Metacritic - average player's rating. Civ4, COL, Civ5, BNW, BE

[Drowsy Emperor]

The colonization no of reviewers is too small to be statistically relevant.

Civ BE is getting dropped on two fronts. The disappointed SMAC crowd and the people tired of Civ V. This is the reason for the abysmal score (which are both legitimate complaints) but its important to take it into account.

Even if you fix the mechanical issues in BE, no expansion can fix the problem of flavor,backstory, cheap presentation that BE has, since it will merely build on what exists - that is to say, nothing. Anyone who thinks all wonders will get movies, all factions personalities and a decent story to follow is kidding themselves.

Civ BE will likely get dropped after 1 expansion max as resources (that were apparently never high to begin with) are diverted into Civ VI.

 

[GenEngineer1]

Also the tech web is garbage - you can slingshot so easily while the AI is too stupid to use this tech web and even on the highest difficulty is way behind you. They should have just stuck with the more linear progression tree instead of trying to be innovative, but in reality it is an inferior system.

Could not disagree more. AI issues with it is one thing, but when given the option, I would rather have a tech web over a tech tree any day (at least, when not constrained by history like Classic Civ is).

 

[Kouvb593kdnuewnd]

Could not disagree more. AI issues with it is one thing, but when given the option, I would rather have a tech web over a tech tree any day (at least, when not constrained by history like Classic Civ is).

The tech web with leaf techs are a far improvement over the linear tech tree which allow much less choices.
Just remove any easy way to get alot of science quckly like free techs and it work well.

 

[Drowsy Emperor]

The choices are an illusion you're still locked into getting a lot of technologies you might not want if you're going for a particular victory.

 

[Raion]

Ya, know, now that the SDK can be downloaded for BE, and all the negativity about the game, and still with multi-player, you think you Great Leaders of a new clvilization and new history on a new planet would be duking it out with that and wowing the rest of us in your videos or scores.

But then now since the SDK can be downloaded, perhaps you can change the game around to suit whatever it is with your negativity and quit telling the rest of us how you feel.

Personally I think I rather play the game of BE which I place between Civ V whatever and Alpha Centauri from about 15 years ago or more, and the rest of you Great Leaders go off somewhere and discuss something else or another game more suited to your purposes, and be in that forum.

Goodbye, I glad I got chosen to leave this Planet Earth and be one of the people suited to making a new Civilization.



Another crap day perhaps on a sunshine day.
Moderator Action: Please do not make personal attacks by calling others negative.
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889

 

[Joch]

Metacritic User Reviews?

Well that is a new approach. I learned a long time ago, user reviews on those sites are pretty much useless.

There is a Demo, you like the game, play it; you don't, move on, life is too short.

Meanwhile BE is the top selling game on Steam for the week.

http://store.steampowered.com/feeds/weeklytopsellers.xml

 

[Magma_Dragoon]

How many negative reviews were posted before the game came out? And how can it be a reskin if you dislike its new mechanics?

 

[Selereth]

Not to mention not everyone who bought and plays Civ BE goes on the forums/Metacritic to leave their impressions. I'm sure there are thousands of people out there who are enjoying the game immensely who have never posted on this site or any other for that matter.

The people who have a problem with the game are more likely to post about it. For all we know the complainers are the minority. Plus Civ BE is better, way better than Civ 5 vanilla ever was, even in terms of the AI. I still remember being DOWed in just about every game I played in vanilla before turn 100 regardless of how friendly I was with the other civs because the AI was so damn aggressive.

 

[Andoo]

I also remember Civ 5 user score hanging around 5~6 until G&K. People get disappointed, patches and expansions improve, complete the game. Civ game cycle, just as usual I guess.

 

[Haggbart]

Diety in civ 5 is no harder then Apollo but you have less choices in your playstyle.

I don't know how you define hard, but people who couldn't get past Emporor in CiV are now winning on Apollo. And this within a couple of playthroughs. How can you claim deity "is no harder"?

 

[Jimbo30]

I don't know how you define hard, but people who couldn't get past Emporor in CiV are now winning on Apollo. And this within a couple of playthroughs. How can you claim deity "is no harder"?

Because both are a choice.

Anyone who can beat BE on Apollo was certainly capable of beating Civ 5 on Deity at certain builds. Even domination - you could conquer the entire modern day world with Keshik's at one point, or just buy it all with Austria.

The only reason Deity wasn't generally beatable by domination on vanilla Civ 5 was because the game carpeted 100's (literally HUNDREDS) of units all over so you couldn't get through them all. I believe somebody still did, but...yeah.

 

[L4ntis]

I don't like metacritic, but BE reviews are very bad on steam too... right now the game has a vote of 64/100 (the worst ever for a civ game) with 3000+ reviews.

I still have some hope for BE, they can fix a lot of stuff with a good expansion.

 

[Drowsy Emperor]

How many negative reviews were posted before the game came out? And how can it be a reskin if you dislike its new mechanics?

There were no user reviews prior to release day. I know this because I was among the first to write a review.

 

[santoo]

I also remember Civ 5 user score hanging around 5~6 until G&K.

Surely, but even Civilization 5 which was VERY controversial on release didn't have 5.9 rating but 6.8 - I remember this till today as the Civ5 controversy was pretty huge

Actually I am pretty sad about lack of Metacritic archive or whatever

really not trying to be an a-hole, but does nobody know the waybackmachine/archive.org anymoe?
no more speculation needed - THIS is what you are looking for - the metacritics page as it appeared on oct 1st 2010 (civ5 having been release on sept 20th.)
if you want to check ratings for other times, just go here
bonus fun fact - works for other websites too

 

[drubell]

Typically I'll trust friends' opinions or Steam user reviews over Metacritic. Although I'm surprised at how low the ratings are on Steam currently.

Anyone remember Civ5 launch when you could make 4 horsemen and take over the world in Deity?

 

[lamaros]

I don't like metacritic, but BE reviews are very bad on steam too... right now the game has a vote of 64/100 (the worst ever for a civ game) with 3000+ reviews.

I still have some hope for BE, they can fix a lot of stuff with a good expansion.

Can they fix the UI? Possibly, but it will require a lot of work.

Can they fix the colour scheme, especially the ugly and eye-straining planet colour palette? Technically, but it would almost be making another game and won't be done.

Can they fix the AI issues? Probably not. They still can't make a good AI for Civ 5, which has had massive overhauls in many other departments, and BE has even more complicated systems that the AI can't navigate like the tech web.

Can they fix all the writing and audio? No, they would have to re-write the entire game, and re-record the lot with decent voice actors. This won't happen.

Can they fix buggy and exploitable mechanics like trade routes? Yes, and very likely will.

Can they fix the AI players personality issues? If they re-design the story and the central notion of the AI players, which doesn't work, in favour of fixed personalities like Civ 5 and SMAC, yes. But I don't think they will.

Can they fix the lack of any meaningful relationship between affinities and playstyle? Yes, but it will be a big overhaul to everything including the tech web.

Can they fix aliens, to meant something and be engaging? Yes, but it will be a bit overhaul.

Will this game sell enough to justify Firaxis putting the resources in to massive expansions that fix all the minor issues, and some of the major ones? Very unlikely. SMAC was a brilliant game with few competitors and it didn't sell well. This is a crap game, with no personality, user friendliness and the elephant that is Civ 5 BNW in the room. It wont sell and won't get the support Civ 5 did.

There are other issues too, but I think the point I'm going for is made. This game will not be another Civ 5 rescue miracle.

Do I hope I'm wrong on all of this and actually get a decent game to play in the end? Of course.

 

[Monado]

This is a crap game, with no personality

Agreed. It is as dull as it's interface.

Although, unlike you, I don't care if they bother improving it. I actually hope they forget this garbage game and go on to Civ 6.

Though at this point I'm so dissappointed with BE, I'm worried Firaxis won't be able to pull off another good game in the series.

 

[Jimbo30]

Will this game sell enough to justify Firaxis putting the resources in to massive expansions that fix all the minor issues, and some of the major ones? Very unlikely. SMAC was a brilliant game with few competitors and it didn't sell well. This is a crap game, with no personality, user friendliness and the elephant that is Civ 5 BNW in the room. It wont sell and won't get the support Civ 5 did.

What "elephant that is BNW in the room"? Civ 5 *complete* has been buyable on Steam for 1/3rd the cost of BE for months. That ship sailed a long time ago for Firaxis and Civ 5 is only being updated on their good will.

Space games are never gonna be as enticing as real world games so yes it's doubtful that BE will get as much attention as Civ 5 did going forward. That said, what about us who already bought BE? Do you really think Firaxis would destroy the goodwill and their reputation by not working to fix the glaring issues with BE? That would be suicide for the entire series. You think we'd forgive them for a blatant cash-in?

BE is not a bad game...it's a game badly in need of a major balance pass, an injection of feeling, and a few other minor issues that are all eminently fixable. Firaxis *will* fix them or there will be hell to pay. They always do.

 

[L4ntis]

Do I hope I'm wrong on all of this and actually get a decent game to play in the end? Of course.

Don't get me wrong, i'm very disappointed by the game too. I just want to bet on their pride as developers, and i hope that they will try to save what can be saved

Maybe i'm too optimistic?

 

[screamingpalm]

I find it surprising that BNW was regarded as Worse than Vanilla. The expansions kept fixing issues... so why was BNW given a lower score?

I was almost going to post asking WTH you were looking at. Then it dawned on me that I was looking at User scores and you, professional scores.

Perspective and priorities I guess lol.