# Played CIV III, looking for something similar
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [July 21, 2005, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524 "2005-07-21T19:24:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@mazinger\_z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mazinger_z)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2005, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524/1 "2005-07-21T19:24:52Z")
I’ve played the crap out of Civ III and can beat it consistently on Emperor level and random (unless it’s mostly naval, then I’m screwed). I’ve loaned it to my ex-gf’s brother while he’s in summer school. Suddenly, I’m missing it. Is there a comparable game out there? I haven’t been keeping track. Any recommendations? Thanks.
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### Author:  [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2005, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524/2 "2005-07-21T19:35:08Z")
Have you tried the Total War series? The latest one, Rome, is pretty awesome. Combat is done RTS style (and done well, but that can still be a turnoff for a lot of people), but empire management is all turn-based.
Or, you could wait a couple more months and get Civ IV…
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### Author:  [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2005, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524/3 "2005-07-21T19:39:55Z")
Second Total War Rome here as well…lots of fun. I’m playing Imperial Glory these days, but I wouldn’t recommend it as its still kind of broken. I am enjoying it but I doubt many other people are.
Civ IV comes out in a couple of months and the preview I read on Gamespy sounds pretty good. I doubt I’ll buy it personally, as I think I’m all played out on the Civ games, but you should probably just hold out for that if its what you like. There are a couple of WWII style Civ type games out (i.e. turned based, strategic oriented with tech trees and such) if you just like that style of game: One is called something like World at War and the other is Hearts of Iron II.
-XT
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### Author:  [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2005, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524/4 "2005-07-21T20:16:47Z")
I’ve been thinking of getting Hearts of Iron II, since I really liked Europa Universalis back in the day. Anyone else recommend it?
I’d chime in and say go get Rome:Total War. That’s a great game that avoids some of the weirdness of Civ-type games…like a unit taking 20 years to move one square. It’s still abstract, but much less abstract that Civ.
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### Author:  [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2005, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524/5 "2005-07-21T20:22:44Z")
Civ IV is coming out in October.
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### Author:  [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2005, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524/6 "2005-07-21T20:28:51Z")
> [@mazinger\_z](#):
>
> I’ve played the crap out of Civ III and can beat it consistently on Emperor level and random (unless it’s mostly naval, then I’m screwed). I’ve loaned it to my ex-gf’s brother while he’s in summer school. Suddenly, I’m missing it. Is there a comparable game out there? I haven’t been keeping track. Any recommendations? Thanks.
You can beat Civ III on Emperor? :eek: That’s impressive! What is your strategy and how many opposing civilisations do you play against? (I can only manage Regent :o )
Have you tried ‘DemiGod’ and ‘Sid’ levels?
I find the multiplayer option great entertainment.
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### Author:  [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2005, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524/7 "2005-07-21T21:41:19Z")
> [@Lemur866](#):
>
> I’ve been thinking of getting Hearts of Iron II, since I really liked Europa Universalis back in the day. Anyone else recommend it?
I’d recommend it. It’s been out long enough for there to be patches for the bugs. Although, it can get frustrating at times.
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### Author:  [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2005, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524/8 "2005-07-21T22:22:08Z")
I’ll seventh Rome: Total War.
Didn’t know about Civ IV, though. Cool.
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### Author:  [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2005, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524/9 "2005-07-21T22:27:32Z")
Well, there’s always Sid Meier’s _Alpha Centauri_, and since it’s a few years old, it should be cheap.
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### Author:  [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2005, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524/10 "2005-07-21T22:50:58Z")
> [@Bryan Ekers](#):
>
> Well, there’s always Sid Meier’s _Alpha Centauri_, and since it’s a few years old, it should be cheap.
Ah, Civ2.5! I really miss the wonder movies and the tech tree quotes from SMAC, and I liked the sound design…all weird and spooky. In a lot of ways SMAC was superior to CivIII. I know I logged many more hours on SMAC than I ever did on CivIII. Or maybe it’s just that the basic game engine running from CivI to CivII to SMAC to CivIII is pretty much just incremental improvements on the same idea. Even if I don’t play CivIV much I suppose I’ll have to buy it. Any word on some of the new features in IV? And I want my SMAC2 goddammit!
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### Author:  [@Ol\_Gaffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_Gaffer)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2005, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524/11 "2005-07-21T23:19:25Z")
> [@Bryan Ekers](#):
>
> Well, there’s always Sid Meier’s _Alpha Centauri_, and since it’s a few years old, it should be cheap.
What’s astonishing is how expensive the expansion set _Alien Crossfire_ is. The cheapest copy on Amazon right now is $69.95! In any case, the game runs like sh\*t on XP.
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### Author:  [@DataZak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataZak)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2005, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524/12 "2005-07-22T00:47:21Z")
> [@adam yax](#):
>
> Civ IV is coming out in October.
But dont get it then. There’ll probably be bugs in it like CIV III. Might as well wait a while until they announce the patch(es).
In the meantime, get _Rome:Total War_. It’s a hoot. I dont normally like real time games but it’s only RTS during combat.
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### Author:  [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524/13 "2005-07-22T00:53:05Z")
Wow, maybe I should start a new Rome Total War thread. 🙂 Must not just be me who thinks the game is good. Anyone anticipating the expansion also due out in the next few months? (Wish they would do a Napoleon Total War…grumble grumble).
-XT
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### Author:  [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2005, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524/14 "2005-07-22T01:06:44Z")
I’m having a lot of fun with Rise of Nations. Just found out if you go Armageddon nobody wins.
Well, duh!
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### Author:  [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2005, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524/15 "2005-07-22T01:12:52Z")
> [@adam yax](#):
>
> Civ IV is coming out in October.
I was having a bad day. This news has changed that.
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### Author:  [@KCB615](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KCB615)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2005, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524/16 "2005-07-22T01:14:24Z")
I’ve been a hardcore Civer since the old days of Civ1, so I feel your pain. Rise of Nations was a huge time taker of minen for the past year - many nights turned into early mornings over that game. Highly recommended.
I’ve been looking at Rome Total War lately, but I’ve been debating the purchase. Maybe I’ll fork the cash over, since you folks seem to enjoy it.
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### Author:  [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2005, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524/17 "2005-07-22T01:21:07Z")
[Here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=277422&highlight=xtisme) is an old thread about Rome Total War you might want to look over if you are considering the game.
-XT
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### Author:  [@Atticus\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atticus_Finch)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2005, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524/18 "2005-07-22T01:51:37Z")
I read that preview of Civ IV that was mentioned, and got a bit worried. It keeps talking about a “light and easy” style of play. Amongst other things, it drops in the statement that combat units now only have one stat - no separate attack, defence etc. I’m worried that they’ve taken a lot of the enjoyable complexity that defines the Civ series out of the game…I don’t want Civ Lite, goddammit.
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### Author:  [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2005, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524/19 "2005-07-22T02:12:22Z")
> [@Biggirl](#):
>
> I’m having a lot of fun with Rise of Nations. Just found out if you go Armageddon nobody wins.
>
> Well, duh!
Sometimes I play a game with the highest tech level, unlimited resources and several minutes of free play before anyone is allowed to attack. Then I build multiple silos and torch the world.
Hey, it kills an afternoon.
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### Author:  [@DataZak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataZak)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2005, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/played-civ-iii-looking-for-something-similar/313524/20 "2005-07-22T03:52:56Z")
> [@Atticus Finch](#):
>
> I read that preview of Civ IV that was mentioned, and got a bit worried. It keeps talking about a “light and easy” style of play. Amongst other things, it drops in the statement that combat units now only have one stat - no separate attack, defence etc. I’m worried that they’ve taken a lot of the enjoyable complexity that defines the Civ series out of the game…I don’t want Civ Lite, goddammit.
I’ll reserve judgement until I see the game itself, but the stats never mattered to me. Remember how everybody was complaining how a Bronze Age Spearman can (sometimes) bring down a Tank in Civ III?
The stats be damned!
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