A new Civilization game sneaks onto app stores today from the same publisher of Sid Meier’s beloved 4X strategy game. Temper that excitement, however. Formally titled Conquests and Alliances – 4X Empire Builder, Civilization: Eras & Allies looks like recognisable Civ at first glance. The iconography, hex map, and tech trees all elicit a warm sense of deja vu.
Anticipating some raised eyebrows, a 2K spokesperson reassures audiences that this is a Civilization spin-off coming from an external studio and won’t impact Firaxis’ work on the next mainline Civilization title:
“As we announced earlier this year, Firaxis Games is in active development on the next iteration of the legendary Civilization
The rebranding of this title is rather unusual, as it all looks very much like a Civilization spin-off before the change of name. Perhaps that is the point. Unofficial footage of the game’s early builds show moments of the overworld that look remarkably similar to its parent title. However, this is in stark contrast to the touchscreen minigames that creep in between rounds. One such oddly-placed activity has the player trace a rope around a stick to craft a spear, which is a fullscreen activity that looks very out of place.
Is there a weirder innovation in the Civilization series than touchscreen minigames? Let us know in the comments or on social media.
