Malcolm Owen
Aspyr Media has released 'Sid Meier's Civilization VI' for the iPad, just over one year after it was released for macOS and Windows, with the port of the turn-based world-conquering game retaining all of its features of its desktop counterpart in its move to the smaller screen.
Originally produced by Fixaris Games and brought to the iPad by Aspyr, "Sid Meier's Civilization VI" follows on from previous installments by challenging players to take command of a small civilization, expanding the empire and leading the rest of the world. Taking place over centuries, the player must take their civilization from the Stone Age to the Information Age, advancing their culture and researching new technologies over time.
There are 20 historical leaders to play as, or against, including Queen Victoria and Theodore Roosevelt. Players will also have to maintain diplomatic relations with these other sides as they grow, forming alliances and negotiating with each other, or waging war if agreements cannot be met or kept.
Gameplay introduced in this iteration include a greater emphasis on terrain surrounding cities, which can be developed into districts however the player wants it to grow. Research for the technology trees are also based on nearby terrain, while the game also includes improvements to the government civics structure, a tree for cultural improvements, and better artificial intelligence mechanics.
For the iOS release, Aspyr has included a local multiplayer mode alongside other traditional playing setups, with the ability to compete and cooperate with others in situations designed to be completed in a single session.
'Sid Meier's Civilization VI' is regularly priced at $59.99, but is offered at launch at half price until January 4. The game itself is downloadable for free, with players able to try the game out for 60 turns before paying to unlock it fully via an in-app purchase.
Weighing in at 3.14 gigabytes and rates 12+, the game requires iOS 11.0 or later to run. Notably, it requires a recent or powerful iPad, and is listed as compatible with an iPad Air 2, 2017 iPad, and any iPad Pro.
The macOS version released last year also has fairly high requirements, including a 2.7 gigahertz quad-core i5 processor, 6 gigabytes of RAM, and either Radeon HD 6790, GeForce 775M, or Iris Pro graphics. That version is currently available for $30 on Steam as part of the holiday sale, and $30 on the Mac App Store.
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12 Comments
I used to love this game on the desktop. I think I will give this a shot.
3.14Gb sounds like it can be played without an internet connection.
Gettysburg please!
I'm not a big game player, but I think this is great. It's the full game with exactly ONE in-app purchase (so, it is essentially a free trial before buying to be sure it's for you). Sure, this is pricey by comparison with most iPad apps, but there are a lot (and I mean a *lot*) of in-app purchases for $3 games that cost much, much more than $60, and they've clearly made sure this is the same game as the Mac version to every extent possible. I would like to see this (free trial/one in-app purchase) model become a trend.
I hate the in app purchase model. This means it won’t work with family share. I won’t pay for me, my wife, and kids all to have the game. I don’t mind paying for good apps but I’m not gonna pay for it 5 times.