This is the intro to the almost-out Civilisation: Beyond Earth. I hope you weren’t expecting a merry jaunt as humanity smiles its way to the stars along a rainbow made of puppies.
Beyond Earth takes place immediately after a space victory in Civilisation V, sort of like a direct sequel; where the old game ended with a ship heading for the stars, that’s where you begin this one.
You’re meant to play Civ games as a demi-God, looking down from above and worrying only about the biggest picture. Things like pollution and unhappiness are counters to manage, not actual things that affect real people. Even in the midst of nuclear war, Civ V’s pastures remain green, its seas a tranquil shade of blue.
So this heart-wrenching sequence, where a daughter leaves her father behind — forever — hits me right in the guts. It’s seeing a Civ game from the ground floor, and this Civ game has gone wrong. It’s dystopian. Children of Men-meets-Deep Impact.
In this game, humanity isn’t reaching for the stars. It’s running from the Earth.
Is this what it’s like for the people of my Civ when, wracked by economic hardship and threatened by more powerful neighbours, I sink my remaining energy into a desperate bid for a space victory?
If it is, no wonder we never see Civ games from a more personal viewpoint. It’s too depressing. We’d never get anything done.
Comments
11 responses to “Well, The New Civilisation Game Starts Off Super-Depressing”
Argggggh, why did I watch that. In addition to the sudden influx of dust in the office it’s rocketed the game from “Yes, really interested but do I really have the time to play it?” to “Dude, seriously, why are resisting!?”
October 24th? Can’t wait… must freeze myself…
Completely forgot this was out this month. Goodbye what little social life I had
I will admit I have never played a Civ game before and I’m not too savvy on the whole RTS type of game (besides Theme Park World on the ol’ 95), but the concept of Beyond Earth intrigues me.
Wrong acronym, TBS (Turn based strategy) is the one you’re after 😀
Seems to have some nods to Interstellar.
Hm. I see they’re not using Transientmind canon in which every outcome ever is always global domination under threat of nuclear war. NO-ONE GETS OFF THIS ROCK WITHOUT MY SAY SO.
not too dissimilar to Alpha Centauri, really.
It is Alpha Centauri. The only reason they didn’t give it that name is that the copyright to the title is owned by some other company that wouldn’t release it.
Also, no mind worms.
Civ games enslave me to my computer every time. Just.One.More.Turn. Cant wait for this…
I wonder if this game will be playable out of the box or like civ5 I’ll have to wait a month until a 5+gig “patch” comes out to make it even run.
I already have alpha centauri (as well as every civ from one to five) and a long memory. Sorry Sid, not again.
Argh, think the fiance will mind if i cancel my wedding/honeymoon to sit there and play this for two weeks? hahaha…
Sigh.
Those people outside the fence are way too calm….Given what I’ve seen in department store sales …the end of the world is gonna be a whole lot uglier than what that cinematic portrays….(not to mention I’d imagine a few nations taking potshots at other nation’s starships)
Would be interesting to have a DLC (or something) where you play as the people left on earth….It’ll be like a civilisation game with a time limit (and a desire to kill everyone before the world ends….)