Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri & Alien Crossfire Expansion (Bundle) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)As much as I hate to do it, I have to write a negative review on this package.Now, I'm not reviewing the game itself, which I have loved since I first started playing computer games.I'm reviewing this particular re-release by EA.I got it, hoping to finally play Alien Crossfire.I installed it, gave it all the proper permissions in the properties menu, and tried to run it.It didn't.I'm not sure exactly why it doesn't run, I have the original game cd currently installed on my Windows 7 machine and it runs perfectly.

It could be that this package doesn't support the 64-bit system I have; but like I said, the original works, so why wouldn't this?I don't understand it and I'm very disappointed.

If you're considering buying this package and you have a Windows 7 64-bit machine, be aware that it might not run.

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Product Description:
Product Information Ever wonder what happened to the explorers launched into space at the end of Civilization II ? This game has the answer: they landed on a planet orbiting Alpha Centauri and quickly divided into feuding factions each bent on molding the new world according to the group's particular philosophy or culture. But the human colonists are not alone. Alpha Centauri employs the same basic gameplay rules and concepts as Civilization IIbut features enhanced diplomacy and a new slicker interface. Players begin by assuming leadership of one of seven colony factions establishing a base on the unexplored world. Conquering territory developing technology expanding the faction's population and dealing with native life forms are critical priorities that must be correctly balanced for survival. If a faction's military output is low it may be vulnerable to attacks by others or by dangerous mind worms that roam the landscape. On the other hand building war machines at the expense of scientific research Legendary designer Sid Meier presents the next evolution in strategy games with the most addictive compelling gameplay yet. Explore the alien planet that is your new home and uncover its myriad mysteries. Discover over 75 extraordinary technologies. Build over 60 base upgrades and large scale secret projects for your empire. Conquer your enemies with a war machine that you design from over 32000 possible unit types.

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Sid Meier's Civilization Chronicles Review

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(More customer reviews)This collection is a great one - it's like buying the trilogy of your favorite movie series or buying all the episodes for Star Wars.

That means that there are exactly two reasons why anybody would buy this package.

The first reason is the most obvious: you don't have any (or most) of the titles and/or you are looking to learn more about the history of this classic game.

In that light, this package offers everything you can possibly buy with the Civilization title on it except for the very latest expansion packs to Civ 4.(There are nine titles here!)

If you have never seen the roots of Civilization (there were versions released for game consoles, as well), you will get your chance here.And again, if you love Civ but don't have the "not for sale in stores" versions of older Civ titles, here you go.

The second reason somebody would buy this package is simply because they are a diehard fan of Civilization and want it all.

My comparison is to movie trilogies insomuch as they typically offer slightly upgraded versions of the products released many years ago, thus increasing both the nostalgia and the fervor.Some titles have essentially been patched to perform decently on newer computer systems - reminds me of the Atari Classic Games release a few years ago where they enabled the old games to play on Windows XP, for example.

This package meets your needs if you want it all as you get every Civilization title (expanded or not) to play on today's current computer systems.More importantly for the diehard fan are the collectible items inside.

There is also a DVD that is pretty cool, I think.It is essentially the "Making of..." feature that you find with movies, and because Civilization is a classic, this "Making of..." will appeal to those who have been with Civilization for a long time.

There is also the card game (which I never got into because I'd rather sit in front of my computer and have it do most of the work).This game is most exciting when you play it with your friends, in my opinion.My challenge was finding even one friend who loved Civ as much as I to play this with me, but all those online features really drew me away from the cards (if I wanted to play multi-player).The card game is still fun, though - it can let you interact with your friends more intimately.

And, of course, the book...

This is more than just a game manual or a strategy guide - this is the bible (as they tried to make it out to be).But it is basically the DVD documentary in written form, albeit nicely done.It is a great collector's item as it shows you a lot of the concepts (new and old) and some of the "mind of Sid," as well as the chronology/history of it all (like changes between the titles).Good content if you are into that sort of thing.

I really think that the collectors will appreciate this offering the most.I can't imagine turning people on to the Civilization culture by introducing them to the older titles and then having them work their ways up to Civ IV.

In reality, if you are a Civ history/culture buff, this is your $65 baby.

I also noticed that for about $91 you can get EVERY title ever made for Civilization - that means you just add the new Civ IV: Warlords expansion pack to the order.

For me, personally, I own Civs 1-4 on one format or another, and I have spent almost $200 so far.I thought Civ 3 was perfect for gamers like me (people without advanced computer degrees but who love to customize), but nowadays the Civ titles are increasing the gap between the yuppies and the computer geeks.(I am a computer geek, but on the lower end.)

Buy this if you want it all (in a nice box to boot).If you aren't that way, just buy Civilization 3 Complete - it's got everything you'd love about Civilization and the price is delectable.

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Product Description:
With more than six million units sold, Sid Meier's strategy and simulation-driven Civilization is recognized as one of the greatest gaming franchises of all time, and now for the first time, the entire series is compiled in one behemoth package. The set will include: Sid Meier's Civilization I, Sid Meier's Civilization II, Civilization II: Fantastic Worlds, Civilization II: Conflicts in Civilization, Civilization II: Test of Time, Sid Meier's Civilization III, Sid Meier's Civilization III: Play the World, Sid Meier's Civilization III: Conquests and Sid Meier's Civilization IV.

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Neighbors from Hell Review

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(More customer reviews)I got this game at EB Games thinking it was going to be awful.I started playing it, and I actually liked it!The basic idea is that you are on a reality TV show, where the goal is to make your neighbor as mad as possible.In order to do that, you play tricks on him - like drawing all over his mom's portrait with a black marker, cutting his favorite chair in half, switching out his hard candy with bath beads, etc.When he finds out, he gets super mad!And if you manage to pull several tricks in a row, you get extra points.If you get caught, he beats you up pretty bad. :D
The game runs well, I never had any issues when I was installing or playing it.The only thing I didn't like about the game is that I beat it about 2 1/2 hours.There are only about a dozen scenarios to do, and each has a timer of about 5 minutes.Also, I would have liked to see more variety in tricks - by the last few scenarios I knew every single trick and it was just a matter of strategizing on what order I wanted to pull them off in to get the maximum amount of points.
Overall - decent game, but way too short. :)

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Product Description:
Platform:WINDOWS 95/98/ME/2000/XPPublisher:ENCOREPackaging:RETAIL BOXRating:TEENNeighbors From Hell is a comical game of practical jokes presented as a spoof of "reality" television shows. Players view a cross-section of a residential building where their character lives with a neighbor. Throughout the game's 14 episodes the main goal is to sneak into different rooms and booby-trap everyday items that the neighbor might use causing him to fall for one dirty trick after another.Each time the neighbor is caught in one of the player's traps a simulated studio audience will guffaw and applaud with approval. The better the sneaky trick the louder the audience will cheer. If the player's character is ever caught in the act of setting one of these traps however there will be heck to pay. Neighbors From Hell features cartoonish 3D characters and apartment building settings in line with its lighthearted slapstick objectives.Features:14 hugely varied episodes of anarchyUse stealth skill and style to perform the perfect ambushEasy to use interface and controlsSuperb cartoon-style graphicsExcellent soundtrackSystem Requirements:Windows XP/ME/2000128 MB RAMIntel Pentium II 266 MHzDirectX 8 compatible graphics card16 MB RAMDirectX 8-compatible soundcard130 MB free HD4x CD-ROM

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Conquer the World Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a compilation of Sid Meier's Colonization, Sid Meier's Railroad Tycoon Deluxe, Pirates Gold (also by Sid Meier) and Transport Tycoon (by Chris Sawyer, better know for Roller Coaster Tycoon).

Colonization, is a semi-sequal to Civilization. It deals with the colonization of the American colonies. You can play one of the old world powers trying to conquer the new world. The gameplay is very very similar to Civilization. The game is turnbased.

Railroad Tycoon Deluxe, is a graphically enhanced version of Sid Meier's Railroad Tycoon. In this realtime game you become a Railroad Baron trying to make money by running trains building factories and using the stock market.

Transport Tycoon is a similar game developed by Chris sawyer and published by Microprose. It expands the idea to bus lines, airplanes, ships, etc. Also adds the isometric prospective.

Pirates is the hybrid rpg-adventure-action-strategy game. In this game you sail the seven seas to capture treasure, make your fortunes, find your love, and rescure your family.

All the manuals for the games are on CD, which you need to use the included Adobe Acrobat Reader to print.

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Product Description:
From the back of the box: "THERE'S MORE THAN ONE WAY TO RULE A WORLD! Conquer the roads, lands, air and sea in this amazing collection of award-winning strategy games from Microprose. Build a railroad empire. Colonize new worlds. Control a vast and complex transportation network. Amass a pirate's fortune! Everything you need for endless conquest is in this collection."

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Sid Meier's SimGolf Review

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(More customer reviews)Links and other golf-realism fans look elsewhere.This is not about accurate golf.It's a money management and resource gathering sim along the lines of Theme Park or Sim-Coaster.Those expecting this to be as involved or detailed as Meier's Civilization or Alpha Centauri games will also be disappointed.It's not necessarily challenging, but still fun to play.
Like most games of this type, you start out with a blank piece of land and a small sum of money and your job is to build up your course hole by hole until you raise enough money to err... go on to another blank piece of land.Detail is sacrificed for simplicity in this game.You can raise/lower terrain, add fairway, green and various traps rather intuitively but you can't make the sandtrap the exact shape you are looking for.You can win awards for a number of different achievements such as completing dog-leg holes or hitting the 9 and 18 hole marks.As your course becomes popular and the money starts pouring in, you can also sell prime real estate which celebrities such as "Curtis Weird" will move into.
Once you get a hole or two built, you can open your course to the familiar Sims who travel the course, speaking their gibberish, and showing their enthusiasm (or disgust) at your creation.A well designed course is also necessary to impress the city officials who, after a pleasing round of golf, will allow you to buy additional parcels of land to expand your course.If your course is particularly well designed, a pair of sims will start an elaborate story you can follow along with as they play.A pair may fall in love, start a business together, or whatever.If the story reaches a conclusion, a bonus item (usually some kind of course decoration) will drop from the sky and on to the course.It's interesting to follow, but after about four or five stories, they'll start to repeat themselves.
A weaker aspect of the game is the tournaments you play against fellow sims to build up your skills such as putting, driving, etc... It's *very* basic.You may make a mouse click or two on the initial drive, but the computer takes over from there right down to the final putt.You might as well be rolling dice.I wonder why it was ever incorporated into the game.
It's a very easy game, so if you're looking for a challenge straight out of the box, skip the normal level and go straight to difficult.There's also a nice feature that allows you to import your face in the game; the readme.txt file details how to do it.It's tricky, but you can import three different faces (happy, normal, mad) using a program that edits .bmp files (such as Paint Shop or Microsoft's Photo Editor). Then your face will appear in the giant photo of yourself as you pull up your character's statistics (I was hoping my mug would appear in the game itself, but alas...)
I killed an entire evening playing this game right out of the box. It sucks you in very quickly with its simplicity. However I don't find myself coming back to it that much the way I did playing The Sims.Perhaps it's because it's easy or maybe it's just because I'm sure I've probably seen everything already.So the next chunk of land is a wooded area instead of a tropical beach.What's the use of continuing if you're just going to create another course and listen to the same jabbering sims over and over again?
Still, if you ever wished you create your own Pebble Beach or Mauna Kea resort, this game delivers.

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Product Description:
Sid Meier's SimGolf puts you in charge of your very own golf resort. You'll get to play the roles of course designer, CEO, and resident pro as your try and grow your business from a small, public pitch-and-putt to a five-star resort complete with private memberships, airstrips, and luxury hotels. To do this, you'll need to design courses that are fun and challenging and manage your resort's resources to satisfy your guests' growing needs. You'll even have a chance to test your course and golf skills when your Sims challenge you to a round.
You can create the world's most challenging and outrageous golf courses in a variety of different environments, including woodlands, desert, tropical, and Scottish links. Then you can build an entire golf resort from the ground up around your course. Hold tournaments, sell memberships, and entice the rich and famous to build homes at your resort. But make sure you manage wisely. Modify your course and resort so you can respond to the needs and interests of your Sims guests.
The skills test against your Sims is the penultimate challenge. Players can bring their existing Sims characters into the game with a user-friendly import tool or create their own Sim golfer from scratch. Customize and play your resident pro against other pros for a big cash purse you can use to upgrade your resort.

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Starflight 2: Trade Routes of the Cloud Nebula Review

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(More customer reviews)I have never payed a game as fun as this one in my entire life. yes I know this game is like 14 years old. But I tell even with only the EGA graphics its still a blast.

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The Ultimate Strategy Archives Review

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(More customer reviews)If you can find a copy of this, =get= it. I bought it (twice)for a high price and a low price.It's a great value either way,and a good choice for the casual gamer (who doesn't mind getting hopelessly addicted).
The original Civilization is here, as is Heroes of Might and Magic (I). Both of these games are =still= more addictive and playable than 98% of games released. In addition, you get Conquest of the New World Deluxe, the first X-Com and Railroad Tycoon (all on one CD). All of these games are classics; most have had successful sequels. (But Heroes of Might And Magic I, in particular, is still as playable as, and a pleasant break from its sequels.)
On top of that you get three other CDs with Jagged Alliance, M.A.X and Dark Colony. Dark Colony is both the newest the least inspired of this auspicious group (and the hardest to get working) but it still has some very cool features.
Get it while you can folks.END

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RAILROAD TYCOON 2 PLATINUM Review

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(More customer reviews)The Platinum Edition lumps the original game with several add-on packages.

Let's start off with a few things:

Yes, this is an old game. And, yes, you can probably pick it up for $20 (or less). And, yes, there is a newer version of RailRoad Tycoon out.

But I personally don't find the newer version to be as much fun as this one.

The graphics aren't striking. There's no whiz-bang 3-D animation. There's only strategy.

The scenarios seem easy enough:

"Create a railroad company, and lay track from Baltimore to Washington DC. Make 10 journeys with a train full of people in 10 years and win this scenario."

Or

"Connect New York to Chicago, carry 10 trainloads of passengers between these cities and have a company book value of $10 million. You have 20 years."

Okay, these may not be the exact scenarios, but they're close.

This game isn't just laying track and putting trains on them. You've got to create trains to do specific tasks. Start at a Iron mine with 2 cars full or iron, run to a Coal mine and pick up 2 additional cars, run to a steel mill and wait for the steel to be made, then off to a Tool and Die company for goods, now deliver those goods to a city and start it over again.

The scenarios are challenging, and fun. Sometimes it's not about running trains, but how well you run a company--or how well you play the stock market.

In RRT2 you get:

===North America===
The Iron Seed: Mid-Atlantic states
Handle on The Breadbasket: Eastern USA
Bridging a Nation: Western USA
Silver Booms and the Market Busts: Southwestern USA
Whistle Stop and Promises: Northwestern USA
Crossing the Great Divide: Canada

===Europe===
Birth of the Iron Horse: Britain
Excess on the Orient Express: Europe
Knitting with Iron: Germany
Next Stop the 20th Century: France
Through The Brenner Pass: Alps
When Walls Come Down: Eastern Europe

===World===
Croissants vs Crumpets: India
Which Way to the Coast?: Australia
The Samurai Rides an Iron Horse: Japan
The People's Train: China
Dilemma Down Under: Australia
Cape to Cairo: Africa

as well as the Second Century Expansion pack which takes you into the 20th century with new challenges and newer trains.
Including getting supplies to ports in America to be delivered to Europe for World War 2, running trains in the Eastern Block and Moscow during the Cold War, running commuter trains in the Northwest and a few science-fiction 'future' scenarios centering around a geo-thermal plant in Spain. I found this game very addictive, fun and still enjoyable years after my initial purchase.

Well worth the money. And you can find online guides to help you if you get stuck.

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Product Description:
Platform:WINDOWS 98/ME/XPPublisher:POPTOPPackaging:DVD STYLE BOXRating:EVERYONEEstablish yourself as a mogul to be reckoned with as you work your way up the ranks of the railroad industry. Expand your domain across continents and a changing global marketplace. Build the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad or the Orient Express. Run steam trains through the jungles of Africa or electric trains through the Swiss Alps. Run your competitors out of town on a rail. Railroad Tycoon II Platinum is the definitive version of the award winning Railroad Tycoon II series. Inside you'll find the complete contents of Railroad Tycoon II Railroad Tycoon II - The Second Century and Railroad Tycoon Gold plus 50 All New scenarios and over 2 hours of original music. You'll also get the 200 page official Railroad Tycoon II Strategy Guide in electronic form on the disk. Product Features:Over 125 scenarios ranging from the building of the Transcontinental Railroad to supplying allied forces during WWII!Re-create history's greatest railroading feats with over 60 engines from around the world including the French TGV the 4-8-8-4 Big Boy the Brenner 412 and the Vulcan 2-4-0.Sophisticated stock market with margin buying short selling and hostile takeovers.Over 2 hours of original blues music - three times as much as any other previous version.Play alone or against dozens of devious computer players. Supports LAN or Internet play. System Requirements:Windows 98/Me/XP 133 MHz or higher processor 16 MB RAM 4x CD-ROM drive 300 MB free hard disk space 800 x 600 capable monitor and video card (1024 x 768 recommended)

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Civilization 3 Gold Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First off, Civilization III is a fantastic continuation of the 'Civilization' series of PC games which I've been playing since the first one hit the shelves back in 1991. However, I'm not here to give a review of this great game (there are plenty of reviews out there already) but rather to guide potential buyers for choosing which Civ3 version to get (or not get as the case may be).
The Civ3 games are as follows:
- Civilization 3 was originally released in 2001. It is the full, stand-alone game title.
- Civilization 3: Play the World was later released in 2002 as an add-on to the standard Civ3 game. It was generally considered buggy and incomplete and took a few patches to get it (almost) right.
- Civilization 3 Gold, released this year (2003), is essentially the original Civilization 3 game packaged with the "Play the World" add-on.
- Civilization 3: Conquests was also just released (2003) and is the latest add-on to the standard Civ3 game. IMPORTANT: the Conquests add-on includes EVERYTHING from the Play the World add-on plus adds a whole lot more goodies!! In a nutshell, Conquests fixes many of the problems with the PTW add-on and has a bunch of new stuff to boot.
So, my advice to anyone considering buying Civ3 Gold is thus: DON'T! Because you're better off buying the original Civ3 (which is extremely cheap now) with the Conquests add-on. It will cost you about the same for both anyway and you're essentially getting THREE Civ3 titles instead of only TWO.
I hope this helps save you a few bucks to spend on something else this holiday season. Enjoy!

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Product Description:
Experience the Ultimate in World Conquest!Product InformationFrom Firaxis Games and Sid Meier the creative genius behind some of the mostcritically acclaimed computer games ever produced comes this Gold Edition ofCivilization III. Now there are more ways to win pathways to explorestrategies to employ and exciting online modes of play. Civilization III: GoldEdition gives Civ fans unmatched strategic gameplay for solo heroic ventures orto battle players from around the world.Few computer games have ever received the level of praise attained by SidMeier's Civilization III - the highly addictive game of epic proportions whereplayers compete in an all-out quest to rule the world. Now both Civilization IIIand its improved follow-up expansion pack Civilization III: Play the World aretogether for the first time. Product Title IncludedCivilization IIICivilization III: Play the WorldProduct FeaturesNegotiate alliances with famous leaders from 24 civilizationsConquer vast territories with powerful armies and a variety of fighting methods.Challenge opponents from around the world in a variety of multiplayer games.Build an empire and culture that is the envy of other civilizations.Play against human and computer opponents via the Internet email hotseat or LAN in turn-based simultaneous or even "turnless"games.Product OverviewCivilization IIITheCivilization Legacy: Sid Meier created theoriginal Civilization computer game in 1990. Civilization instantly set thestandard and defined a new genre of empire-building strategy games and is stillrecognized as one of the greatest games of all time. The game is an addictiveblend of building exploration discovery and conquest. Players match witsagainst some of history's greatest leaders as they strive to build the ultimatecivilization to stand the test of time. The legacy of this incredibly funaddictive series continues today with t

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Spaceward Ho! IV 4 Review

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(More customer reviews)Spaceward Ho! IV for Windows is an updated version of the classic spaceploitation strategy game. A host of new features are added from previous versions, including: new galaxy types, alliances, computer AI negotiations, new radical technologies, new ship types (dreadnoughts, tankers, biologicals), tougher AI opponents, smoother network play in multiplayer mode, enhanced graphics and sounds, and a variety of tools to measure your progress throughout the game (graphs, rankings, etc.).

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Product Description:
This software is BRAND NEW. Packaging may differ slightly from the stock photo above. Please click on our logo above to see over 15,000 titles in stock.

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Sid Meier's Pirates! Review

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(More customer reviews)Parents: I have absolutely no idea why they gave this game a "T" for teen. The content in this game is light hearted and humerous for any age. Understanding how to play might be a bit tough for energetic little ones, but chances are if they are patient enough to books read by themselves they'll be old enough able to handle this game with no real problem. Be aware though that this game is direct towards those types who like games that usually involve a good deal of time (think monopoly, risk, chess, checkers, ect.)

Everbody I know who has played this game loves it and I...I am not sure why. This game is incrediblely simple and repetitive with a lot of stuff they could have packed into it left out. It has almost zero story. The mini games are few and always the same. Graphically the game is pleasing and the music is happy and positive, but after a while all the environments are pretty much the same. Basically, you could finish the whole game in a few hours if you wanted.

Yet, it's still so fun that you can just keep playing it over and over. It's one of those unique game that you play for about a couple hours a day and it never gets old. Time just flys when your playing this thing and I don't I'll ever really understand why. It only has about four minigames in it, yet me and the rest of my family still find it hard to put down.

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Product Description:
In Sid Meier's Pirates, you take the leading role of a Pirate capatain in the 17th century Carribean.Discover what it takes to become one of the most famous pirates in history.In this action-packed adventure, you'll face enemies, raid villages, pursue

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Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri Review

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(More customer reviews)For those who have freqented the worlds of Sid Meier before, this purchase should come as second nature: you will not be disappointed.Alpha improves all of the original concepts of Civilization 2 and adds some of its own-such as borders, social engineering and unit design.Territorial bordersis a simple improvement that is just plain wonderful.Social engineeringtakes some getting used to- I was a sceptic -but after a few tries it is anecessity and adds a new standard to the genere.The technologies alsowill confuse those of us who are not physics and advancedmicrobiology/genetics majors; however, the general idea will not take longto grasp.Trade is improved and varies in ways that the far surpasses Civ2.Unit variety is, well. . . amazing.The Graphics in game play are welldone and the cinematics that appear throughout are top notch.One slightdowner is the diplomatic relations: a few more choices, but not much changeoverall.When advancing the difficulty setting Alpha still falls into theold trap of just making the computer's units stronger, which can befrustrating.On the other hand, perhaps it is just reducing the advantagethe player's units hold in easier settings.
A word of warning: this gamecan be detrimental to one's GPA if not used with caution.Addiction willfollow quickly if moderation is not enforced.I recommend having a friendor roommate hide the CD on occasion.
Few games will provide as many hoursof enjoyment as this one will.More fun for your dollar!

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Product Description:
Legendary designer Sid Meier presents the next evolution in strategy games, with the addictive gameplay.Explore the alien planet that is your new home and uncover itsmyriad mysteries.Discover over 75 extraordinary technologies.Build over 60 base upgrades and large scale secret projects for your empire.Conquer your enemies with a war machine that you design from over 32,000 possible unit types.Included with Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri is Alien Crossfire Expansion Pack.It adds seven new playable factions, new technologies, new secret projects, new base facilities, new weapons, armor, special abilities and an expanded storyline.

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Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Gold Edition Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I find that the improvements outweigh the negatives in Civ IV.I've played Civ III for a while, and was always frustrated with the unrealistic means of making it more difficult at higher levels - such as warriors defeating Knights in battle, other Civs building wonders in record turns, things like that.In Civ IV, those issues seem to be repaired.I've found that the rules they give us for combat movements, cost, etc., are not bypassed to make the game more difficult at higher levels.

I like the added variety of leaders and their abilities, seems more realistic and helpful for long term strategy.I also like the addition of more wonders, though they have changed some of the benefits of certain wonders so I needed to get used to the same thing being different.

I also am enjoying the new "Permanent Alliance" option.I just finally used that and really liked the dimension it added to game play.

The graphics do bother me a bit - too bouncy.I've changed settings as much as I can to get away from it, but it is still a bit bouncy and makes me dizzy.

I'm also not pleased with the bug that makes the game not work with my graphics card - which I have yet to find a fix for.I am playing it on another computer.One of my son-in-laws also can't use the game since his graphics card doesn't seem to be supported.He has a much bigger, badder, multimedia computer.

It also has a problem with the online updates.I updated and had serious issues which I had to call the manufacturer to fix - couldn't start the game, couldn't uninstall the game, couldn't reinstall the game - totally useless.A Direct X fix repaired that, but I don't think I even got the update after all the work! I'm quite leary of trying again. Then my son, who also has the game, updated his and it caused serious corruption for him too.I told him what my fix was, and it didn't work for his.He has to call and see what to do now.Updates aren't supposed to break the game, they are supposed to fix it. The game works fine without the updates, so I'm going to forego any future attempts to update.

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Product Description:
The classic strategy game combined with its incredible expansion pack, for the Civ IV strategy action you crave. / Rated T: Teen

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Age of Empires: Mythologies Review

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(More customer reviews)**** NOTE *** in this review I will be comparing Age of Empire: Mythologies to theAge of Empires: The Age of Kings both are Nintendo DS versions. My thought process is if you liked the original you will have interest in the sequel.

Age of Empires: The Age of Kings is my favorite game for the Nintendo DS. In fact, it is about the only game that I play on a consistent basis. The problem is that I have beat the game dozens of times and I have been eagerly awaiting a new challenge. Age of Empires: Mythologies offers me new albeit slightly modified challenges.

The differences- (I am listing just a few)

- Age of Empires: Mythologies lack the overall depth of Age of Kings - there are fewer technologies, soldiers, heros, maps.... and so on. Basically, the newer version lacks the overall depth of the previous.
- Soldiers/Heros do not gain "Experience" by fighting additional battles. In fact, they stay at the same fighting level until you advance to a new
- Mythologies has better graphics that the original.
- Heros only have one special ability instead of four.
- Wi-fi abilities have been added to Mythologies.
- There additional ways to win instead of just "total conquest". By capturing and keeping temples you can earn a "Temple Victory".
- When you "Age-up" in Mythologies you add a new God to your temple. Each God has special powers and abilities that you can research.
- Only three civilizations - Greeks, Egyptians, and the Norse to choose from.Things that are similar
- Battle sequences are nearly identical.
- building farms,town,mines
-Both games offers campaigns and features that can be unlocked.

**** NOTES TO PARENTS****

Age of Empires is a war based game, however it is not overly violent. The game does not feature any type of bloodshed. Depending on your child's interest in Mythology the game can be educational since many of the characters and scenarios are pulled straight of ancient literature.

In terms of gameplay - Age of Empires (both versions) are somewhat complicated and may be difficult for kids that are not strong reader or if they do enjoy analytical problems.

******************************

Final Verdict - If I was on an island and could only choose one Nintedo DS game it would be Age of Empires; Age of Kings, since it is a game that offers more depth. However, Age of Empires: Mythologies offers a nice addition and has the added benefit of online play.

4 stars

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Product Description:
Inspired by the hit PC title and built on the game engine behind the critically acclaimed Age of Empires: Age of Kings, Age of Empires: Mythologies will be the ultimate portable tactical strategy game with its refined gameplay, inspired design, fantastic multiplayer, and extensive replay value. Age of Empires: Mythologies for the Nintendo DS is a compelling new turn-based strategy game that challenges players to shape the destiny of three unique cultures in a fantasy world filled with mighty heroes, legendary monsters, and powerful gods. Players will lead their Egyptian, Greek, and Norse heroes to victory by raising massive armies, waging war, exploring new frontiers, and advancing through three distinct ages that offer fantastic new units, abilities, and god powers like lighting storms, earthquakes, and devastating plagues that players can call on to smite their enemies.

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Sid Meiers Civilization IV Beyond the Sword Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Beyond the sword offers so much more than the previous one. Here is what I believe to be the best aspects:

Espionage is now a much larger part of the game. You may use funding to increase and decrease the amount you would like to concentrate on it. Just like science and culture.

Next war mod- This will add about thirty more techs to your tree in the end-game. Clones, mechs, and mind control centers are just a few examples. The only thing I don't like about this is you have to load the mod in order for it too work. Also, it is a tad annoying that the end-game music plays throughout the entire game if you choose this.

A bunch more leaders and few more civs- this is always a bonus. Holy Roman Empire and Byzantium are great choices. Being a fan of ancient Mesopotamian culture I appreciate the Babylonians and Sumerian civs being added as well. Native Americans are also a fun addition.

There is a new random event concept that actually adds a lot of fun to the game. Something good or bad happens at random and you make choices that either make things better or worse.

When it comes to the scenarios, it looks like they were going for a bit of experimentation instead of the usual. Still if you're anything like me you play these once and never look at them again.

There is one that is like a cyber-punk scifi where you fight zombies. Interesting idea but there isn't much to it. Just walk around in dark buildings while you are assaulted by wave after wave of zombies.

Perhaps the best one is an outer space scenario where you colonize planets. About ten new space civs to choose from and a brand new tech tree .

The Charlemagne scenario as you may have guessed involves the many countries vying for power during the dark ages.

Broken star is a russian campaign that involves a fractured russia. Choose a faction and attempt to find nukes.

I believe the animations have been improved and the units of different civs have been changed so they have more personality. ie. an asian civ will look asian while a native american civ looks native american, instead of the units of every civ looking the same.

Unlike the last installment I believe your getting your moneys worth this time around.

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Product Description:
The massive Civilization IV universe is about to become more epic with this 2nd expansion pack to the 2005 Game of the Year. The biggest Civ expansion set ever, Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword focuses on the "late game" time periods after the invention of gunpowder and will deliver 12 unique and challenging scenarios created by the development team at Firaxis as well as some esteemed members of the Civ Community.

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Sid Meier's Pirates Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)A beautiful update to a classic, highly playable game. This game is based on one of the first "sandbox" games in which you determine the pace, direction, and goals of the game. You start out motivated by revenge: what did the robber baron do with your family? Soon, you get a ship of your own and can sail the Caribbean at your leisure. The only things that constrain you are the rules of the sea: don't run out of food, don't run aground, don't mistreat your crew or they will mutiny, and don't pick on other vessels that are bigger than you.

You can outfit your ship with different cannons/sails/powder/bunks/armor, any of which affect your ability to do battle. Your character can ally himself (sorry ladies, no "Monkey Island"-style gender equality in a Sid Meier game) with different factions (English/Spanish/Dutch/French, all loosely based in history), and go dancing with governor's daughters in order to win their favor ... and if you're lucky, they'll also give you land, gold, influence, or useful gifts like the +10 Fencing Ability Puffy Shirt (I am not making this up)!

Did I mention the swordfights? They're straight out of Hollywood, full of chivalry and derring-do. You don't need to be a fighting game expert to win a battle; the action sequences are only a small part of the overall experience.

As you move through the game, you'll meet different characters along the way who will give you tips on how to avenge your family, get rich and famous, or dig up buried treasure. Each encounter suggests something else to do, and the whole game is nicely randomized and dynamic enough that it feels like a living, breathing world rather than the collection of code and mini-games that it really is.

Kids will learn some history and Caribbean geography from the experience. Codgers who played the original will enjoy the lush graphical and sound updates. Everyone else should have a good time. Everything is done with a light touch, without gore or brutal violence. There's not too much reliance on heavy-duty strategy, role-playing, or twitch skills, so it's the kind of game that almost anyone can get into. The only problem I've seen thus far is putting down this habit-forming game, because there's always something new to find and do.

Highly recommended. (The game is also available on Windows and XBOX. Personally, I prefer the optimized controls of the little portable version.)

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Product Description:
Sid Meier debuts on the PSP with his award-winning adventure/strategy game, Sid Meier's Pirates! Take on the role of a Pirate Captain to amass fortune and fame and seize your rightful place as one of the most revered and feared pirates in history. There is a whole cast of interesting and dangerous characters to meet, mysteries to solve, exotic island destinations to discover, and powerful alliances to forge. Duel, battle (on land and sea), dance, sneak, and hunt your way to unimaginable riches! Each time you play you create a new and exciting adventure, so the replayability is limitless!
Players test their skills as a sea captain exploring the high seas and dueling in land and sea battles in a richly detailed 3D world. Additional features for the PSP system include wireless Ad-Hoc multiplayer for up to four players, widescreen graphics, new treasure hunts and more. Engage in fierce naval battles, against both single vessels and multi-ship convoys. Harrowing action sequences on ship decks include swinging from yard arms, slashing down sails, and clobbering enemy crew as players make their way to the enemy captain

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Civilization 4: Colonization Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I loved the original, so this remake actually does it justice. If you're a colonization fan, this game is a must!

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Product Description:
CIVILIZATION 4: COLONIZATION

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