Civilization Revolution

That’s right, Civilization – the Marilyn Monroe of strategy games – is finally coming to the DS. Like Marilyn, Civilization fans love the game for its flawless beauty that hides a stunning level of complexity beneath. It’s a classic that never seems to go out of style. If Sid Meier can pull this one off, he’ll be guaranteed a huge hit. (OK, end of Marilyn comparison.)

Dubbed “Civilization Revolution”, the title’s being released on all next gen consoles and handhelds, and will have essentially the same gameplay that we’ve all come to know and love. You start the game as a wannabe empire builder, looking to take on the world greats through expansion, good resource management and scientific and cultural achievement. As you might guess from the above, Civilization’s cool in that you can win the game in a number of different ways, so if you want to be a peace loving hippy, killing the world through kindness, this is the game for you. Of course the military option is available, as is economic and cultural victories, and the infamous “space race” victory, where the first to the moon wins all.

Of course to get to the moon, you’ve got a lot of evolution and development to go through. You’ll start out as a pathetic little tribe with a couple of soldiers, and through the years, develop these into some hard-core forces, whether they be ninjas or nuclear missiles. As the years pass, and you develop various technologies, you’ll see your city change and develop at the same time.

In a similar vein, you’ll also be able to see your neighbouring civilizations grow and change. As each different civilization has a different style (from cathedrals to individual units) the game does a fantastic job of showing the cultural mishmash that develops from all that empire building. You’ll also find you will be approached by these different leaders (everyone from Cleopatra to George Washington feature in the PC game), as well as your own advisors, each wanting to sway your decision making. You’ll develop enemies and allies based on those decisions, which can affect everything from whether you can explore within another’s borders, sharing resources, or declaring war.

Unlike the PC game, Civ Rev’s look and feel, in true Nintendo fashion, is much more light-hearted, and looks a lot more cartoony. Perhaps it’s a nod to the no doubt younger target audience, or is just a cute way to put a twist on the game.

In addition to the single-player campaign, Civ Rev will also include multiplayer gameplay, including four-player competition, one-on-one duels, or team play, and it’s rumoured that players will be able to post scores online on a ranking site.

Civ Rev for the DS is due for release in early 2008. I can’t wait.