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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.
Steam Summer Sale, Day 9: Dungeon Defenders, Crysis 2, Civ 5 and more
Well, we're more than a week into the Steam Summer Sale and there's still no end in sight. No end to the savings, that is! (Can you tell we used to write copy for a local used car dealership?)Today's deep discounts include Dungeon Defenders, Fear 3, Magicka and Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad GOTYE, all for less than five smackers each, and Civilization 5, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Crysis 2 and Driver: San Fancisco for less than a tenner. Today's indie bundle is also no slouch, touting the now-classic VVVVVV, as well as the ballistically brilliant Jamestown.
OnLive now streaming Civ 5, free with Gods and Kings purchase
If you don't own Civilization 5 yet, have heard good things about the Gods and Kings expansion, and have a steady Internet connection to play games on, then streaming service OnLive has a deal for you. It's offering the Civ 5 core game PlayPass for free when you buy Gods and Kings, essentially giving you the entire critically acclaimed title and its add-on for $29.99.What you're buying here is the chance to play them on OnLive, however, which gives you the benefit of running the game as if you're on a high-end PC (even if you're on a Mac or a low-end PC), as long as you have an Internet connection with the bandwidth to stream it. As long as you've got the pipes for streaming HD video, this is the way to jump on the Civ 5 wagon, as the same deal on Steam will currently run you $60. OnLive says the door's closing on this one at the end of this week.
Aspyr updates Civilization V for Mac with downloadable content
Aspyr Media has updated the Mac version of Civilization 5 to fix a few bugs and include support for all of the various DLC packs. The downloadable content includes various new civilizations to play with, plus map packs that load up certain areas or scenarios to rule and conquer as your favorite civ. Unfortunately, the game isn't in the Mac App Store, but it's available at the usual places to buy Mac games online, including Steam. As you'll know if you've ever played any version of Civ, it's a terrific game, and it's good to see that the Mac version has capability for all the DLC now as well.
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!
PSA: Free Civ 5 DLC now available for download
Those of you waiting for the first hit of Civ 5 DLC khan get it right now for free. The Civilization and Scenario Pack: Mongols features Genghis Khan and his armies, and is a free gift to players. Also, the Babylonian Civilization (the Civ version of it, not the real thing) is available for $4.99.
Civilization 5 review: A funny thing happened on the way to the forum
Civilzation 5 is the love child of a clandestine tryst between Civilization 4 and Civilization Revolution. It is a game that shares genetic markers of both the PC and console iterations of the franchise, luckily receiving the best elements of both -- with a couple good mutations. Civ 5 has the grand, epic feel we expect from the series on PC, but so much of it has been streamlined for the better that Revolution's influence is undeniable. I'm going to try something different in this review. Civilization has been around for almost two decades and the most divisive moment in the franchise's history was the creation of the console-based Civilization Revolution. With that in mind, I'm going to divide this review into three parts, with sections for [1] Civilization PC veterans; [2] those who enjoyed Civilization Revolution; and [3] "the uninitiated." Read all three perspectives and find out if this latest Civ unites the tribes. %Gallery-98863%
Civilization 5's epic 13-minute gameplay walkthrough video
With Civilization 5's demo launching the same day as the game on September 21, it seems the best way to find out what you're in for with the latest installment is by checking out the 13-minute gameplay video after the break. We'll also have our review of the game up tomorrow and the video is a good primer for some of the big changes found in the latest iteration in the classic franchise.
Direct2Drive offering free Civ 3 with Civ 5 pre-order
Let's be honest with ourselves: If you're the kind of person who's pre-ordering Civilization V, you're probably the strategizin' type. You likely called around, made comparisons (maybe even put together a spreadsheet -- we won't judge), and then chose the most strategically fortuituous preorder that you possibly could, finding the perfect balance of cost and value for your money. But just like all of those late game German Panzers, Direct2Drive is throwing a last-minute wrench in the gears. Preorder Civ V via it, and you'll get immediate and free access to the classic Civ III, the last iteration in the series to stay 2D, largely viewed as one of the best versions of the game. Plus, D2D preorders also get the new game's first bit of Scenario Pack DLC for free. That's a good deal. Of course, if you want to preorder the new Civ, you probably have the old Civ collecting dust somewhere on a shelf. But you might at least add this deal to your spreadsheet, just to see how it balances out.
Civilization 5 will convert Civ 4 maps automatically
Jon Shafer, a.k.a. "Trip," is a veteran Civilization modder and mapmaker -- he's made his name in the Civ community by posting his own mods and strategy guides on the forums for years. And oh yeah, he's also the lead designer of Civ V, which is probably one reason why user-created mods and maps will play such a big part in the official game. Players will be able to upload and share them with others directly in the game itself. The user-created catalog will even be populated with plenty of content right at launch, because Shafer tells Bitmob that "you can import Civ 4 maps into the world builder and convert them into Civ 5 maps, including all the units and cities and stuff on it -- the conversion process will just do that for you automatically." Presumably, the process will also translate the maps from squares to hexes, which means Shafer and everyone else's maps from the last Civ are just a conversion away from being playable in the new game. Which is good -- some Civ fans would have a tough time without their Middle Earth maps.
April Fools: Civilization V to feature 'Extreme Diplomacy'
Firaxis and 2K Games today announced "Extreme Diplomacy," a new feature for Civilization V, the upcoming installment of the tired strategy series. In an attempt to get the masses playing the turn-based snore fest, the series will add a fighting game death match arena: "two world leaders enter" ... "one world leader leaves." The victor is said to gain control of the defeated's empire. The publisher has also announced an Über Edition of Civ V, which includes an 8-button joystick "to bring the classic fighting arcade game feel to these Extreme Diplomacy battles." Each faction leader will also have a super move, and we've listed the first six moves to be revealed after the break. Finally, Civilization will have some action!
