Few games have the power to overtake lives and
crush relationships like the mighty Civilization. On the PC, a single
match in the strategy series can run for days, as players guide a society from
nothing to global domination, through conquest, diplomacy, and technological
development. Much has been trimmed from Civilization Revolution, the first Civ game
developed specifically for consoles, so players needn't worry about devoting
days to each campaign for supremacy. Yet the game's addictive qualities remain.
You'll begin with a village, a warrior, and a
great leader, like Abraham Lincoln or Tokugawa. From there, the game path is
wholly open. Unlike strategy games in which micromanagement is king, CivRev is played in broad
strokes. Your first cities can be built quickly, and there's no need to be
concerned with each burg's day-to-day existence. Build enough of a military to
repel invaders, and you can focus on more important things, like discovering
new technology and using the consequent benefits to expand your society's
cultural influence. Steamrolling other nations with force is well and good;
much more satisfying is creating such an appealing culture that other cities
simply defect to your flag.