Sid Meier's Civilization V: Gods and Kings

Hooked Gamers (9.2 out of 10)

If you have never played a Civilization game before, there is never a better time to start. And for those who have played countless hours of the Civilization series, then you'll definitely enjoy the inclusions that Gods and Kings brings to the latest incarnation. The new game mechanics work well and certainly add a little more to an already full game. Of course, if you don’t like the religious addition to the game, you can always concentrate your efforts in the other areas of science, commerce or culture as has always been the case with the Civilization series. The visuals and audio certainly continue the standards set by past titles. And with the range of new scenarios and new civilizations to choose from, there is every chance that you too will be playing on through the night. But now I need to return to my Mayan Empire. We are on the verge of conquering the world and I just hope that their calendar was wrong, because we’re nearing 2012 and there is still much to do.

Vandal Online (9.2 out of 10)

¿Fe?, ¿diálogo?, ¿espionaje?... ¿cómo piensas avanzar en esta nueva civilización? Esta pregunta sólo se contesta de una forma, disfrutando desde hoy mismo de un juego que sigue la tónica marcada por una saga que desde 1991 ha sorprendido a sus seguidores en cada entrega. Ahora es tiempo de Dioses y Reyes.

IGN (9 out of 10)

Civilization V: Gods and Kings enhances the base game immensely, so much so that I can’t imagine playing Civilization V without it. The other, more standard expansion content, as well as the really fun scenarios ensures that there’s plenty of ways to more than get your money’s worth. Longtime Civ fans and newcomers alike have plenty of reason to go forth and find faith Gods and Kings.

Eurogamer.es (9 out of 10)

Sin duda, la religión es una gran mejora a la experiencia ya satisfactoria de Civilization V, aporta nuevos objetivos al juego y, si se sabe usar bien, puede dar muchos beneficios. Marca una nueva tendencia a seguir que sólo espero que se mantenga en una hipotética futura sexta entrega. El sistema de espionaje es algo simple y no tan rompedor como el uso de la fe, pero no empeora la experiencia. Me atrevo a decir que decidir seguir jugando a Civilization V sin esta ampliación es casi una herejía... que merece comprar inquisidores para eliminarla.

COGConnected / Canadian Online Gamers Network (90 out of 100)

In a day where we seem to get nickel and dimed for every DLC purchase, this is a fully fledged and realized expansion. Those that still play Civilization V will be happy to know that Gods and Kings adds more than just simple unit additions. For instance, the addition of the faith mechanic adds a whole new layer of strategy to an already deep and complex game. With its slew of new features and mechanics, Gods and Kings make a great addition Civilization V world. So if you are looking to come back or a reason to start creating your empire once again, Gods and Kings can be purchased with confidence.

Gamereactor (Germany) (9 out of 10)

Version 2.0 - die Formulierung passt am besten. Die Kritik an Civilization V hat vielleicht nicht jeder geteilt, aber sie war nachvollziehbar. Wer den Vorgänger viel gespielt hatte und die Religionen lieb gewonnen hatte, der konnte einfach nicht verstehen, warum Firaxis darauf verzichtet hat. Mit Civilization V: Gods & Kings ist alles wieder da und das Thema Diplomatie erlebt einen ganz neuen Höhepunkt. Es sind wunderbare Momente, die nachvollziebar sind und Spaß machen. Mit einem breiten Grinsen ertappt man sich, wenn ein Herrscher demütig vorspricht, weil er unsere Stärke respektiert. Wir werden zornig, wenn man uns verhöhnt. Einher mit diesen Neuerungen geht eine der wichtigsten Eigenschaften von Civilization V: Nur noch eine Runde, wir werden es noch mehr lieben und noch mehr hassen. Aber so einen ungeplanten Sonnenaufgang zu beobachten, das hat ja auch etwas Schönes.

Gameplanet (9 out of 10)

The litmus test of any expansion pack remains its perceived bang for buck. Regardless of how enthralled or disgruntled fans were with Civilization V, Gods & Kings represents another shattering blow to even the most casual gamer’s potential productivity. It’s a welcome, if not a little overdue redefining of what the base game should have been. Religion and espionage alone do not a revolutionary gameplay experience make, but combined with the strategic combat overhaul and a generous helping of new content, it all adds up to far too much time spent playing into the wee small hours.

Game Over Online (90 out of 100)

The impression I come away with after playing Gods and Kings for way too many hours already is one of "completion". There is just so much more to manage and focus on per turn than there ever was with vanilla Civ V. It's almost like reverse phantom limb syndrome, like I had always felt these features were missing on a subconscious level and now that they are here, it's like they've always been with me, both new and warmly familiar all at the same time. If you love Civ (and if you are reading this, the assumption is that you do), buying this expansion is simply a must. The people that are waiting for a sale before buying, I pity, because they don't know it yet, but they are playing half a game.

XGN (9 out of 10)

Civilization V: Gods & Kings is een van de meest complete uitbreidingen die wij hebben gezien. Religies zijn weer helemaal terug en spelen een belangrijke rol. Ook de nieuwe beschavingen, waaronder Nederland, zorgen voor genoeg vernieuwing en dankzij de sterkere troepen kun je slagvelden uitvechten die meerdere rondes duren. Spionnen geven het geheel een extra dimensie waardoor je steeds op je hoede moet zijn. De AI is niet veel slimmer geworden en reageert soms vreemd op bepaalde acties. Dit is echter slechts een klein minpuntje in een zee van pluspunten. Gods & Kings ligt op 22 juni in de rekken voor 29,99 euro en is een absolute aanrader voor iedereen die al in het bezit is van Civilization V.

The Escapist ( )

More is not always better, but, in the case of Gods & Kings, the sheer amount of new content and concepts won me over. The strategic and tactical options available to the player increased so much that the possibility for the game to surprise and excite me has multiplied.

The Verge (9 out of 10)

Gods & Kings feels like what Civilization V wanted to be all along. It doesn't so much "expand" the game as evolve it. Strategic combat finally feels strategic, and the diplomatic game, enhanced by religion, espionage and a few new tweaks, finally matters. Managing sprawling armies is still a chore, and the end game still gets bogged down in micro-managing city improvements, but the new mechanics combine in a way that feels simultaneously new and rapturously familiar.

Eurogamer.fr (9 out of 10)

Faut-il craquer pour Civilization V : Gods and Kings ? 1.000 fois oui. Si vous êtes un habitué de la série, vous avez peut-être été frappé par les carences du jeu de base par rapport à son prédécesseur. Non seulement Gods and Kings met le jeu au niveau de Civ IV au niveau du contenu, mais il le corrige de la plus belle manière en le rendant enfin supérieur à IV. Et ceux qui n'ont jamais touché à un Civilization, qu'ils soient un peu patients.

Thunderbolt Games (9 out of 10)

Gods and Kings does a fantastic job of making Civilization V the strategy game equivalent of a black hole it always should have been. The game now features a slick, helpful interface and an absurd amount of depth and content, as opposed to feeling slightly hamstrung by its own attempts to reach out to newcomers. The classic Civilization quirks still remain - completely illogical backstabbing AI players included! - but the game now provides a much richer toolbox for budding conquerors.

Darkstation ( )

All of these little changes go a long way to help make the game feel different. It’s still that same great Civ experience, but it adds a lot more and does some smart things to change up the balance. This is a highly polished package that goes a long way to add a lot more lasting strategy concepts to Civ V, making it more of the experience people wish it was- a deep, more rewarding game. The hardest part of this review truly is fighting the temptation to fire up another game of Civ V and wasting away a whole day slowly dominating the planet. And, now that this review is done, if you’ll excuse me…

GameSpot (9 out of 10)

In the end, the best thing you can say about Gods and Kings is that it makes Civ V noticeably more fun--something that anyone who's already familiar with the game would likely say is an impressive achievement indeed.

GamingXP (90 out of 100)

„Gods and Kings“ ist einer der besten DLCs, die jemals für ein Strategiespiel veröffentlicht wurden. Der Wiedereinstieg der Religion und der Spionage macht nicht nur viel Spaß sondern sorgt auch für eine tiefgreifende Spielerfahrung. Unmengen von Entscheidungen müssen getroffen werden, alles liegt in der Hand des Herrschers. Viele, viele Features machen das Spiel umfangreicher und interessanter und bescheren den Strategiefans einige – viele – fantastische Spielstunden.

PC Games (Germany) (89 out of 100)

Zwar bietet das Add-on nur drei Stück, doch die haben es in sich. Richtig klasse ist das Steampunk-Szenario "Reiche der rauchenden Lüfte", das angefangen bei den Gebäuden über die Forschungen bis hin zu den Siegbedingungen fast das gesamte Spiel umkrempelt. Eine klasse Bereicherung zum Freien Spiel, das Rundenstrategen dank der zahlreichen Neuerungen und überarbeiteten Features in Gods & Kings wieder für Monate fesseln wird.

Mana Pool (8.8 out of 10)

Should you buy Gods & Kings? Yes, absolutely. It improves the core game at every level and I would go as far as to say that Gods & Kings is a vital expansion. I don’t really see a point at playing the game without it – as there isn’t a single change that hasn’t made the game better. New Civilizations, more balanced combat, Religion, Spies, it all greatly contributes to the overall enjoyment the game offers. This expansion is fantastic and I sincerely hope that the next expansion (please expand the later/future eras!) is of similar quality. In fact here, have my money in advance.

Level (8.8 out of 10)

Cam așa ar fi trebuit să arate Civ 5 încă de la prima apariție. Mi se pare o măgărie să ceri atâția bani în plus pentru a aduce jocul la normalitate. Normalitatea în care avem religie, avem lupte interesante în single și Minuni ale Lumii seducătoare și utile. Gods & Kings este un expansion esențial pentru pasionații seriei.

Meristation (8.6 out of 10)

Civilization V: Dioses y Reyes, es una expansión extremadamente interesante y necesaria. Entender el desarrollo de las civilizaciones, omitiendo la importancia de las religiones en sus primeros años de existencia, fue uno de los mayores errores de la entrega original, y queda subsanado con esta ampliación. El espionaje y la fe, se integran perfectamente con el resto de contenidos del juego cómo si siempre hubieran estado allí, puesto que es el sitio que corresponde para ellos. Mientras que las religiones pasan a desempeñar un papel fundamental, la intriga se nos antoja demasiado simple y con opciones escasas. Ningún amante de Civilization V debería olvidarse de instalar su primera, y esperemos que no la última, expansión.

Gameplay (Benelux) (86 out of 100)

Minder bordspel en terug meer een tactische saga. Met de toevoegingen en rechtzettingen is Gods & Kings een uitermate knappe uitbreiding die door elke Civ-fan in huis moet worden gehaald.

3D Juegos (8.6 out of 10)

Con algunas novedades de interés y con diferentes ajustes a la cabeza, Dioses y Reyes se postula como una más que notable expansión para Civilization V. Quizá ha faltado algo más en cuanto a añadidos que lo conviertan en un producto único, pero se trata de un añadido que resultará poco menos que imprescindible para los fans del juego original.

InsideGamer (8.5 out of 10)

Civilization V: Gods and Kings heeft een onvriendelijk prijskaartje, dat de game uiteindelijk net wat minder sympathiek maakt. Maar als je tot de categorie van de oude Civilization-rotten behoort, dan is dit een uitbreiding die ervoor gaat zorgen dat je deze zomer iets vaker dan gepland achter je PC zit. Dankzij een aantal goede toevoegingen, zoals godsdienst, spionage en nieuwe volkeren, zorgt Gods and Kings voor het welbekende ‘ah, nog 1 beurt’-gevoel.

gamrReview (8.5 out of 10)

The trouble, as I mentioned earlier, is the price tag. Many entire games can be bought for the price of $30. That said, few games will get you anywhere near as much playability as Civilization V, and now that the game is close to two years old, you may already be bored of it. You’ll certainly get several enjoyable matches out of this expansion. If you enjoyed Civilization V, and you can stomach the price tag of Gods and Kings, then I wholeheartedly recommend the expansion. It hasn’t gone back to the days of Civilization III, though religion and espionage are throwbacks to earlier games, but other games in the genre exist to replicate that experience. The Civilization series has changed, and Gods and Kings is a great step in the same direction – the direction of playability and enjoyment.

Game Informer Magazine (8.5 out of 10)

My enthusiasm for Civ V has continued unabated for a full year now, and this expansion adds new fuel to the fires of conquest that still burn in me. Despite the days of playtime I’ve put into the base game, I can’t imagine going back after a few rounds with Gods & Kings. I strongly recommend this expansion to all Civ V players – though you may need to jump a difficulty level to account for how powerful the new toys are.

Gry OnLine (8.5 out of 10)

Bogowie i Królowie to pierwsze duże rozszerzenie do piątej Cywilizacji. Liczne dodatki do mechaniki sprawiają, że podstawka otrzymuje drugie życie a sama rozgrywka od pierwszych tur staje się bardziej angażująca.

Jeuxvideo.com (17 out of 20)

Gods & Kings permet à Civilization V d'offrir l'expérience complète qu'on attendait il y a deux ans. La réintégration remarquablement bien pensée de la religion et le retour de l'espionnage rendent les parties encore plus riches et encore plus passionnantes, sans parler des améliorations et des ajouts de contenus qui boostent l'intérêt de l'ensemble. Voilà donc une extension indispensable, et c'est bien là le problème : les habitués de la série auront du mal à avaler la nécessité de payer 30 euros pour récupérer des fonctionnalités qu'on leur avait enlevées. Si ça peut les consoler, l'investissement vaut franchement le coup !

Destructoid (8.5 out of 10)

If you were a fan of the changes made in the vanilla release of Civilization V you’ll probably enjoy most of the new bits. Gods and Kings is a strong expansion overall, but it fails to live up to the series’ own pedigree. Religion adds so much subtlety to advanced strategies that, by comparison, espionage comes off as a half-assed attempt to add back an old mechanic. Oh yeah and they fixed the opening movie problem.

4Players.de (85 out of 100)

Auch hier ist das historische Szenario mit dem Glaubenskrieg um Jerusalem knifflig, aber empfehlenswert. Zudem ist es gelungen, die Missionen der Stadtstaaten nicht nur vielfältiger zu gestalten, sondern diese auch mit der Religion zu verknüpfen. Schade ist, dass sich im Multiplayer gar nichts getan hat - man bleibt auf dem Stand von Civilization V inkl. aller Patches. Außerdem haben sich auf diplomatischer und militärischer Ebene lediglich Feinheiten geändert und die neue Spionage kratzt leider nur an der Oberfläche. Aber unterm Strich ist das eine sehr gute Erweiterung.

Cheat Code Central (4.2 out of 5)

If the only aim of Gods and Kings were to recreate the complexity of older Civ games without upsetting the gameplay balance of Civ V, that would be a lofty goal. But Firaxis has gone beyond that: They've added complexity without unbalancing the game and without making Civ V more daunting for newcomers. Firaxis has walked a very unstable tightrope without falling to the ground.

GameStar (Germany) (84 out of 100)

Die Religionen habe ich in Civilization 5 bislang vermisst, umso erfreulicher, dass Firaxis sie nun in neuer und doch durchdachter Form nachliefert. Was mir weiterhin fehlt, ist das Gesundheitssystem aus Civilization 4 und ein vernünftiger Regierungsbaukasten, in dem ich meine gewählten Sozialgrundsätze auch mal ändern darf. Die dünne Spionage wiederum enttäuscht mich sehr, hier wäre viel mehr drin gewesen – wie schön war’s damals in Civ 2, Brunnen zu vergiften und Atombomben zu pflanzen! Immerhin füllt Firaxis die Erweiterung mit neuen Einheiten und Bauten, die ich zum stolzen Preis von 30 Euro aber auch erwarte. Unterm Strich ein gutes Addon für ein gutes Civilization, der beste Serienteil bleibt aber der vierte.

GameTrailers (8.2 out of 10)

Despite its faults, Gods and Kings scores high on the entertainment-per-dollar scale and the allure of building a civilization from sticks and stones to ships and Gatlin Guns never wears thin. Even the skeptical will quickly find themselves swept up--piling on the hours mindfully clicking away. It's powerful DNA, but genre stalwarts will still be left feeling a little empty.

PC Gamer (81 out of 100)

Gods & Kings re-energises Civ V, providing a much stronger feeling of direction and personalisation to the way you rear your society. For those who, after an initial foray, retreated back to the ever-fertile fields of Civ IV it may have come too late, but those who have shown faith will be richly rewarded.

Level 7 (8 out of 10)

En stark åtta till en stor, men något dyr expansion som lämnar ett gott intryck. Mycket beroende på studions ambitioner men också på det faktum att Civilization V-formulan fungerar fint än idag. Med en utmärkt presentation lägger Gods and Kings upp de nya så väl som gamla koncepten på ett tydligt och lättillgängligt sätt. Det är ytterst få Civ-fans som kommer att ångra denna reformation.

ComputerGames.ro (80 out of 100)

So the bottom line is that, depending on how much you love the franchise, Gods & Kings can be seen as a sum of natural improvements for an add-on or a breath of fresh air for the series as a whole.

G4 TV: X-Play (4 out of 5)

If you’re even a casual Civilization V player, Gods & Kings is a worthwhile addition to the game. If you’re a newcomer to the series, it definitely should not be missed either.

Eurogamer.it (8 out of 10)

Il voto finale deve però rendere il giusto merito ad un'opera capace di aggiungere diverse ore di divertimento ad un titolo noto da sempre per la sua capacità di far perdere ogni riferimento temporale e che nel complesso difficilmente deluderà i fan della serie, grazie alla ventata di novità che ogni Civ gamer non tarderà ad apprezzare.

Gamer.nl (8 out of 10)

De uitbreiding Gods & Kings verandert gevoelsmatig weinig aan Civilization V omdat de extra's naadloos in het spel zijn geïntegreerd. Toch is de game completer en meer in balans dan ooit. De aanpassingen zorgen voor een rustigere en aangenamere speelstijl die perfect aansluit op deze turn based-game. Met negen nieuwe beschavingen en drie unieke missies heb je bovendien genoeg extra content om weer uren bezig te zijn.

JeuxVideoPC.com (16 out of 20)

Gods & King nous promettait d’ajouter du contenu et de revoir les errances du jeu original, et de ce point de vue là il remplit totalement ses objectifs. L’introduction de la religion (très différente de Civilization IV) et de l’espionnage s’accorde parfaitement avec les mécanismes de gameplay du jeu de base et les nouvelles civilisations, unités, bâtiments sont plus que bienvenues pour nous faire passer à nouveaux quelques nuits blanches supplémentaires. On appréciera également que certains manquements de l’IA pendant les phases de combats soient enfin corrigés. Après, Gods & King ne rend toujours pas Civilization V aussi profond que Civilization IV. C’est une extension soignée, honnête et qui cherche avant tout à prolonger l’expérience du jeu de base. Ce qu’on lui demande finalement.

NowGamer (8 out of 10)

If you’re a diehard Civilization player you’ll most definitely appreciate the new additions, while the tweaks through new and existing units means regular Civ 5 players will have a few new strategies to look into. But the inclusions just aren’t severe enough to make Civilization 5: Gods And Kings a worthwhile purchase for every range of Civ player. These new features fit so smoothly into Civilization 5 it's almost the game Civ 5 always should have been, but at £20 is it too much to want things mixed up a bit?

JeuxActu (16 out of 20)

Même remarque pour le niveau de finition, plutôt bon, mais qui bénéficie surtout de la comparaison avec le Civilization V d'avant patchs. Nous avons tout de même eu à subir un bug très désagréable, qui envoie valdinguer la caméra à l'autre bout de la map si par malheur on est en train de la bouger au moment où un combat commence. Impossible alors d'en reprendre le contrôle avant la fin des affrontements. Hormis les petits problèmes de ce genre et la nécessité de devoir repasser à la caisse pour bénéficier enfin d'un jeu complet, Sid Meier’s Civilization V : Gods & Kings apparaît au final comme une très bonne extension.

GameWatcher / Strategy Informer (8 out of 10)

The real question is though – is this expansion worth your money? We’d say yes. A lot of these improvements were needed to make long protracted games more interesting, and there’s less of a sense of leaping through the eras (especially the pre and early industrial eras) without really getting a taste of them. Some areas still need more fleshing out, and there’s some things that haven’t been touched on at all here that could do with some work, but Civilization V is certainly better with Gods & Kings, and there is plenty of new content here to justify the cost. We hope they don’t wait so long before releasing another meaningful update, but so far, so good.

videogamer.com (8 out of 10)

Civilization V: Gods & Kings doesn't tear down and rebuild Civilization V, but instead acts as a gentle overhaul that rounds out and deepens many of the game's core systems. Gods & Kings won't be enough to silence the non-believers, but this expansion will certainly rekindle the attention of those faithful to Civilization V's streamlined focus.

Game Chronicles ( )

Gods and Kings was exactly what Civilization needed. While there are still some small issues with the game, it's managed to revitalize the game just when it needed it. Civilization has always been a tribute to human achievement and history, and Gods and Kings manages to make things grander, more dramatic, and more celebratory than ever before, while expanding strategic options and giving more toys for players. If you were interested in what Civilization V did, but put off by some of its shortcomings, or if you were a die-hard fan from the start, this is the expansion for you.

Giant Bomb ( )

It's a good chunk of content that probably would have looked a lot more impressive a year ago. Given how much time and piecemeal DLC has passed since Civilization V first hit store shelves, Gods & Kings suffers only by virtue of not being overwhelming in its revamping of the Civ V formula. And yet, neither is it underwhelming, given that the things it does add are all distinct improvements, and some are even pretty fantastic. This is a useful and enjoyable expansion to a game that's still one of the great time-stealers of this generation. To put it succinctly: it is more Civilization V to add to your copy of Civilization V. If you still have even a flicker of a desire to play more Civilzation V, that news should be all you need to justify picking up Gods & Kings.

Eurogamer.se (8 out of 10)

Sammantaget kan jag säga att övergången från religion till spioneri inte känns riktigt fullbordad, och att diplomati och AI egentligen är i större behov av förbättring än vad vi spelare är i behov av fler civilisationer. Det går dock inte att komma ifrån att Gods & Kings är en välfylld expansion med många förändringar och tillägg, som trots sina olika ambitionsnivåer ändå innebär förbättringar av ett redan utmärkt spel. Med andra ord, om du tillhör dem som har svårt för Civilization V:s egenheter kommer inte den här expansionen att ändra din uppfattning, men för oss som redan tagit grundspelet till våra hjärtan är den ett givet tillägg. Observera dock att familj, arbete och nattsömn löper stor risk att skadas av ett inköp.

Eurogamer.cz (8 out of 10)

Výborná strategie si zaslouží pořádný datadisk - a Gods and Kings takovým je. Nové civilizace, jednotky, budovy a technologie jsou samozřejmostí, tři speciální scénáře pobaví. A vylepšená AI, upravené boje a náboženství hru výrazně prohlubují. Jen s (novou) špionáží si autoři mohli trochu více vyhrát...

Absolute Games (AG.ru) (80 out of 100)

Несмотря на долгий срок разработки и скромный набор улучшений, этот аддон — прекрасный повод вернуться к Civilization 5 и провести за ней еще много бессонных ночей.

Multiplayer.it (8 out of 10)

Civilization V: Gods & Kings espande e migliora, senza sconvolgere o riproporre esperienze del passato. Religione e Spionaggio sono divertenti novità che, specialmente la prima, complicano la sfida estendendo le loro implicazioni durante tutta la partita. Rimangono dei corpi estranei che si vede sono frutto di un'aggiunta successiva, ma tutto sommato va bene così. La quantità di unità, meraviglie e caselle create per l'occasione arricchiscono numericamente l'esperienza originale, già corposa, che ora gode anche di tre scenari inediti meritevoli di essere giocati. Peccato che tra i bilanciamenti, lodevoli, ci sia stato spazio per rivedere i combattimenti ma non migliorare significativamente l'intelligenza artificiale che regola i rapporti tra il giocatore e i leader delle altre civiltà. Il prezzo, non contenuto, è complessivamente ripagato da decine di ore di divertimento extra.

Gamer.no (8 out of 10)

For de som er fans av serien og som fortsatt spiller Civilization V er denne utvidelsen nærmest en selvfølgelighet. Har du derimot blitt litt lei og ønsker en ny utfordring må du nok lete andre steder. Gods & Kings beriker den allerede gode Civilization-opplevelsen uten at den endres i særlig grad.

Gamereactor (Finland) (8 out of 10)

Vaikka vallankumous jää tekemättä eikä vakoilupuoli nouse uskontojen tasolle, Gods & Kings on ihan pätevä paketti civistelijöille. Sen suurimpana arvona voidaan pitää kipinän uudelleen sytyttämistä niille, jotka ovat Civilization V:stä kertaalleen päässeet irti.

Eurogamer.de (8 out of 10)

Gods & Kings macht aus Civilization 5 kein neues Spiel, aber ein besseres. Mehr kann man von einem Add-On nicht erwarten. Angesichts der happigen 30 Euro sollten Gelegenheits-Civler trotzdem mit dem Kauf warten, bis es das Paket günstiger (oder komplett mit dem Hauptspiel) gibt.

PCActu (8 out of 10)

Firaxis a écouté les critiques des fans suite à la sortie de son Civilization V et a pris les mesures qui s'imposaient. Le retour de l'espionnage et de la religion est à ce titre salvateur et permet de redonner de l'intérêt aux parties. En bref, si l'on considère ces ajouts et rien qu'eux, cette extension en vaut la peine, ceci dit, dommage qu'ils n'aient pas fait partie du jeu original. Malgré tout, du très bon travail de Firaxis qui devrait faire revenir sur leurs positions certains fans hardcore du fameux Civilization IV.

GamesRadar ( )

The rippling effects of the Espionage system, Religion’s modifications to the early and mid-game, and the abundance of changes and other bits of new content more than justify the price of the expansion. While it might feel a little lackluster in the short term, the amount of variation it will add to the hundreds of more hours we plan on putting into Civilization V will undoubtedly prove worthwhile.

Games.cz (7 out of 10)

Největším problémem je ale prohnilý základ, který funguje hrůzně i přesto, že je z většiny dobře navržen. Gods & Kings není ani v nejmenším zbytečný počin. Civilizaci zásadně vylepšuje, ale nepovedlo se mu ji vytáhnout na nijak oslnivou úroveň. Takže koupit, nebo nekoupit? Upřímně? Počkejte na slevy.

GameSpy ( )

Gods & Kings' changes are fundamentally conservative. The stand-alone scenarios are far bolder about changing Civilization V, particularly the steampunk scenario, because they can play around with Civilization V's mechanics while remaining free of its constraints. I wish the rest of the expansion had reduced those constraints a bit more so Civilization V were more open to experimentation and risk-taking, but that's always been my problem with Civilization V. Since its most important characteristics remain intact, I can finally reveal that the real Gods & Kings review has been in your heart the whole time. Gods & Kings is Civilization V with a few new things to do, and a lot of new civs and units. Does that disappoint you, or excite you? Then you have your review.

Game Revolution ( )

Civilization V: Gods & Kings improves the original experience with new content and balance, but the package lacks any major features that make it feel like an expansion rather than content DLC. New civilizations and units give the game some new flavor while religion adds a layer of strategy to make “dead turns” less common, but that’s just the thing. You’re still going to see most of the same problems that kept Civilization V from being the exemplary title that the series has been waiting for. The sum is an expansion that adds a lot of little things that make the game feel a bit nicer and shinier, but culminate into the same overall experience. It simply isn’t enough to warrant its price tag unless you’re a hardcore fan looking for some extras to chew on.

Gamereactor (Denmark) (7 out of 10)

Gods & Kings er mere krydderi end nyt måltid. Alt det nye passer nogenlunde ind i Civilization V grundspillet, og gør at spillet føles anderledes, for en tid. Det er i store træk det samme spil som kom ud for næsten to år siden (og som udvidelsen også kræver at man har). Det var, og er, et rigtig godt spil, men der er for lidt kød i guder, spioner og små justeringer til at retfærdiggøre den lidt pebrede pris på en 200 kr. Man kan ikke vurdere potentiale, men der er potentiale i Gods & Kings, og det er næsten den bedste version af Civilization V. Mit forslag er at vente et par patches, indtil de værste kanter er filet af.

Eurogamer.net (UK) (7 out of 10)

For Civ 5 owners, the most important strategic decision in Gods & Kings is whether to buy it or not. At £20, it's not unreasonably priced, especially since it does succeed at making the game feel fresh again, meaning you're going to get hooked again, meaning that for £20 you're getting dozens and dozens of hours of play. On the first day I installed it, my three meals were toast, a sandwich in the afternoon and a sandwich at midnight. There's your capsule review. On the other hand, once you know the reworked espionage, diplomacy and AI all disappoint, Gods & Kings' feature list starts to look a lot thinner. In a series that's always had a certain pride to it, what you're paying for here, really, is a renewed addiction and precious little else. That's a bit of a shame for Civilization and civilisation alike.

GameOver (Greece) (7 out of 10)

Εν κατακλείδι, το Gods & Kings επαναφέρει στη σειρά στοιχεία που πραγματικά είχαν λανθασμένα αφαιρεθεί. Ανακατεύει λίγο τη συνταγή, προσθέτει νέα συστατικά και βοηθάει το παιχνίδι να αποκτήσει ακόμα περισσότερες στρατηγικές δυνατότητες. Το πρόβλημα είναι πως δεν ξέρουμε αν αυτές οι προσθήκες δικαιολογούν την αγορά ενός expansion όταν θα έπρεπε να υπάρχουν εξ αρχής μέσα στο παιχνίδι ενώ οι βελτιώσεις στην AI κρίνονται ανεπαρκείς για να αλλάξουν το βασικό πρόβλημα του παιχνιδιού. Για όσους αγάπησαν το Civ V, το Gods & Kings αποτελεί μία σίγουρη αγορά, που θα βελτιώσει την εμπειρία τους, ενώ για τους παλαιότερους παίκτες, προσφέρει στοιχεία που μπορεί να τους βοηθήσει να επιστρέψουν.

Inside Gaming (6.5 out of 10)

If you’ve played the original, you know that Civilization V is a crazy complicated but awesome game. That complexity makes Civ V an incredibly deep experience, but also works against the new expansion, Gods and Kings. Because the base game is already extremely dense, the additions of the expansion feel like superfluous complexity. It’s an extra steamer tray of mashed potatoes on the end of a thirty-foot buffet — sure it’s nice to have more stuff, but it doesn’t change your experience profoundly enough to warrant the cost.

VentureBeat / Gamesbeat (65 out of 100)

Gods and Kings feels like Civ V is taking a step forward in some respects. The new espionage system is a worthy addition, and it smartly enhances the sorely lacking diplomacy of the original release. But Gods and Kings also feels as if a lead boot firmly plants the other leg on the ground, leaving it unable to move. Global happiness just doesn’t work, and I don’t know if fixing this is even possible, considering that so many other gameplay systems depend on the mechanic. The A.I. still doesn’t provide an adequate challenge in combat, nor does it appear to even understand the rules. This is doubly problematic because this warfare model holds such primacy in this newest entry in the series. In the end, Civ V and I just need to part ways. And I’m not sorry to say that it’s you, Civ V, not me.

Gamekult (6 out of 10)

Si une partie de Civilization V est indéniablement plus fun lorsqu'elle est jouée avec les ajouts de Gods & Kings, l'extension du dernier épisode de la mythique franchise déçoit tout de même sur certains points. L'arrivée de la religion et de l'espionnage était très attendue et bien que ces deux systèmes ouvrent la porte à de nouvelles options de jeu, leur influence reste bien trop limitée pour réellement révolutionner ou même améliorer le gameplay du jeu dans sa globalité.

Metro.co.uk (6 out of 10)

The new additions are all positive but, apart from the reintroduction of religion, extremely trivial - which makes this an interesting test of the Civilization faithful.

Impulse Gamer (5 out of 10)

So should you part with $50 for this little addition? Frankly, no. Wait for discounting, because it’s currently much too overpriced for what’s on offer. Neither the religion or espionage change the game that much, and Civ 5 is still suffering from the same malaise it did before Gods & Kings hit. The main GUI may be more pleasant, but no longer does one feel like a civilization advancing through history as in Civ 4. Now it’s all about modifiers, tweaks, and stats, the colourful cut-scenes and sense of growth is gone, and it feels more like a board game than ever. Hopefully then next Civ expansion will put the life back into the game, and make Civ 5 feel more like an experience, and less like ticking boxes and fiddling dials.

Quarter to Three ( )

The historical flavor here is great, and like the steampunk scenario, it’s nice to chase new victory conditions for a change. But the bottom line is that Civilization V remains a disappointing mess, all the more disappointing that its getting new stuff added instead of being fixed.

Rock, Paper, Shotgun N/A

Gods and Kings has required me to spend a great deal of time playing Civ V in the past few days. It’s also made me remember how much I enjoy the game, although not without also drawing my mind more to its differences from previous entries and its flaws. As an expansion it delivers lots of content but doesn’t have the killer addition that elevates the game beyond its base. It also suggests that Firaxis are well aware that their game is not and never will be equivalent to Civ IV because they’ve made it a moderately better version of what it already was rather than what so many people hoped it could become.