Rating: 
Summary: Complex, intelligent and don't take your eyes off the domes
Review: There are so many features and so much entertainment to be had I don't know where to begin. It's great that there actually is a story behind the strategy, building, managing, feeding people, keeping populations happy...It's a lot like Galactic Trader, which ranks right up there with this as a time-vaporizer. Warning: this game may cause you to lose sleep and sense of perspective. I actually had to uninstall it...that's how much fun it is. The graphics are terrific.
Don't neglect the supplies to your domes and put in plenty of airponics bays, creches, theaters, tree farms and other amenities.
Rating:
Summary: Alpha Centari Carries the Torch
Review: This game is great!!! It is amazing!!! The AI is great and it is different every time you play! There is so much you can do. It is easy to start and easy to learn thanks to the tutorials and guides. It is a good follow up to the other games. the stratagy guide give tons of new ways to play like green conquest. BUY THIS GAME!!!
Rating:
Summary: Extraordinary game
Review: This game is probably the best I've ever played, and perhaps the best game I will ever play. It has all of the features you could want in a turn based game.
The automation of funtions is incredible. Based on your wishes, you can designate tasks for units to perform, instead of dealing with the monotony of reissuing the same command turn after turn. For example, you can just say tell a unit to "build road", and it will only build roads... and will do so in places that make sense. Truly amazing AI...
Add to that the rich cultures and philosophies of the characters, ability to customize units any way you'd like, great sci-fi, and you're left with a game that is still a force to be contented with 4-5 years after its release.
However, because of the wide range of possibilities, the game can be quite complex.
If you're not intimidated by having to think, this game is definitely for you. I look forward to a sequel, should they ever develop one.
Rating:
Summary: Thoroughly absorbing
Review: This game is stealing all my sleep! As a fan of Civ and Civ2, I should have expected this... Alpha Centauri's improvements have added many new dimensions to the game. One of my favorites is the modular style of unit design. In the past games, new technologiess simply allowed you to build a new type of unit. Now they give you the ability to create a new type of chassis, weaponry, abilities, etc. that you can use to design your own units. Your engineers give suggestions, but you can customize to your heart's content. In addition, the interface with other factions feels much more real. Part of the screen scrolls through pictures from the other leader's life, making you feel like this is a real person with a history. But probably the most outstanding feature is the overall thought that went into creating the technology tree. Most of these are futuristic (or state-of-the-art) technologies so there is impressive blend of logic and imagination here. (e.g: Non-linear Mathematics, Machine-Mind Interface, and Homo Superior just to name a few.) Anyone familiar with mathematics, physics, or philosophy will find their interests stimulated greatly by this game.
Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: This game is the BEST! If you like stratagy games then youhave to get it. If you played and liked Civilizaton I or II then youwill love this. It comes with a fold out tech chart, a statagy guied and of course the cd. the diplomacy options are the best, much better then anything else that i have played. however it has not so good graphics. all in all it is a very good game, and i suggest that you buy it...
Rating:
Summary: Alpha Centauri, Greatest Game since Civilization?
Review: This has to be the greatest game ever (besides Civilization 3, of course)! It's for all you Civilization 1 and 2 lovers and maybe SC3K Unlimited, Caesar I, II, and III, Pharaoh, Cleopatra, and so on... A bit complicated game but easy to learn if you read the tutorials. The game features a large group of colonists that escape the ravages of Earth in 2060 A.D. to explore a distant planet orbiting Alpha Centauri's biggest star. This planet is called Chiron and has somewhat the same orbit as Earth. The ship suffers a malfunction along the way and the 6 strongest colonists escape the ship with their chosen crew to begin a new life in this unknown planet. You have to fight off aliens and try to mantain peace in the planet (unless of course you want the planet to your self!). Very much like a continuation to Civilization 2 or 3. This also includes both versions. Alpha Centauri and Alien Crossfire (the Expansion). Alien Crossphire takes place various decades after landing on planet, two alien factions appear out of nowhere claiming they had habited this planet a long time ago and land on the opposite sides of the planet in war against each other. You can team up with one of them and end with the other or declare war to both. Also 5 new factions are born out of the existing 6. The other game I highly recommend, Civilization 3. Much better than Alpha Centauri in game play. Check it out if you like Alpha Centauri or any of the Civs.
Rating:
Summary: Great game, Real good price
Review: This is a great game; it's impossible to say enough good things about it. This is far better than the old Civilization games (although sometimes I go back to Civ 2 for the more real-life setting). With this game, Sid Meier proved that he's the reason Civilization was a hit (if you haven't played the non-Meier Civilization games, don't). It's kept all the good things, and added far more. One of the unique things about this game, and that caught my eye right away, is the ability to custom-design your units. There's probably millions of different units once you figure all the possible combinations. There's also a really cool social engineering setup that basically equates to a design-a-government system. The benefits of this can be super-fast growth, production, lots of money, or a lot of other effects. All things considered, this game is spectacular if you're into turn-based strategies, and great even if you're not. It does take a little bit to get a feel for what you can do if you're not familiar with the Civilization line, but once you do, you'll love it. One warning though: If you only want a real-time strategy, or want to see lots of blood and guts flying, don't get this game. Otherwise, try it out.
Rating:
Summary: If you don't buy this game, you are not a real gamer!
Review: This is probably the best game ever in Sid Meier's series. The game design is excellent and graphics are brilliant! If you liked "Civilization" and "Colonization", then you don't want to miss this one! From the beginning of the game it looks pretty complicated, but when you get the hand of it, everything goes "downhill". I spent a lot of time playing this game (about one year or so), and yet, I didn't get tired of it at all. This is must-have game for real gamers! I'm sure that you'll like it.
Rating:
Summary: Buy it
Review: This is the true sequel to Civilization II. Sure, there's Call to Power and Civilization Three, but this is the only one of the sequels that was made by Sid Meier. This game is extremely complex, and will probably take a few hours to learn. It is easier if you've played Civ II, but it still takes a while. However, once you've learned you'll never stop playing this game. There are so many ways to win, and there are so many options. Ways of taking out enemy cities include conquest, bribes, lowing them into the sea, releasing native lifeforms on them, and planet busters (nukes). The technology tree is also complex, but it's realistic, well thought out, and long. While the graphics aren't great, they are more than sufficent for the game. The only flaw: the AI is a little too easy on the top level. If you like strategy games, or just games, buy it!
Rating:
Summary: A Civ Better than Civ
Review: Why compare this game to Mozart? They are the same: Genius in Simplicity. I loved this game. I am actually surprised that even more people have not played it. It has the highest rating ever from PC Gamer (98%). Think about that: Alpha Centauri is 2% away from being considered The Perfect Game. Why? Strategy that is detailed but intuitive. Diplomacy that is believable and matters. Game balance. A fun storyline. An intelligent AI that does not have to cheat to win. But by far my favorite part of the game is the technology aspect of the game. Each new future technology (some truly vague) is introduced with a sound byte from a faction leader, but more important is WHAT these leaders say. Philosophy, religion, literature, hard science, Emmanuel Kant, Aristotle, even Military Cadences are used to provide atmosphere to the game. This is a game that respects the gameplayer's intelligence. Additionally, the future technology tree has been well researched. Just go to the back of the well-produced Alpha Centuari manual to see the vast bibliography of Science Textbooks, Hard Science Fiction (Think Stanley Kubrik's 2001) and Soft Science Fiction (Think Star Wars or Star Trek) that the game draws influence from. I have a PhD in Molecular biology, and I must endorse the technology tree as an excellent model for speculating how humanity's future knowledge-base may be represented. Particularly interesting is how different civilizations are based on faction instead of nationality. However, nationalistic stereotypes are represented. The communist/socialist faction is represented by Chairman Yang (Chinese). The Gaia mentality is represetned by Lady Dierdre Skye (Celtic/Irish). The University faction is represented by a Russian Scientist (Academician Prokhor Zakharov), and the UN peacekeeping faction by a Ghandi-like figure in Commissioner Pravin Lal. There are others, to be sure, but these are the most egregious. Regardless, the game is an outstanding mix of fun, a stytle of gameplay that does not require excessive detail to be considered intelligent, great presentation values, and an overall attention to polish even in the smallest details. There is precious little that could be changed in this game. To quote Salieri describing Mozart's music, "Displace one note and there would be diminishment. Displace one phrase, and the structure would fall."
|
