Civilization 4 : Beyond the Sword

A new expansion pack has just been announced for the critically acclaimed Civ 4. It is set to come out July 2007. The expansion pack will include:

• 10 new Civs - This is predictable but still good none the less, particularly if you have mastered a way to beat all the civilizations currently included.

• 12 new scenarios - Not really bothered by this, the scenarios are fun but I prefer the main game.

• 16 new leader - Once again, predictable but good.

• 5 Wonders - Meh

• Expanded Space Victory: Winning the race to Alpha Centauri will now require more strategic planning and tactical decision making. - Meh,I don't normally go for this route, this should be interesting to see what they have changed though.

• Corporations: A new gameplay feature similar to religion that allows players to found companies and spread them throughout the world. Each corporation provides benefits in exchange for certain resources. - This sounds pretty cool, and good for me because I never could be bothered with religion so maybe this will be an alternative more suited to my style of play.
  
• Espionage: Now available much earlier in the game, this expanded feature offers players many new ways to spy on opponents, stir citizen unrest and defend your own government's secrets. - Not too worried about it, I never use spies, if the AI uses them I could be in trouble
  
• Events: New random events - such as natural disasters, pleas for help, or demands from their citizens - challenge players with obstacles that must be overcome for their civilizations to prosper. - This sounds very good and will mean I can play the game without needing to go to war for incredible tenseness.
• Apostolic Palace: The United Nations will become available earlier in the game providing a way for players to win a diplomatic victory earlier. New resolutions will also be added which will expand the available diplomatic options. - YAY, I really want to use the UN but I have never got the chance because by this point I am usually at war or desperately trying to get in to first place to worry about this. Bringing it forward means I might be able to use it.
  
• Advanced Starts: A major fan request, this new feature will enable players to "buy" components of a custom-tailored empire and begin play in the later part of the game, allowing them to experience many of the new features of the expansion in a shorter amount of time. - This sounds cool, although I am not 100% sure what it means.
  
• Enhanced AI: The AI has received many enhancements making it tougher to beat on the higher difficulty levels. The ways in which the AI will attempt to achieve victory have also been expanded. - This is never a bad thing, but then I never had a problem with the AI being stupid before.
You can view the full press release and see the art work here. I am looking forward to this release and will probably get it for my birthday or something.

Art work for the future Civ 4 Beyond Swords

In blog news:
I have added Google Analysis to this blog as my old site meter was deleted when I re-did the design. So now I know where you (or at least your server) live.
Also, you can now view this blog at www.veterangamer.co.uk, I registered this domain to see how it worked for a website I am doing. That URL should be a lot easier to remember.
I am breaking up for easter tomorrow, so expect more posts, maybe even a Civ review. Yeah, right...