Avalon Hill has found their niche in the gaming world, just like Strategic Simulations, Incorporated. While SSI loves the strategy and simulation genre, EA loves the sports action game, and Capcom loves the arcade, Avalon Hill has made a name for itself by creating board game conversions. Advanced Civilization is one such conversion by Avalon Hill and is a fully licensed title, bearing great similarities to the board game. It was released in the middle nineties and is played entirely in the first person perspective.
Advanced Civilization takes place in Europe near the Mediterranean Sea. Similar to the later Civilization games by Sid Meier, the game starts about eight thousand years ago in a period of very ancient history when humans were just rising to their present state. The game spans the gap of time and takes the budding civilization to the modern era. The goal of the game is very interesting: build a civilization that will become the greatest nation in the world a global super power.
When the game begins, the user’s settlers will just be learning how to perform the most rudimentary tasks for survival. They are hunter-gatherers with very basic tools. As the game advances, they will research new technologies, build structures, develop religion and culture, and probably a military. Advanced Civilization does not place nearly as much emphasis on the military aspect of the civilization as other games of this nature. While the nations are expansionist, most conflicts arise because there is a lack of land and resources, as opposed to violent natures or lofty goals. Instead of military might, the game focuses much more on technological advancement, greater cultures, and forming a sound economic model to support the budding nation. While holding land is important for these features, the military is probably the least used skill in the game.
Advanced Civilization is more of a race against time as opposed to a competition with the neighbors. The way to win the game is to advance more quickly than the opposition. There is a “final advancement stage” where humans can allegedly learn nothing new, at least within the scope of the game. The civilization to reach this point first is the winner, and wasting time and energy with war is counterproductive to the cause, albeit entertaining at times.
This is a nice strategy game and has a lot of value as the precursor to so many games of this nature. Avalon Hill does a good job with the conversion, and improves nicely on the pen and paper clutter of the board game. Gamers should find a lot of enjoyment and challenge in Advanced Civilization.
Written by: ~dorento1
Advanced Civilization is a computer conversion of the board game of the same title. It was developed and published by none other than Avalon Hill, who found its niche with converting board games to the DOS format in the late eighties and nineties. This particular game was released in the middle nineties and plays out in the third person perspective. It is a fully licensed title and is a strategy simulation game.
The action of the game is centered around the Mediterranean Sea. The nation that the user controls has the goal of rising to become the greatest nation in the world, possibly becoming the supreme global power. The game spans about 8000 years and begins in very ancient history where the user’s nation is first learning basic things such as how to use fire and make rudimentary tools. As the game advances, the user will become industrialized and will eventually advance to world of modern marvels.
Unlike many other games of this nature, Advanced Civilization does not concentrate nearly so much on the military expansion and conquest as the others do. Advanced Civilization is about building the civilization into something admirable, like the Roman Empire. There is an emphasis on economics, culture, and research for technological advancements. A shortage of land is bound to ensue, however. Eventually there will be battles and scuffles as the user tries to expand his territory, but the game does not focus on this type of conquest. The goal of the game is essentially a race against time, and the ultimate winner will be the one that advances the most quickly and makes it to the final advancement stage of the game through successfully balancing all of the aspects of the game.
Advanced Civilization is a turn-based game that actually improves upon the board game for which it was modeled. The user does not have to seek opponents, as the computer’s AI is very competent and can fill in beautifully for the carbon based adversaries used in the board games. There are difficulty settings that can customize the game based on the user’s level of experience.
Overall, Advanced Civilization is a great strategy game and it will certainly challenge the user to lead his nation to glory and greatness. This game spawned a great deal of games similar to it, including many bearing similar titles. It is a very satisfying play and will provide literally hours of play for the gamer. Written by: ~Shannon
This is a pretty decent game. It is basically just like the board game were you try to create cities, expand, trade resources with your neighbour to collect points for new advances. In trading you are allowed one bluff so you can give them a nasty surprise instead of what you offered. Build ships to travel to islands or areas that would be otherwise be unreachable.
Nothing fancy about the graphics or game play looks and plays exactly like the board game. Disadvantage is nothing beats playing the game around a table, eating, and drinking with friends. Advantage is trade is very organized and not so chaotic as when playing with friends around the table and game pieces, cards are scattered everywhere.
3 out of 5 stars. Graphics and sound isn't the greatest especially by today’s standards, but game play is smooth and intuitive. Written by: ~Bloodmoon
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