Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword [PC]

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As if Civilization IV wasn't addictive enough, here comes enough new content to swell the ranks of CivAnon meetings around the country. Beyond the Sword has pretty much everything you could want in an expansion pack, and then some. A few aspects are disappointing, but most of it is really good.

First the bad news: The fancy new espionage feature that lets you spend money and send spies running around the map to wreak discreet havoc? It's a mess. It adds a lot of busy work from the get-go, which wouldn't be so bad if the interface wasn't so clumsy. Pretty much everything about it runs counter to the clean, cool elegance of Civilization IV. Spying is fussy, expensive, and often useless. Unfortunately, it can't be switched off, and it's wormed its way thoroughly into the core game. Hopefully, a patch can clean up the interface.

The new corporations aren't as bad, partly because they're limited to the later stages of the game, and partly because they can be useful. However, they're also very demanding, requiring a lot of attention and resources. What's worse, they're often a crap shoot. Found a corporation and you can either run away with the game or shoot yourself in the foot. How lucky do you feel?

The new units add more endgame shenanigans, but overall, the game actually needs far less. Fortunately, these are the exception rather than the rule when it comes to Beyond the Sword's new parameters. Many changes to the basic gameplay are actually fantastic. For instance, the new rules for naval blockades, privateers, and overseas trade add a lot of extra strategy, lending powerful teeth to the naval game. It's nice to see all those blue squares matter for a change.

The new random events (optional, thankfully) present a menu of choices whenever disasters or opportunities strike. They're a wonderful addition in terms of adding flavor and atmosphere. Similarly, there are changes to forts, spaceship victories, air combat, and sieges that have significant effects on how the game plays. Kudos to Firaxis for rolling up their sleeves and making such subtle but important improvements.