14 DAY TRIAL // Developer Firaxis released a video, providing a nice introduction for the upcoming Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth video game, and showing some new gameplay footage meant to highlight some of the features of the turn-based strategy game and offers newcomers an overview of what the game is all about.
The introductory film is titled Discovery, and offers a glimpse into the inner workings of the upcoming entry in the lauded Civilization series, one that sets out to explore the classic formula in an innovative way.
The new gameplay preview is neatly structured, with annotations that enable viewers to jump from one chapter to the next and gleam useful information about whatever is of interest to them.
A new beginning
For the first time since Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, the action will take place in the future, no longer following the rise and fall of civilizations throughout history, but instead taking bold steps into the unknown.
Players will start after mankind has made its final steps on Earth, following a series of disasters shrouded in mystery for the time being. Man has to venture into space in order to find a new home, and each of the factions that the world is divided in is looking out for its own.
After choosing your sponsor, you will make planetfall in a distant land, and will have to quickly locate and assess the resources at hand, in order to chart a course for future development.
Food, production, energy, culture and science must all be prioritized depending on your intended goals, and in addition to juggling your internal affairs, you also have to be mindful of the local fauna. The faraway planet hosts many perils, and using brute force to clear a path for your settlements will only trigger the aggression of the gnarlier specimens inhabiting the planet.
The stakes are high
Scouting the unfamiliar world is crucial to establishing your route to success, as soon other factions will also make planetfall and will start encroaching on your domain.
Early on, you have to pick a path (affinity) for your civilization to follow in order to adapt to the harsh alien world, affecting everything, from the way units and buildings function to revealing new resources.
In addition to this, Beyond Earth also breaks the conventions of linear development seen in earlier entries in the franchise, through the introduction of a technology web, instead of the usual tree, where everyone was racing to the same end.
The tech tree will introduce a lot of variety into the way the game is played, with each player developing in a different direction and discovering new and unique technologies that suit their evolution paradigm best.
Diplomacy, trade and alliances will also play a major role, with new and exciting opportunities awaiting players in the upcoming turn-based strategy title, such as independent specialized stations and quest chains, revealing intimate details about the inner workings of your society and providing bonuses that can affect your affinity.
Civilization: Beyond Earth is currently scheduled to come out on October 24, headed to Windows PC. Linux and Mac OS versions have also been announced, to be released at a later, undisclosed date.
