Metareview: Civilization: Beyond Earth

Joystiq's Alexander Sliwinski gave 2K's interstellar strategy game Civilization: Beyond Earth four stars in his review, alternately praising it as "a good game in the context of the Civilization franchise" while also framing it as "a cut-rate disappointment" compared to its inspiration, Alpha Centauri.

While some feel that it comes up short compared to its predecessors, Civilization: Beyond Earth still has a lot to offer for fans of the strategy genre. Here's a small sampling of what critics are saying.

• Game Informer (90/100): "Civilization: Beyond Earth doesn't take the series to the outer galaxies in terms of revolutionary new gameplay, but it provides fantastic modifications and mechanics that allow it to stand proud as a worthy bearer of the Civilization name."

• PC Gamer (87/100): "I've conquered countless civilizations on the planet Earths of each various Civilization game, and each time it's felt like reinventing a fantasy version of the past. In Beyond Earth, victory feels like living in -- and forging -- humanity's future, and I can honestly say I've never had more fun building a civ 'to stand the test of time.'"

• Eurogamer (80/100): "Beyond Earth blasts the Civilization 5 template into space, but it's ultimately less of an offshoot to the main series and more of a measured response."

• GameSpot (70/100): "I am finding that I play more games through to completion in Beyond Earth. In inverse of my experience with Civilization V, my favorite part might be the ending, where a civ has to lay its cards face-up in a bid for one of the five methods of victory, and any semblance of 'civilization' goes out the window as everyone else tries to drag them back down like the proverbial crabs in the bucket."

• The Escapist (60/100): "Unfortunately, the myriad of new decisions you have to make in Beyond Earth become uninteresting far too quickly, at once paralyzing you and forcing you to mark time in annoying ways. Thankfully, the game is still enjoyable for a Civ fan even if it is flawed."

[Image: Firaxis]