Sid Meier’s Civilization® VI
Sid Meier’s Civilization® VI
Game
Game2010
Sid Meier's Civilization® V
Developer Firaxis Games, Aspyr (Mac), Aspyr (Linux)
Sid Meier's Civilization V is a 4X turn-based strategy video game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K. It is the sequel to Civilization IV, and was released for Windows in September 2010, for Mac OS X on November 23, 2010, and for Linux on June 10, 2014. In Civilization V, the player leads a civilization from prehistoric times into the future on a procedurally generated map, attempting to achieve one of a… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
387 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Lemmy, Bluesky) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
93
LovedLoved
357 positive · 26 negative
95% range 90–95%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 357 | 26 | 0 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Bluesky * | 0 | 0 | 2 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Overwhelmingly Positive
124,879 of 130,616 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
94% recommend · 242 yes, 16 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 258 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Overwhelmingly Positive (201,780 of 211,056 positive).
Players widely consider Civilization V the peak of the series, praising its balance and depth. [1][2][3][4] Some reviewers warn about 2K's updated user terms, calling them spyware. [5][6] A few players report technical issues, such as the game not starting. [7]
Liked
Representative posts
- [5]
I am stopping playing all 2K games as now 2K games install spyware to collect deep personal user info, device info, IP address, GPS location, internet activity-browser history etc for its use/sale to third parties and potentially pass on to US/UK/EU government. Also i will never buy a game again from 2K games. 2K Games and Rockstar belongs to Take-Two Interactive so i will never play or buy a game again from this …
- [14]
It's like chess with nukes and a*ss holes. Civilization is a turn-based strategy game where the aim is to build up an empire up from nothing. The game aims to strike a balance between science, culture and napalm. It's a game where you can start as a civilization such as Rome, Egypt, Russia, or the United States, and raise them from a hunter-gatherer society into the best civilization in history. You can make Jewish …
- [3]
The best there is. The best there was. The best there ever will be. Civ V is timeless. Don't get distracted by VI and VII. If you're a fan of the series, then you already know. If you're new to the genre and the franchise, V is the place to start. Maps and rules are clear, multiplayer with your friends is good. Modding community is EXTENSIVE. The graphics still hold up as it's basically an animated tabletop game. I …
- [8]
Civilization V is the ultimate "I’ll go to bed at 10 PM, oh wait it’s 4 AM and I’m invading Poland" simulator. It’s not just a strategy game, it’s a full-time addiction wrapped in a board game. You start with a tiny group of dudes holding sticks and end up dropping nukes on Gandhi because he looked at your sugar plantation wrong. The "just one more turn" loop is so real it should come with a government warning …
- [1]
I - IV was the rise of Civilization. V remains the pinnacle of Civilization. VI - VII is the fall of Civilization.
Summarised from 30 of the 262 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked Sid Meier's Civilization® V talk about best in the series, with perfect balance and depth; those who didn't talk about 2K's updated user terms are considered spyware by some. Which matters more to you?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Civilization V received critical acclaim, achieving a Metacritic score of 90/100 after 70 reviews and 89.17% after 49 reviews in GameRankings. G4TV gave it 5 out of 5, describing it as a "fantastic turn-based strategy game... In many ways... the best representation of the series and certainly the most accessible for new and old players alike", adding that the "diplomatic model is anemic" and describing the AI as "fairly average." IGN gave the game an "Outstanding 9.0", saying "This is the first Civilization for PC that is worth just about every person's time," but also criticizing the AI for being too aggressive and noting that players who played Civilization IV may miss the civics and…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 387 · most liked firstSpread Judaism to the USA and extracted loads of gold to fund my military. 10/10 realistic role playing game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I - IV was the rise of Civilization. V remains the pinnacle of Civilization. VI - VII is the fall of Civilization.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pretty cheap considering you can get over 6,000 hours of entertainment out of it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is when Civilizations reached its peak. Civ 6 was like new Pokemon/Monster Hunter games. Sure, the normies love it and eat it up, but Civ 5 is truly perfection. And no, I won't even try Civ 7 since how much I hated Civ 6. Buy Civ 5
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Play this and never touch a later Civ game unless 8 in 2030-something is actually good.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Some might argue whether IV or V is the goat, but Civ V was the last good game in the series.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's like chess with nukes and a*ss holes. Civilization is a turn-based strategy game where the aim is to build up an empire up from nothing. The game aims to strike a balance between science, culture and napalm. It's a game where you can start as a civilization such as Rome, Egypt, Russia, or the United States, and raise them from a hunter-gatherer society into the best civilization in history. You can make Jewish Nazis, have Ghandi drop the A-bomb on you, and alter the future a lot. It’s…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If your looking for something to boost your brain power over the course of your life, this game is it. Better than any college for world history lessons. I literally talk about various historical concepts from this game that my wife, who is a history teacher, is surprised a dumb construction guy like me knows so much about world history.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I have been playing this game since I was 19 years old. I am now 32 and a mom of four. I am basically a Granny and this is the only video game that I play. I highly recommend it, if you can accept the recommendation from an internet Grandma. I tried Civ 6 once but I am a Civ 5 purist because I don't know any better.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Best game ever. To get it working on modern linux setup: Set launch option "taskset -c 0-7 %command%" Under compatibility force use of "Legacy Steam Runtime"
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The best there is. The best there was. The best there ever will be. Civ V is timeless. Don't get distracted by VI and VII. If you're a fan of the series, then you already know. If you're new to the genre and the franchise, V is the place to start. Maps and rules are clear, multiplayer with your friends is good. Modding community is EXTENSIVE. The graphics still hold up as it's basically an animated tabletop game. I appreciate playing solo and just vibing with the game turn after turn.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Nearly limitless challenges and configurations
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not sure what it is, but this game scratches an itch that no other game can seem to scratch.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The last great Civ game. Civ6, and Civ7, are nowhere close to what SId Meier created. If you want a Civ game this, or any prior are the ones to get.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Out of all the series, (old and newer versions), this one is the clear winner, IMO. There is nothing to dislike about this game. Just a pleasure to play over and over again. I still play it to this day since its release date back in 2010, never gets old.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is still the best Civilization game made to date - I would recommend this over both more recent editions.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Better gameplay than the two sequels, both of which suffer from overthinking nearly everywhere.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Even years after its release, Civilization V remains the absolute gold standard of the 4X genre. While newer entries get bogged down in tedious district micromanagement and cartoony visuals, Civ 5 nails the perfect balance of deep grand strategy and accessible fun. It is the only game in the franchise where "playing tall" optimized empire of just 3 to 4 massive cities—is a perfectly viable and incredibly satisfying way to conquer the world. The move to a hexagonal grid and the "one unit per…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Played every Civ since Civ II (Test of Time). This is the best one so far. It achieved everything Civ ever wanted to be. Civ 6 is a good game. Civ 4 has the best music and narration (RIP Spock). Civ 3 was revolutionary. Civ 7 is too mobile and too weird. Civ V is everything Civ should be. Sean Bean makes it even better. I keep coming back to this game all these years because the new ones just aren't quite hitting the mark. Graphics and UI Still hold up to the test of time all these years…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Civilization V is the ultimate "I’ll go to bed at 10 PM, oh wait it’s 4 AM and I’m invading Poland" simulator. It’s not just a strategy game, it’s a full-time addiction wrapped in a board game. You start with a tiny group of dudes holding sticks and end up dropping nukes on Gandhi because he looked at your sugar plantation wrong. The "just one more turn" loop is so real it should come with a government warning label. Before you know it, you’ve spent six hours researching agriculture and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Best game in the series, just one more turn. Highly recommended to be played with mods like Lekmod (for multiplayer) or Vox Populi (for single player). Join the discord communities!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game. really addictive. do not strt playing after 22h
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I have been replaying every "Civilization" game recently - and what do you know, this Fifth one seems to be the best in the series to me currently! Of course, the very first "Sid Meier's Civilization" from 1991 is still the most memorable, and "Civilization II" has its own merits as well, like FMV and CD Audio. But "Civilzation V" is the only one you want to replay again and again - the graphics here are not as modern as in newer games, but it is still has not aged yet (contrary to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Started a quick game before dinner. It is now 4am. I have founded 6 cities, betrayed Gandhi twice and somehow I am at war with everyone including the civs I have never even met. Worth it. Civ V is just built different. The Complete Edition gives you everything, so there is no reason to hold back. The one more turn curse is real and it will eat your sleep schedule alive. The hexagonal combat, the city-states, the mods, all top tier. Minor gripe: the AI diplomacy is cooked, but at this point that…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've played all the Civ games, including VI and VII. I keep coming back to this one. It's the best
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The last good Civilization game, fitting for the fall and decline of our Civilization.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not sure when I get to meet Sid the Sloth from the hit movie Ice Age but this map game is okay I guess
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Civ 5 with the Vox Populi mod is the best Civ experience. If you haven't tried it, give it a shot, you won't regret it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Classic CIV experience. Last authentic generation of this series. I can't really appreciate the 6th and 7th. Absolutely love this. 10 out of 10.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I enjoy this game, it is relaxing and the turn based game play is fairly intuitive, I have played every version and am always drawn back to V. It has an " Advisors panel" that supplies tutorial information geared toward whatever level you choose to play.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It just goes to show sometimes newer is not always better. I have 2950 hours on this game, I have only spent maybe 15 bucks on expansions over the years and I still play it a fair amount. Great game with the expansions, the AI is tough and no 2 games are ever the same, great replay value...
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Everyone knows Civ V is a great game! But I didn't know it works so well on Linux! The proton version works flawlessly. The native version, unfortunately, crashes frequently for me. So, make sure to give both a try before giving up on it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of the funnest strategy games around, perfect to play with a group of friends or to play solo. It still holds up well in 2025, and having also played Civ 6, I way prefer Civ 5. Of course I had to get the expansion pack that includes Poland, but the game is perfectly playable and enjoyable without any DLC. Highly recommend
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Good game, do be laggy sometimes, wouldn't recommend starting a session late, you'll end up sweaty and sticky still playing at 2am
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Many would say Civ VI was where the Civilization franchise peaked, but simply put, they're just wrong. I've been playing this game for decades and I'm still learning new things. Civ V is the goat of grand-strat games and I doubt it will ever be dethroned.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Best in the series, first game I ever bought, worth every penny. Still very fun and looks good enough not to bother me, which I can't say for the newer games.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This review is partly going to be me remembering why this game got me into the series, and how 7 has been such a complete and utter let-down. This game rewrote my brain when I first played it. Everything I loved from strategy-heavy board games, without all the mess and having to keep track of the numbers myself. Plus it combined my love of strategy with my love of history! Civilization V remains the gold standard of the series. It hits that perfect balance between complexity and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game that started my love of strategy games, and got me interested enough in history that I decided to major in it. Been playing since 2013 with no plans to stop. It improved on basically everything from 4, while still being more intuitive and easy to get into than 6. It isnt trying to be a perfect historical simulator, or the most complex war game. But for what it IS trying to be, a game where as Montezuma you can drop nuclear powered death robots on Warsaw as you launch a spaceship to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Overall Experience Oh where to begin. Civilization V is one of the best turn-based strategy games I have ever played in my life. Singleplayer and multiplayer. I’ve played it countless times, both alone and with friends, and it never gets old. The feeling of building up your empire from nothing and slowly becoming a world power is just unmatched. This is one of those games you can always come back to and lose entire days to without noticing. Game Speed Matters One important thing people get…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Review for Sid Meier’s Civilization V Civilization V is a strong and well-polished turn-based strategy game that still holds up well today. The one-unit-per-tile system adds real tactical depth to warfare, and the overall pacing of the game feels satisfying. Building cities, managing diplomacy, and planning long-term strategies are engaging, and the presentation — especially the music and art style — is excellent. That said, the game is not perfect. The AI can be inconsistent, particularly…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game is simply a lot of fun to play. You can step away for a moment and come back when the life permits which makes this a go to for me on days I need a small respite.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Its a great game if you want something challenging but turn-based. You can create any scenario and play it out until your butt hurts,
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Excellent game and still very enjoyable in 2026, despite the newer versions!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Save 90% on Sid Meier's Civilization® V on Steam (starting from Mar 19, 2026). > > >I just noticed the extremely low price for the game from 2010, a historical low on Steam price for 2,99 € (and looks like in USD as well). There are still a few days left before sale ends. This is just a heads up for anyone wanting to get into the Civ series, this is an extremely cheap option of a very decent game. Lot of people didn't…
neutral · AI labelView post →What a positive game. I'm not as in depth to Civilization as some. I played CIv 3 to 6... i skipped 7 based on reviews, which is why I am here. THIS GAME is a great nostalgia. Everything flows so well, it just makes sense to a logic a player. Fantastic!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Civ V is one of my all-time favorite games, and hundreds of hours in it still draws me back over VI and VII. What makes it stand out is the design. Simple individual systems combine into something genuinely deep — elegant rather than bloated. VI and VII go the other way, cluttering the board with mechanics while quietly lowering the skill ceiling: busier, not deeper, and easier to win. It's also easier to get into than Civ IV, with a cleaner UI and graphics, accessible without dumbing anything…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →You can play Sid Meier's Civilization V for a very long time without getting bored. The freedom to pursue multiple victories - domination, scientific, cultural, diplomatic or simply running out the calendar with the highest score - combined with the wide range of interesting faction bonuses and unique units makes it almost endlessly replayable. Civ V isn't simply a rehash of what came before with better graphics. It's a whole new world with a whole new set of rich, intricate rules to master.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Good game play. You don't get bogged down in unecessary details. Played Civ 6, don't like it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →MY FIRST TRUE LOVE This is what started Civ for me its so beautiful it's like meeting the love of your life and she's everything you dreamed of and more she can be a bit demanding but she's worth it and i can't stop looking at her and feeling a sweet sense of peace and love I still play the sountrack on my phone sometimes and think of this game i love you Civilization V
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →16 years after release date, and with 354 hours played, I keep coming back to this game every year. Just beat the game on Immortal for the first time (Poland, small map, diplomatic victory). Pretty intense for a turn-based strategy game. Warning: this makes me pull 24 hour sessions, just to finish a game in one stretch.. I eat, I stay hydrated, but please.. just.. one.. more.. turn..
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →this game is a great distraction to pass the time on a rainy day. It hold attention and provide a relaxed atmosphere.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is the most enjoyable Civilization of the 7 so far. Civ 6 and 7 are progressively not player friendly. That is they go into concepts that may please static geeks (not a derogative term, I myself am a geek) but not necessarily strategy players. I have played this game for 2000 hours +, some of my games lasting days in the immortal mode. For new players start at the easiest mode, learn the game mechanics then proceed up the difficulty levels. The immortal mode is of course the hardest and I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Awesome game, gorgeous for a 16 year old game. Fun to play overall for a noob like me and really engaging!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Probably one of my favourite games. It's certainly fun enough vanilla, but play this with the absolutely brilliant Vox Populi overhaul mod, and you'll never need another Civ game in your life.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Sid Meier’s Civilization V: The Immortal King of 4X Strategy If you only ever buy one grand strategy game, let it be Sid Meier’s Civilization V. Over a decade since its release, it remains the "gold standard" for the franchise and is widely considered one of the most balanced, visually timeless, and addictive strategy experiences ever made. With the Gods & Kings and Brave New World expansions, it isn't just a game; it is a masterpiece of "one more turn" gameplay. Why It Is a "Must-Buy" The…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Been playin' Civilization since the beginning on DOS, and compared to all seven entries as of writing this, Civilization V is the best, mostly because Civilization IV is difficult to enjoy with the "death stacks" and other older game play. I never appreciated the cartoony art style of Civilization VI, and Civilization VII is an unfinished train wreck trying to sell you boring expansions and meaningless cosmetics. Therefore, when I am looking for the best civ session to be had, I end up…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →To me this is the best entry in the Civilization series. The game feels refined, it is beautiful, the mechanics are well balanced between micro and macro management and a single game has a flow that has interest at all stages. The available mods make it even more interesting. Also, the music is incredible. I sometimes let the in-game music of some civs play while i'm doing something else in the house.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is my favorite version of Civilization, although there seems to be a problem with running it after installing CIV-6
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"Just one more turn!" - 6 hours later. "Just one more turn!" Great game and an amazing value still today. Highly recommended :-)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I am stopping playing all 2K games as now 2K games install spyware to collect deep personal user info, device info, IP address, GPS location, internet activity-browser history etc for its use/sale to third parties and potentially pass on to US/UK/EU government. Also i will never buy a game again from 2K games. 2K Games and Rockstar belongs to Take-Two Interactive so i will never play or buy a game again from this company this includes future Games like GTA 6 or Red Dead Redemption 3. Good Job…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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