"Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword" is an expansion of the 2005 PC Game of the Year.
Advertised as the biggest expansion to any of the "Civilization" games made to date, "Beyond the Sword" adds a number of fascinating and engaging new features to an already thorough simulation of the development of human societies.
These features focus on the era from medieval technology to futuristic technology only seen in science fiction. For example, the new expansion allows players to build up armies of mechanized walkers and post-apocalyptic zombies.
For the uninitiated, the "Civilization" series is a game in which a player views the world from a bird's eye camera and tries to guide a society from the Stone Age to the Space Age. Of course, this is slightly unrealistic in that very few real-world cultures have actually persisted from 4,000 BC to the modern day. But in regards to international diplomacy and the potential influences of differing religions and cultural systems, "Civilization" has always been a very advanced simulation of international affairs for its time.
The most recent installment is the first in the series to integrate the effects of religion into its simulations, something many modern players may find particularly pertinent in this day and age.
As one could imagine, a large part of the game is traditionally focused on the early technology. After all, it has been a good, long while since human civilization first assembled into hunter-gatherer tribes in East Asia.
Not to mention, only since the first steam engine was built in 1712 have humans had access to any significant power source other than wind and water. "Beyond the Sword," however, takes the opportunity to fill in the late-game game-play that was previously not representative of the complexities of the modern era.
The expansion's most notable addition to the "Civilization" game-play is the espionage system. While the original game had spies which could be used to enter enemy territory unseen and scout ahead of a conquering force, "Beyond the Sword" provides an immense list of espionage missions and tasks that various spy units can carry out. Unlike the original, players now must build spies and use espionage to win.
Possible spy missions include stealing an opponent's treasury, poisoning a city's water supply, supporting a city revolt and stealing enemy technology, among many others. While all of this is very neat, it often results in the player feeling less like they're governing a civilization and more like they're playing a wannabe-MI6 game with a bit of governance on the side. All things considered, however, the game-play is much richer due to the addition of the espionage system.
Another new, large game-play mechanic appeared on this version: the corporation. Where the original game was innovative in its inclusion of religion, here, "Beyond the Sword" shows creativity by drawing an analog between religion in pre-industrial times and corporations in the post-industrial era.
Corporations expand through the world when a player who founds an enterprise sends an emissary to a new, unclaimed city. This functions in almost exactly the same way as the game's religion system, which allows players to spread their influence via the production and deployment of missionaries.
Corporations, however, are even more complex than religion. They provide game-play bonuses similar to those of religions, but also draw resources and money from the surrounding lands. In fact, sometimes the most effective use of corporate emissaries is to send them to rival cities and spread corporate greed to foreign soil. Only the "Civilization" series could deliver an incentive system that drives human players to outsource.
The expansion also adds 10 playable cultures, 64 new buildings, 11 playable scenarios, five wonders of the world, and six new technologies to the original "Civ IV" for the player to experiment with. The scenarios are each essentially different single-player games - so this is really a 12-games-in-one deal.
While only a few will speak to the interests of any given player, the vast variety found in "Beyond the Sword's" set of scenario options ensures that anybody can find something that interests them.
For instance, saving the world from post-nuclear zombies? Check. Running the 13th-century Middle East and trying to secure trade agreements between the Ottomans, Mamluks, and Timurids? Also present.
All things considered, this is a well-executed, worthwhile purchase. If you've ever enjoyed history or international relations, or if you just like science fiction, this is not the game to pass up.
