ever stumbled upon; it has no ads and amazing content for free. I 100% recommend this game.”
- “I would love to hear soundtracks for the different civilizations I play; I think it would give the game another dimension of depth.”
- “The only thing it is really missing is some form of background music and/or ambient sound to fill the void of silence. Some sound/music files in the public domain could work really well for a project like this.”
- “The only thing it's really missing is some form of background music and/or ambient sound to fill the void of silence; some sound/music files in the public domain could work really well for a project like this.”
- “First, the music; no one wants to listen to the same music over and over.”
- “I would give it 5 stars, but the music is so horrible I actually can't play it because I need a game to have music in the background, but the music in this game is just bad.”
optimization
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
37%
7%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised, with many users reporting smooth performance even on midrange devices and large maps. However, some players have experienced performance issues in late-game scenarios, particularly with multiple AI nations, and there are calls for further improvements to enhance stability and reduce lag. Despite these concerns, the game is recognized for its low resource usage and effective mobile adaptation of the Civilization series.
- “I love this game, I have a slow phone with not much storage on it and it runs smoothly, even with mods!”
- “Impressively well-optimized and deep for a mobile strategy game.”
- “The game runs smoothly and has most of the elements taken from Civilization V.”
- “Please add some adjustments or performance upgrades and balances, so that the game would not slow down as you progress.”
- “I really like this game but can you please improve the performance because I have a custom map that is fairly big and I have to wait 4 minutes for the next round.”
- “Performance issues abound in the late game for enemy AI turn calculations and automation, but the AI still offers difficulty and there are no ads/microtransactions to spoil it.”
stability
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
4%
78%
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes, particularly in late-game scenarios and during multiplayer sessions. While some players appreciate the ongoing updates and improvements from the developers, others find the game unplayable due to lag and freezing issues. Overall, while the game shows potential and runs well on certain devices, it remains plagued by stability problems that need addressing.
- “It was not buggy, it was easy to understand (to a civ player), and it was fun.”
- “Runs great on my budget Android.”
- “It's great, bug free, ad free, and open source.”
- “My only complaints are that 1) once you get to late game, Unciv crashes pretty often, and 2) there are times where Unciv freezes during the end results of a turn and I have to manually save it and load it to get back in. I'm sure these will be fixed though and new features keep coming.”
- “The thing that makes the game unplayable, though, is the lags and glitches that happen when the game progresses, or even when starting and the map is big.”
- “But after this update, I cannot play the game; it freezes when I click next turn.”
replayability
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
24%
12%
The game boasts exceptional replayability, largely due to its extensive mod support, procedural map generation, and diverse scenarios, allowing players to experience a variety of gameplay styles. Users appreciate the depth and variety offered by player-created content, which significantly enhances the game's longevity. Overall, it is recognized as a highly engaging and replayable title, especially for a mobile civilization game, with no ads or paywalls.
- “Perfect yet compact game with lots of replayability: mods, scenarios, randomized maps, civilization perks.”
- “Huge amount of depth and replayability, only compounded by the mod options.”
- “The choices in the game are many and the game has a lot of replayability.”
- “The mods are also really fun, along with the multitude of settings create endless replayability.”
- “Adding a faith mechanic would greatly help in extra replayability.”
story
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
46%
23%
The story aspect of the game is seen as lacking depth, with players expressing a desire for a more engaging campaign mode and meaningful quests. Many users feel that the absence of religious mechanics, such as the ability to effectively use missionaries and great prophets, detracts from the overall experience. Additionally, players have noted frustrations with AI interactions and the need for clearer objectives and missions to enhance gameplay.
- “I love the game; sincerely, it's all about the gameplay rather than the looks, which I appreciate. It has everything people expect from a civilization game, but there is one thing bothering me: I can't spread the religion with missionaries, the same with the great prophet.”
- “Ok, hold up! The new story I just saved betrayed me, and I never pledged to protect it. In fact, they were the ones who declared war on me first, and then suddenly, when I destroy it, every other AI enrages at me for doing so????”
- “I tried the gods and kings version and loved it, but the religion wasn't working for me. I couldn't do anything with great prophets except make holy sites and couldn't do anything with missionaries or inquisitors. It looks like a really cool aspect of the game, but unfortunately, I wasn't able to make it work.”
- “If I play as Greece, I should have quests that I can finish, like having 10 cities and 1 ally to become a kingdom.”
- “Ok, hold up. The new story I just saved betrayed me, and I never pledged to protect it. In fact, they were the ones who declared war on me first, and then suddenly when I destroy it, every other AI enrages at me for doing so.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly on larger maps and higher difficulties, where unit controls and lengthy turn times can detract from the experience. While the game is praised for its quality and depth, the lack of features to streamline gameplay, such as tech progression and unit management, contributes to a sense of monotony during extended play sessions. Overall, while the game is enjoyable, the grinding elements may require patience and can feel cumbersome at times.
- “It's a great game, but it's very tedious to play on big maps and/or high difficulties.”
- “My only criticism is that playing the larger maps and creating an empire can mean that turns take 30 mins+ to complete, making it slightly tedious.”
- “While initially I loved this game, and I especially love the creator's message and dedication to the game, I must say on worlds of large size it can be tedious.”
humor
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is consistently praised, with users highlighting its vicious yet amusing nature, likening it to the fun experienced in Civilization games. Players appreciate the comedic elements, including quirky controls and humorous scenarios, making it an enjoyable experience for a wide audience. Overall, the game is recognized for its entertaining and funny content, appealing to both casual and dedicated gamers.
- “Above all, what I have said, this is a very funny game.”
- “The game is vicious and funny.”
- “Rated for 3+ age... funny joke.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, with some experiencing joy and relief from the absence of ads and paywalls, while others feel overwhelmed and confused by the tutorial, leading to frustration. Overall, the game evokes a mix of positive and negative emotions, highlighting its potential to resonate deeply with players.
- “I almost want to cry.”
- “I shed a tear of joy when I discovered there were no ads, no paywall; the only thing you had to do was play and enjoy.”
- “I feel that the lack of green is what makes this a wholesome game.”