Unciv

About

Unciv is a single player casual strategy game. It received very positive reviews from players.

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

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92%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,300 reviews

monetization125 positive mentions

stability13 negative mentions

Incredible recreation of Civilization V for mobile, offering a deep and engaging strategy experience.
Completely free with no ads or microtransactions, making it accessible to everyone.
Regular updates and a dedicated developer ensure continuous improvement and new features.

The user interface can be cluttered and overwhelming, especially for new players.
Some bugs and performance issues arise in late-game scenarios, particularly with larger maps.
AI behavior can be inconsistent, often declaring war unexpectedly even with positive relations.

monetization
199 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
5%
32%
The monetization aspect of the game is overwhelmingly praised, with users highlighting that it is completely free and devoid of ads or microtransactions. Reviewers express appreciation for the developers' commitment to providing a genuine gaming experience without intrusive monetization tactics, making it a standout title in the mobile gaming landscape. Overall, players feel that the absence of ads enhances the gameplay, allowing for a more immersive and enjoyable experience.
- “Very impressed and a testament to the creators' love for the original that it has been lovingly recreated on the mobile app - all without paywalls and microtransactions.”
- “Considering this is a truly free game with no ads, this is way more than expected.”
- “Respect to the creator for making this free forever, no ads, no microtransactions, amazing!”
- “This is a fantastic game and a breath of fresh air compared to all the other 'free' games which are pay-to-win or bloated with ads.”
- “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
191 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
70%
6%
The graphics of the game are generally described as simplistic and reminiscent of older titles, such as Civilization I and II, with a pixel art style that some players find charming. While many appreciate the minimalistic approach for its functionality and ease of use on mobile devices, others express a desire for more detail and clarity, especially in late-game scenarios where unit differentiation can become challenging. Overall, the consensus is that while the graphics may not be cutting-edge, they do not detract from the engaging gameplay experience.
- “Truly amazing recreation of civilization, love the pixel graphics and the menus are clean.”
- “The graphics are good, and the game is liberating in its simplicity.”
- “The graphics may be simple, but trust me, the game is not simple.”
- “The only thing I can complain about is perhaps the visuals and the graphics, but to be honest, I love this game for its mechanics which simply overshadows the graphics in my opinion.”
- “I found the default graphics too confusing, but since I installed the 5hex-tileset mod, I've been totally sucked into this game.”
- “The graphics could be a little better honestly, but at the same time, it's great where it is.”
gameplay
168 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
63%
2%
The gameplay of this game is highly praised for its depth, complexity, and intuitive mechanics, reminiscent of the Civilization series, particularly Civ 5. Players appreciate the absence of ads and microtransactions, allowing for an uninterrupted experience, though some note that the user interface can be cluttered and overwhelming for newcomers. Overall, the game successfully combines familiar strategic elements with a retro aesthetic, making it a standout option for mobile strategy enthusiasts.
- “The gameplay is solid though I feel there's too much on the screen at times; need a bit more simplification in the UI.”
- “I was actually blown away by how intuitive the gameplay mechanics are, since you're playing on a touch screen, but everything is genuinely intuitive, and I cannot recommend this enough to any old-school Civ fan.”
- “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.”
- “Get rid of some gimmick systems and lean on the core gameplay loop more.”
- “And I know it's a work in progress, but man how do you leave out trade routes which are one of the very basic mechanics in my opinion.”
- “My only complaints would be that it's a bit tricky to learn at first (including arrows when a mechanic is introduced would be nice) and that the games tend to be a bit slow, though I understand why.”
music
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
74%
11%
The music in the game has received mixed feedback, with many players noting its repetitiveness and lack of variety, leading to a desire for more diverse soundtracks and ambient sounds. Some users reported issues with music not playing at all or being unresponsive to volume changes, while others suggested incorporating culturally relevant music to enhance the gaming experience. Overall, while the gameplay is praised, the audio aspect, particularly music, is seen as an area needing significant improvement.
- “I would love to hear soundtracks to the different civs I play; I think it would give the game another dimension of depth.”
- “I really love the game; good gameplay, I love the complexity, very thrilling, makes more possibilities. Modding also gives more flavor to the gameplay, good background music, and great job on the sound effects.”
- “First, the music, no one wants to listen to the same music over and over.”
- “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.”
- “Cons: no music, very little audio, only the most basic graphics.”
optimization
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
30%
15%
Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its smooth performance and minimal waiting times, particularly on mobile devices, even with complex gameplay and high AI settings. However, some users report performance issues in late-game scenarios, especially on larger maps, and suggest further improvements to enhance stability and responsiveness. Despite these concerns, many find the game enjoyable and well-optimized for a strategy experience.
- “It is beautifully optimized and there's virtually no waiting between turns.”
- “Plays surprisingly well on mobile both UI-wise and performance-wise, even with max AI on the largest map.”
- “I don't know how you have optimized the code but it runs smoothly, with no bugs whatsoever.”
- “Please add some adjustments or performance upgrades and balances, so that the game would not slow down as you progress.”
- “It does have some performance issues as games go on, and the interface can be slightly obtuse sometimes, but all in all everything meshes well.”
- “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.”
stability
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
87%
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with users reporting various bugs and glitches, particularly during late-game scenarios and multiplayer sessions. While some players find it runs smoothly and appreciate the developer's ongoing updates, others experience frequent crashes and freezes, especially on older devices or with larger maps. Overall, the game shows promise but still requires significant improvements in stability to enhance the user experience.
- “It was not buggy, it was easy to understand (to a Civ player), and it was fun.”
- “A solid recreation that runs great even when you push it to the max; the only complaint I could have is the fact that you don't get to choose exactly how many resources you can place on a tile in the map editor.”
- “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
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The game boasts high replayability due to procedurally generated maps, a wealth of choices, and a thriving modding community that enhances gameplay variety. While it requires a significant time investment, players find the depth and options available contribute to its enduring appeal. Overall, the combination of mod support and diverse gameplay mechanics ensures that players can enjoy the game repeatedly without it feeling stale.
- “Procedurally generated maps have a high replay value.”
- “Great civ remake, lots of replayability with the thriving modding community, and plays much better (and for free) than the few actual civ mobile games that are available on the store.”
- “Huge amount of depth and replayability, only compounded by the mod options.”
- “This game has a lot of replayability value, but it does require a lot of your time if you play it.”
- “Adding a faith mechanic would greatly enhance the replayability.”
- “The mods are also really fun, and the multitude of settings creates endless replayability.”
story
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The story aspect of the game is noted for its potential but is hampered by the absence of a functional religious system, which many players found frustrating. While the quests and gameplay are engaging, the inability to effectively utilize religious elements like missionaries and great prophets detracts from the overall experience. Players express a desire for more meaningful quests that align with their civilization's identity, indicating that the narrative could benefit from deeper integration of these elements.
- “Both the game and the mission behind it.”
- “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.”
- “If I play as Greece, I should have quests that I can finish, like having 10 cities and 1 ally to become a kingdom.”
- “Religion was the biggest thing I noticed was gone, but maybe that's for the best as I can't imagine how cluttered the inevitable missionary spam would look on such a small screen.”
- “I tried the gods and kings version and loved it, but the religion wasn't working for me (couldn't do anything with great prophets except make holy sites and couldn't do anything with missionaries or inquisitors) - looks like a really cool aspect of the game, but unfortunately I wasn't able to make it work.”
- “If I say I played as Greece, I should have quests that I can finish, like having 10 cities and 1 ally to become a kingdom.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the game's depth and dedication but find the grinding aspect tedious, particularly when playing on larger maps where turns can take over 30 minutes to complete. Additionally, slow internet can exacerbate the frustration of repeatedly downloading mods, and the learning curve for controls adds to the overall tedium.
- “While initially I loved this game, and I especially appreciate the creator's message and dedication, I must say that on worlds of large size, it can be tedious.”
- “My only criticism is that playing on larger maps and creating an empire can mean that turns take 30 minutes or more to complete, making it slightly tedious.”
- “I'd give 5 stars, but there are some tedious aspects.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the humor in the game to be a standout feature, describing it as both funny and enjoyable, particularly for fans of the Civilization series. The absence of ads and in-app purchases is also noted, contributing to a straightforward and entertaining experience.
- “For all Civ players, this is the same game; it's funny and fun.”
- “Above all I have said, this is a very funny game.”
- “No ads, no in-app purchases (I'm pretty sure) and no funny business.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game deeply moving, often evoking strong emotions that can lead to tears.
- “I almost want to cry.”