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Aspyr bringing latest Civ 5 expansion to the Mac same day as PC
Firaxis has announced a brand-new expansion pack for Civilization 5, called Brave New World. The expansion, coming later on this summer, will add new civs, units, buildings and wonders to the game, along with the ability to create trade routes that circle the world, and ideologies that can be used to win a cultural victory or a World Congress that will make the diplomatic game more complex than ever. And the best news about this expansion for us Mac gamers is that it's going to arrive same day and date as the Windows version, thanks to the developers at Aspyr. Aspyr teased this to us when we talked with them earlier this year, but it's now official: The Mac version of Brave New World will be out right alongside the Windows version. Having the Mac and Windows versions available on the same day is a good thing. The expansion will be US$29.99 when it drops, and we'll keep an eye out for an official release date.
Field of Glory, Civ 5 out for OS X
Here's two good strategy game releases for Mac OS X this week (in case you want to spend a little time away from the family after the turkey's carved and eaten). First up, Freeverse has released a game called Field of Glory -- it's a turn-based hex strategy game that's originally based on a tabletop title and has you fighting medieval Roman warfare across single player and multiplayer as well as a number of different scenarios and setups. The game is US $39.95, and includes three expansion packs from the PC version, all ready to go right away. But as cool as that sounds, here's the real hex-based strategy game you're waiting for: Civ 5 is out now for the Mac. And it's available on Steam under the SteamPlay banner, which means for $50, you get both the Mac and Windows versions, digitally delivered to whatever computer you'd like. If you've ever played any Civ game, you know this series is the pinnacle of strategy titles, and the new version not only adds hexes to the mix, but revolutionizes battle (no more stacks of doom) and streamlines city defense as well. I love Civ, and having it available in this way is something to be very thankful for.
Free Realms now available for Mac, Civ V gets a date
Sony's Free Realms MMO is now available on the Mac. It was promised that it would be earlier this year, and sure enough, you can now download and play the free-to-play online game for yourself on Apple's platform. The port is courtesy of Transgaming, but the game's not all that tasking, so you should be good to go. And while the aesthetic of the game is pretty kid-friendly, it's actually a lot of fun -- besides the usual combat and leveling, you can do things like kart racing and crafting throughout the world as well. And speaking of games on the Mac, Civ V has gotten a ship date for the Mac. It will be coming to our favorite platform on November 23rd, according to Inside Mac Games. So you can pretty much tell your family and friends to leave you alone for Thanksgiving -- there will be no time for turkey or cranberry sauce when China and the Germans need conquering. Good luck with that one!
Civilization V coming to OS X soon
Remember when Civilization IV came out, and Mac users had to wait nearly a year for the game to come to OS X? You'd be forgiven for thinking the same thing would happen with Civilization V, especially since there's been no official word from either Firaxis or 2K on when the turn-based strategy epic will make its way to the Mac. According to Mac Rumors, however, the wait for an OS X-compatible version of Civilization V may not be long at all -- they claim the Mac port may be coming sometime in the next few weeks. The Mac has enjoyed a sort of gaming renaissance in 2010, with Steam integration earlier this year followed by many high-profile titles (finally) making their way onto the platform. The Civilization series is one of the biggest names in PC/Mac gaming, so if it does indeed make it to OS X only a couple of months after its Windows debut, it's another hopeful sign that game developers are finally taking Mac-based gaming seriously. Civilization V requires registering with Steam, even if you bought a copy in a brick-and-mortar store. If you've already bought the game for Windows, you might not have to purchase it again to play it in OS X -- so far this has been the case for other titles released through Steam's online store, but it may or may not apply to copies bought through other retail outlets. Either way, I'll definitely be holding off on purchasing the game until after I finish my Master's thesis... because "Just one more turn" very quickly turns into, "Whoa, it's February already?"
