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79%
PROS
Highly detailed, colorful maps, battles are fun, tons of units, does a good job of imitating the PC game, examples in rule book make life easier.
LOWS
Tons and tons of pieces to cut up, map is HUGE (almost too huge), game is very involved and complicated.
OVERALL
If you believe you have the nerd factor to this extent inside of your body, then you might be one of the few that can enjoy Civilization: The Board Game.
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You may have heard of Civilization III for the PC, as it is one of the most famous strategy games available. For those of you who are so obsessed with the game that you are driven to extreme measures, there is an option available to you in the real world. Civilization: The Board Game is an incredibly complex, hard to play, large, detailed, and nerdy board game made by Eagle Games. If you are so insane and nerdy as to contemplate purchasing this game, read this review.
Like most all Eagle Games, Civilization III comes with a large instruction manual, dictating to you how to play. The manual was intensely complex; however, it was made easier with the provided examples shown throughout the guide. It was a pain in the ass to read because it is boring and long, like all instruction manuals. The two different sets of rules take the cake at making it more complex. Considering how intricate the board game is, the manual is just about as complicated as it could possibly be. The standard rules are relatively simple, but for those who want to actually play the game, you are going to have to jump to the advanced set of rules. The standard rules don't incorporate the technology cards nor the happiness factor involved with settlements. Playing with the standard set may be good for your first few times, just to get a feel of the game. Past that, however, the standard game is rather uneventful and pointless.
The game board is composed of three long pieces of cardboard, totaling in at about 3 feet by 3.75 feet. This means you are going to need a big table or open floor space to set this baby up. The board is a map of the world, with each major region labeled. These countries will be your sources of income and battle. Each country starts out with an economical card, which depicts a certain resource or nothing… basically telling you how prosperous this region can become if you choose to settle in it.
Just like in the computer version, you will start with villages and then have to upgrade to towns, then to cities, and eventually to Metropolis'. As you advance throughout the game, new types of military units will be available, and in the advanced game, new types of technology to increase your production rates. Starting out can be difficult, mainly because it is a lengthy process. You will start out with settlers, claiming a country for your own, and building a village in order to create units. Your settlers can move to an adjacent region each turn, thus discovering the economic possibilities, determining if you would like to colonize the region. As you expand your realm of power, you will increase your income rate and in turn be able to build a better army and upgrade your settlements.
In addition to its length, starting out requires a lot of luck. If you explore regions with no resources or hazardous environmental factors, you are not going to be able to collect enough money to keep up with your opponent. Because of this, players can fall behind dramatically during beginning stages, if they are unlucky enough to explore worthless regions.
Battles are done when all movement is over, and is conducted by rolling a dice for each unit. Players involved in the battle will have to pick units at random, and then match them up against one another. There are some special modifiers involved in battle, like cavalry beats infantry, etc. This way of fighting is similar to most games of this complexion, and is a decent way to battle. There is also a large diversity of units you can fight with.
Like all Eagle Games, Civilization the Board Game is incredibly detailed. All the pieces you will cut out resemble units in the computer game, from tanks to swordsmen. Even though cutting out is an exasperating and lengthy process, you will appreciate the detail put into each unit you play with.
Civilization the Board Game does a good job of taking the PC version to the table. This statement is true, considering you are playing with the advanced set of rules. I would only advise purchasing this game if you are ready to make a big commitment to figuring it out and setting it up. If you believe you have the nerd factor to this extent inside of your body, then you might be one of the few that can enjoy this game.
