Steam: Civilization IV Complete Edition $36

[Serik]

What's included: Civ IV, Warlords, Beyond the Sword, and Colonization. Awesome compilation.

If you purchase it from Steam, you only need to install BtS to play Civ IV (unless you're really intent on playing the Warlord-specific scenarios).

For comparison:

Amazon: $37
GoGamer: $37.90

Note: the retail edition is entirely DRM-free; not even a CD-check is required. The retail compilation does not come with tech trees or a substantial manual.

 

[Serik]

Not really, but I'm sure many Civ players would vehemently disagree. In my book, the only thing 3 has over 4 is scale: you can easily have HUGE maps with lots of civs without breaking your PC. This is because 3 uses 2d graphics.

Civ3 isn't a bad game, but its emphasis on settler spam, and lack of religions and corporations, make it less enjoyable than Civ4. Civ4 really improved the viability and effectiveness of non-warfare strategies.

I'm sure you can find a 50 page thread on CivFanatics about which of the two is a better game, though.

 

[Zing]

The only thing that is dislike in Civ 4 compared to Civ 3 is that the wonders in Civ 4 are watered down. In The previous Civ games they felt powerful and some were critical. In Civ 4, they feel like slightly stronger regular buildings. Nothing special.

 

[ForeStorm]

My friend like Civ4 much more than Civ3.

As far is 4's multiplayer goes, I think it let us take our turn (how ever long the two of us took) then hit end turn. Then all the computers go, then it's back to the PC's. There's an option for the humies to take turns concurrently or in turn...I assume this can have an impact if the two are on different teams, but we were always allied from the start.

Also, good deal. I picked up a Civ4 pack through Steam earlier this year and wasted many, many mornings telling myself that I'd only go "one more turn." (It's a good thing, really! )