Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword

Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword is what strategy fans reach for when they want the fuller, denser version of Civ IV rather than a quicker match. By our assessment, it is one of the strongest Civilization expansions because it adds the kind of systems that change how the whole game breathes: espionage, more religions and corporations, random events, vassal states, and a better late game. The downside is the obvious one for a grand strategy add-on: it piles more rules onto an already demanding series, so turns can sprawl and the learning curve stays steep. In practice it is still the familiar one-more-turn trap, only with more diplomatic angles and more ways for empires to misbehave. It sits above the base game in complexity and depth, and it is usually the version people mean when they talk about Civ IV at its best. Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword rewards players who enjoy long, thoughtful campaigns and do not mind the table filling up.