What was supposed to be the salvation of all humanity ended up serving only a single group’s interests. Cities lie ruined, devastated by whoever met their victory condition. Or, more accurately, what happens if the player doesn’t win. Even though humanity has apparently outgrown discrimination based on race and religion, it still can’t help but seek division.Īnd nothing makes that clearer than the victories. Purists, Supremacists, or even just colonies killing too many aliens will attract the ire of Harmonists. Affinity also affects the way other colonies interact and view each other. What defines ‘humanity’? How can we, as a species, avoid making ‘The Great Mistake’ a second time? Each of the colonies will approach life on this new planet differently, and their affinity affects their leader’s appearance. Making a beeline for the necessary technology to enact this victory is almost essential on harder difficulties-I had victory snatched from me multiple times because I tarried on non-optimal technology just a little longer than I should have.īut perhaps the most interesting aspect of affinities is how they continue the thematic questions. These are not simple choices-points in each affinity are awarded as the result of different research paths and quest choices. Colonies develop along three tracks: Harmony, where humans splice their own DNA with that of the alien population in order to survive Purity, where humans try to re-create Earth as a second chance at avoiding past mistakes and Supremacy, where humans use cybernetics to enhance themselves. Part of the reason for this is the new affinity system. Beyond Earth will make you frequently adjust your approach. Deciding the next scientific pursuit is situational sometimes a unit from a distant branch is needed and sometimes and building from an overlooked leaf is required. The tree analogy remains: the web is comprised of branches, which are broad or core scientific ideas, and leaves, which are more specific offshoots of the branch. The technology tree has been replaced with a technology web, expanding outwards with increasingly complex concepts. Civilization: Beyond Earth is a scavenger hunt and each colony is looking for something different. Because progression was mostly linear, it was easy to tell which nations were a threat and which nations were closest to victory. Each civilisation bumbled through awkwardly revisionist history with a strangely staggered technology tree until somebody won. The last we see of Earth is the father scrambling up a hill to watch his daughter fly away. People of various races and religions board, and then the ships launch. A man and his daughter are scanned only she is accepted. Crowds clamour for the opportunity to flee the presumably dying Earth and take to the stars. A lone jeep drives through a desolate tent city toward towering spaceships. The opening cinematic is wonderfully poignant. It’s about us-humanity-and what the future might hold. Beyond Earth is more than just Civilization in space. But it would be disingenuous to make such a claim. What mechanics aren’t identical appear to be a straight swap-gold becomes energy, happiness becomes health, barbarians become aliens. It would be easy to call Civilization: Beyond Earth a simple science fiction re-skin of Civilization V.
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