Sid Meier's Civilization II

aka: Civ2, Civilization 2000, Civilization II de Sid Meier, Cywilizacja II Sida Meiera, Wenming II
Moby ID: 15
Windows 3.x Specs
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Description official descriptions

Starting out with just a single unit and knowledge of a small local area, your challenge is to guide your civilization into becoming the dominant force, either by conquering every other civilization or by sending a spaceship to Alpha Centauri.

As you'd imagine, a lot of challenges come into such a task. You must locate cities so as to make use of food, construction and trade resources, which can be later improved by constructing irrigation, roads, mines, railroads, and farmland. Each city can construct one item at a time - civilian and military units, buildings or Wonders of the World (there are 28 of these across the different eras of the game, and each can be possessed by only one city). The buildings and wonders have different effects - most buildings and some wonders improve defenses, scientific research, trade or food output, but most wonders offer unique advantages that can be used to great strategic effect.

There are over 100 scientific advancements in the game, and most require prerequisites before they can be researched. How quickly this happens depends on your scientific output, which must be traded off against financial and military concerns.

Combat can occur in cities or in the open terrain - things like forests and mountains give the defense an advantage. Unlike in the original Civilization, fights aren't always won outright - most times the winning unit will be damaged, reducing its movement speed and attacking prowess until it's repaired, but the losing unit always disappears from game. If multiple units are in a square that come sunder attack, the strongest unit fights - unless it is a city or Fortress, all units will be lost if the fight is lost. Once a city has no defensive units left, it can be captured. Certain units have the ability to cover all squares as fast as if they were roads, only a few can see submarines, and air units require re-fueling in a friendly city.

There are up to 6 other Civilizations in the game, and keeping good diplomatic relations with these is crucial. At times you may want to trade knowledge or pool military resources with a neighbor - at others they may want to destroy you. If you make deals and go back on them your reputation is affected.

Spellings

  • II ציביליזציה - Hebrew spelling
  • 文明II - Simplified Chinese spelling
  • 文明帝國 II - Traditional Chinese spelling

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Credits (Windows 3.x version)

70 People (65 developers, 5 thanks) · View all

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 88% (based on 45 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.9 out of 5 (based on 259 ratings with 14 reviews)

Beyond any doubt or question the best video game ever created, for any platform.

The Good
"Civilization" and "Civilization II" (they are essentially the same game) are, without question, the best video games ever made. No other PC game even approaches them for replayability, fun, depth and sheer addictiveness.

The game is perfectly paced and balanced, offering the player a test of planning on several different levels, challenging without confusing. Every aspect of the game combines perfectly with everything else and with the game's overall direction. It's never boring, never repetitive, and works perfectly in every way. Eleven years after the original was first published, every other global conquest game just pales in comparison. This is truly the standard to which all strategy games must be compared.

No serious gamer can be without "Civilization II" on the hard drive.

The Bad
There is nothing not to like about the game. It has no weaknesses. It's old, of course, and yet the graphics are entirely functional.

Players new to the game should avoid buying the "Test of Time" version, however, which has radically changed (and atrocious) graphics.

The Bottom Line
Civilization II is the absolute pinnacle of computer gaming. Anyone who enjoys computer games must get Civilization II.

Windows 3.x · by Rick Jones (96) · 2001

Addictive is not always good.

The Good
Civilization II is probably the most addictive PC game of all time. The gameplay is perfect -- complex and brilliantly designed so that there are always several things you're looking forward to that are coming up in just another turn if you just keep playing 30 seconds longer. Hours later...

The interface is easy, and between the in-game civilopedia and the poster (tragically missing in Civ III), every unit, improvement, and technology is thoroughly explained. Also this game is extremely friendly to being tweaked by the player.

The Bad
Civilization II is probably the most addictive PC game of all time. You'll keep playing long after you've stopped enjoying it on any level beyond cheap compulsiveness, wasting hours that could have been spent lying in the sun or playing a greater variety of games.

The graphics are unexceptional and I hate the music (but you can turn it off).

The Bottom Line
Super-addictive civilization-building strategy game.

Windows 3.x · by Ran Prieur (17) · 2004

No reason to play this if you own the PC version.

The Good

This game is great for someone without access to a PC, who has a deep longing to try out the Civilization series. It captures the basic gameplay elements of the PC version well, and may provide entertainment to die-hard strategy fans.

The Bad

Unfortunately, the Sony Playstation is not a PC, and this game does not translate well to a console system. The interface is clunky and awkward, with all interactions performed through the control pad. The graphics leave a lot to be desired. The Playstation is certainly capable of making things look nicer than this. The real killer of this game however, is the unbearably long amount of wait time between turns. Late in the game, on a large map with 5 opponents, you can find yourself sitting idle for literally minutes on end, while the opponent AI manages its empires.

The Bottom Line

'Civilization II' for the Playstation is not going to make very many people happy. Only fans of the Civ series who don't have access to a computer should try this one. And really, what fans of the Civ series don't have access to a computer?

PlayStation · by Entorphane (337) · 2002

[ View all 14 player reviews ]

Trivia

1001 Video Games

The PC version of Sid Meier's Civilization II appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by General Editor Tony Mott.

Development

Brian Reynolds and his co-workers were initially reluctant to make many changes to the original game's design, as they didn't want to be known as "the guys who screwed up Civilization."

German version

The translation for the German version of Civilization II is almost legendary -- it's a total disaster. It was done by an US-American employee of Microprose, whose sole qualification had been that he "spent a couple of years in Germany". The outcome were ridiculous messages as "Russen einfangen Große Mauer" ("Russians catching Great Wall").

Sales

In 1998, Civilization II (Windows) won the Gold-Award from the German VUD (Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland - Entertainment Software Association Germany) for selling more then 100,000 (but less then 200,000) units in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Awards

  • Computer Gaming World
    • May 1997 (Issue #154) – Strategy Game of the Year
  • GameSpy
    • 2001 – #22 Top Game of All Time
  • PC Gamer
    • April 2000 - #5 in the "All-Time Top 50 Games" poll
    • October 2001 - #2 in the "Top 50 Best Games of All Time" list
    • April2005 - #3 in the" 50 Best Games of All Time" list
  • PC Player (Germany)
    • Issue 01/1997 - Best Game in 1996
  • Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland
    • 1998 - Gold Award (more information in "Sales" section)

Information also contributed by Entorphane, PCGamer77 and Xoleras

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Related Sites +

  • Apolyton
    Apolyton is the premiere fan site for all Civilization games, covering Civilization I and II, as well as Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri. Daily news, a huge archive of files and strategies, highly populated forums, and quite possibly everything else a civer could wish for!
  • Brock Wood's Civilization 2 Site
    Includes mods and more
  • Civilization II Fan Wiki (German)
    Fan Wiki containing lots of information about Civilization II. Has an overview of Civ2 versions (Civ2 main + addons, Multiplayer Gold, Ultimate Classic, and Test Of Time) and gives leads how to play them on modern PC systems.
  • Civilization II Historic Scenarios
    Has mod packs (scenarios with city flags, custom units and new rules), maps, and tips for Civilization II. Scenarios include alt_ww1 and alt_ww79 plus alt_rules.txt and europe_s.mp .
  • MatFis deutsche Civ2 Seite (German)
    Fan site that contains game info, help, downloads etc.

Identifiers +

  • MobyGames ID: 15
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Are you familiar with this game? Help document and preserve this entry in video game history! If your contribution is approved, you will earn points and be credited as a contributor.

Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Brian Hirt.

Windows 3.x added by Martin Smith. PlayStation added by Adam Baratz. Macintosh added by Scaryfun.

Additional contributors: PCGamer77, -Chris, Rebound Boy, William Shawn McDonie, Unicorn Lynx, Jeanne, Martin Smith, David Ledgard, Crawly, Paulus18950, Patrick Bregger, Plok, FatherJack.

Game added March 1, 1999. Last modified March 6, 2024.