Civilization: Revolution

(2K Games for Xbox 360)
By Mike Delano

With instant access to mods, map editors, and downloadable content, the triple-A crop of first-person shooters used to be a badge of honor exclusively for PC gamers, since console users only got watered-down versions of critically-acclaimed titles like Far Cry and Half-Life years after their PC debut. In the past few years, that dynamic has changed dramatically, with online-enabled consoles becoming the lead development platform for nearly all new FPS titles. The times haven’t worked out quite the same, however, for that other stalwart genre of PC gaming: The real-time strategy game. In the eyes of console gamers, the RTS title is still shrouded behind an impenetrable curtain of endless menus, tiny little characters building things, and labored, carefully-planned gameplay well beyond the decision of whether or not to dual-wield. Civilization Revolution works overtime to court these skeptical gamers, and while it won’t convert those who didn’t already have a disposition toward strategic gaming, it takes an artfully streamlined approach to the plan/build/conquer RTS template. Matches between dueling civilizations are mostly quick and fun, and while there are some annoyances like the lack of a comprehensive tutorial and some questionable design choices (the squawking gibberish of your advisors will spur horrid flashbacks of Okami), this is the easy choice for RTS newbies looking to dip their toe in the water.
(www.2kgames.com)