Should I play Civilization V or VI ?

[jman1954goat]

Never played one of these before and I want to know which I should buy during the winter steam sale.

The civ V complete bundle is $35

Civ VI is $15 however the platinum edition (I think includes everything but not sure ) is $40

Completely Civ novice what to do?

 

[denverchickennuggets]

Civ 6 premium. It's such a deep, great game, and the districts make it far superior to 5 in my opinion. I'm sure the "6 sucks" crew will come out but I'm guessing most of them haven't played 6 since launch.

It's awesome, the graphics look great, and it's so deep.

If you really get into it you can get the New Frontiers pass too which has been really fun.

 

[NoWayOut]

They are both excellent. I personally prefer 6, but only when comparing with all DLCs. In your case I would recommend 5 complete. 6 plus all the DLCs can be expensive even on a sale.

 

[Geeker]

5 is too much based around tall play, id recommend 6 as well

 

[LurkerSinceForever]

Both are fantastic games, as always with Civ-titles they are best after a few expansions.. V complete is definately a better experience than VI base but if you are going all in - VI no doubt

 

[Firebrand]

The price on the Civ V bundle is a bit peculiar, should be lower. You can find it for $10 on Macgamestore (should be crossplay), but I'd double-check so it's the same package contents. edit: They also have VI Platinum for $30. Doublecheck it works with PC though.

Civ 6 is actually OK without any expansions, and might even be easier to learn without the other systems (of course you can just disable them if you have them). Civ 5 is too bare-bones to play vanilla.

They both have their ups and downs but I'd probably go with 6.

 

[Lobster Roll]

The complete edition of Civ 5 is the apex of the series. Buy that and enjoy!

 

[Anno]

If you're willing to get deep into mods then V, imo. Otherwise VI.

 

[Prototype Viktor]

Civ 6 because fuck Steam

 

[Symphony]

You can likely get Civ V complete for significantly cheaper than that, I didn't pay anywhere near as much when I bought it many years ago. Civ 6 is divisive, personally I'm in the camp that dislikes everything about it, from the way it looks to how it plays. Civ 6 also has absurdly broken pay to win DLC civs.

 

[DassoBrother]

You can probably find Civ VI for cheaper than 40$. I got it for 48CAD a couple weeks ago and I'm seeing prices lower than that now.

 

[Mukrab]

Civ 6 premium. It's such a deep, great game, and the districts make it far superior to 5 in my opinion. I'm sure the "6 sucks" crew will come out but I'm guessing most of them haven't played 6 since launch.

It's awesome, the graphics look great, and it's so deep.

If you really get into it you can get the New Frontiers pass too which has been really fun.

Click to shrink...

I have played 6 very recently. After the new frontier pass in fact. Im not gonna say its a worse game but personally i just dont like it. And trust me i tried to like it, played it for over 200h, 150h+ were recently.

 

[Firebrand]

I have played 6 very recently. After the new frontier pass in fact. Im not gonna say its a worse game but personally i just dont like it. And trust me i tried to like it, played it for over 200h, 150h+ were recently.

Click to shrink...

I think there's just too many systems in both Civ 5 and 6 with the expansions to manage. Everything is "more bonuses!". I'm excited for Humankind and Old World, hoping they shake things up a bit.

 

[Dekuman]

Civ6, but Civ5 is its own game and you'll appreciate it too and see where 6 came from and it's fairly cheap. It all comes down to having the time to learn slightly new systems and control schemes for both.

Civ franchise operates on a '1/3 new 1/3 old 1/3 reworked mechanics' so about every 3rd game enough has changes to cause a seachange.
Civ 2 was a refinement of Civ 1, Civ3 was a bit of a revolution introducing lots of new systems. Civ4 refined on Civ3. Civ5 again introduced lots of new systems. Civ6 is a refinement of 5.

 

[Mukrab]

I think there's just too many systems in both Civ 5 and 6 with the expansions to manage. Everything is "more bonuses!". I'm excited for Humankind and Old World, hoping they shake things up a bit.

Click to shrink...

I just cant stand the civics. Such a downgrade compared to the social policy trees to me. Districts i have a love hate relationship, i like the concept but im not a fan of the execution. And as someone who plays in quick speed the slow ass unit movement in 6 is terrible imo. It has its pros but i feel like at least scouts should move like in 6, or at least in quick and online speed.

 

[Giant Panda]

I prefer Civ 5 complete with mods myself. Especially the Vox Populi mod.

 

[Darkstorne]

Both are amazing games, so you can't really go wrong. I might even suggest you go with whichever game's art direction appeals to you most.

There is always a contingent of fans who will tell you the latest entry is trash and the previous entry is the best ever. I remember playing V and it being very popular to say that V was vastly inferior to IV, which was the best entry in the entire series. It's funny seeing the same pattern happen now that VI is out.

 

[davidnolan13]

loved all civ games but id say 6 with expansions. great game, not to hard to get into either.

 

[coolasj19]

Whichever civ you grab you need the complete version of either. Civ5 is more friendly to lower setups I imagine too. Considering how I played for 10s of hours on a dinky family laptop in overhead tile mode way back when

 

[yogurt]

Absolutely do not pay those prices! Use gg.deals to find the best deals on each. You can get Civ V Complete for $10:

Buy cheap Sid Meier's Civilization V The Complete Edition cd key - lowest price

Compare prices of over 50 stores to find best deals for Sid Meier's Civilization V The Complete Edition in digital distribution. Check the price history, create a price alert, buy games cheaper with GG.deals

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And Civ 6 Platinum for $30:

Buy cheap Sid Meier's Civilization VI Platinum Edition cd key - lowest price

Compare prices of over 50 stores to find best deals for Sid Meier's Civilization VI Platinum Edition in digital distribution. Check the price history, create a price alert, buy games cheaper with GG.deals

gg.deals

I prefer Civ 6 Platinum but Civ 5 is also great & different enough that it's worth the $10 to see which one you like better.

Do not get just the base game for either. The expansions make things a bit more complex, so it'll take a bit more effort to get into it, but they REALLY improve the games. Civ 5 & Civ 6 basegame aren't great.

 

[Prophet Steve]

Both are amazing games, so you can't really go wrong. I might even suggest you go with whichever game's art direction appeals to you most.

There is always a contingent of fans who will tell you the latest entry is trash and the previous entry is the best ever. I remember playing V and it being very popular to say that V was vastly inferior to IV, which was the best entry in the entire series. It's funny seeing the same pattern happen now that VI is out.

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Part of it is because the games have been getting better with expansions. IV, V and IV have all improved over time.

 

[Deleted member 1238]

Civ VI post gathering storm is just better than Civ V. Once you play a few games of Civ VI it's honestly hard to go back to V. I'd say that even just about base Civ VI, but certainly with the expansions there's really no debate. VI is definitively better than V.

 

[Deleted member 24079]

I have both and I can't figure out what the he'll the difference is between the two. Then again I can't live past 30-60 rounds without being torn apart by barbarians. How do I get good at these games? I also don't get the dlc. Are they game modes or new civilizations?

 

[demosthenes]

VI is really good now.

If you want it to look like V you could even get an official mod for it to do so.

 

[panzone]

Both are great games (with expansions, the base games shouldn't be considered) so both are excellent choices. Since you never played the series I suggest Civ V: Civ VI can be quite overwhelming for a new player and it needs time to learn it, while V is a little simpler and straightforward. Also Civ V is cheaper, so if you don't like the series it's not a problem and you can always get VI in the future since they are quite different experiences.

I have both and I can't figure out what the he'll the difference is between the two. Then again I can't live past 30-60 rounds without being torn apart by barbarians. How do I get good at these games? I also don't get the dlc. Are they game modes or new civilizations?

Click to shrink...

Not only new civilizations and game modes, but the expansions adds several new systems, victory types, resources, gameplay mechanics ecc. ecc. The game before and after the big expansions is completely different.

Barbarians at first can be quite a problem, expecially in Civ VI. Try taking them slowly with hit-and-run tactics until your units get some experience and don't send your first warriors too far too quickly, expecially if they are alone. Make a priority to explore (not necessarily killing everything on sight!) your surroundings, searching for camps to avoid having too many barbarians around you.

Also, if you want, you can remove them from your game. When you start a game you can change a lot of the rules to better adjust to the experience you want.

 

[Carthago Delenda Est]

I have both and I can't figure out what the he'll the difference is between the two. Then again I can't live past 30-60 rounds without being torn apart by barbarians. How do I get good at these games? I also don't get the dlc. Are they game modes or new civilizations?

Click to shrink...

Start the game by building a scout. Then make a builder then a slinger there aren't nearby barbarians and vice versa if there are. Barbarians only attack after their scouts see your towns, so being proactive can help. Your starting warrior can kill encampments alone if you're patient and careful.

 

[Pargon]

I have both and I can't figure out what the he'll the difference is between the two. Then again I can't live past 30-60 rounds without being torn apart by barbarians. How do I get good at these games? I also don't get the dlc. Are they game modes or new civilizations?

Click to shrink...

Have you played through the tutorial in Civilization V?
I know a lot of people where V was their first game in the series, and the tutorial was great for a complete beginner.
You may want to reset the hint system in the options before starting it too, if it's been a while.

It throws a lot of information at you, but you should have figured it out after a game or two.
Alternatively, it may be useful to watch a let's player play the game, or search for a tutorial on YouTube.
I don't think I've watched this video series specifically, but I've liked some of this channel's other videos - so it may be a good starting point.



I'd say that V is a better game for people starting out than VI.

 

[Catilio]

Both, as they play very differently. I would say that these games are two different approaches to 4X games

 

[Deleted member 24079]

Both are great games (with expansions, the base games shouldn't be considered) so both are excellent choices. Since you never played the series I suggest Civ V: Civ VI can be quite overwhelming for a new player and it needs time to learn it, while V is a little simpler and straightforward. Also Civ V is cheaper, so if you don't like the series it's not a problem and you can always get VI in the future since they are quite different experiences.



Not only new civilizations and game modes, but the expansions adds several new systems, victory types, resources, gameplay mechanics ecc. ecc. The game before and after the big expansions is completely different.

Barbarians at first can be quite a problem, expecially in Civ VI. Try taking them slowly with hit-and-run tactics until your units get some experience and don't send your first warriors too far too quickly, expecially if they are alone. Make a priority to explore (not necessarily killing everything on sight!) your surroundings, searching for camps to avoid having too many barbarians around you.

Also, if you want, you can remove them from your game. When you start a game you can change a lot of the rules to better adjust to the experience you want.

Click to shrink...

Wow new systems is pretty bold for dlc. I'll stick with V then. Do pros keep barbarians on?

 

[Deleted member 24079]

Start the game by building a scout. Then make a builder then a slinger there aren't nearby barbarians and vice versa if there are. Barbarians only attack after their scouts see your towns, so being proactive can help. Your starting warrior can kill encampments alone if you're patient and careful.

Click to shrink...

Have you played through the tutorial in Civilization V?
I know a lot of people where V was their first game in the series, and the tutorial was great for a complete beginner.
You may want to reset the hint system in the options before starting it too, if it's been a while.

It throws a lot of information at you, but you should have figured it out after a game or two.
Alternatively, it may be useful to watch a let's player play the game, or search for a tutorial on YouTube.
I don't think I've watched this video series specifically, but I've liked some of this channel's other videos - so it may be a good starting point.



I'd say that V is a better game for people starting out than VI.

Click to shrink...

Thank you both. I did play the tutorial for V a long time ago. I do know how to start, I plop a city, I scout, I get my fighter folks and have them start hunting for barbarian nests in a little range around my base. I build up units and then watch as barbarians swarm from no where and catch me when I explore too far as a mistake. I'll watch some let's plays

 

[Hong]

To add on: what's the cheapest way to get VI complete when you already own the base game? Platinum bundle costs me €32. Only saves me €7 compared to new players :/ Seems like buying the whole bundle on a 3rd party site is cheaper than trying to complete the collection through Steam.

 

[2pac_71]

is Civ6 base game worth $26 Canadian on PS4? I still read reports that multiplayer is hit or miss?

Also, if you play multiplayer you can take breaks like play the multiplayer game over weeks with friends? Or you have to finish it in one setting?

 

[Vagabond]

I'm still more emotionally attached to V, and with VI I didn't care for it too much at launch before the Rise and Fall dlc but I can now say after all the DLC I believe Civ VI is the superior game. And with DLC still coming you won't get bored for a while.

 

[Drek]

I'd say Civ 6 platinum. The higher level AI and metagame is better in Civ 5 but for a new player 6 does more interesting and enjoyable mechanics.

That said, if you have no 4x loyalty I would recommend Endless Legend, Endless Space 2, or Stellaris over the recent Civ games. Much of the best parts of Civ 6 come from the districts and governors systems borrowed from the Endless franchise.

 

[PucePikmin]

I like Civ VI a lot more. More innovative mechanics, more focus on the kind of game I like to play (defensive, building up your cities), and I like the brighter, more cartoony presentation. That said, not everyone agrees -- there are still some hardcore Civ V devotees.

 

[werezompire]

Looks like it's only $7.84 to pick up Gathering Storm for me via the Steam Platinum Edition bundle because I already own every other part of the bundle. Probably time to pick it up.

New Frontier Pass is 20% off ($32). Worth it?

 

[phonicjoy]

Thank you both. I did play the tutorial for V a long time ago. I do know how to start, I plop a city, I scout, I get my fighter folks and have them start hunting for barbarian nests in a little range around my base. I build up units and then watch as barbarians swarm from no where and catch me when I explore too far as a mistake. I'll watch some let's plays

Click to shrink...

If you have a ranged unit defending your city with the right social policy, they shouldn't be a problem. There's also no shame in just lowering the difficulty: that lowers the number of barbarian raids.

 

[strangemymind]

Civ V if you're only going to play a handful of games, Civ VI if you think it'll become a lifestyle:)

I found Civ VI a little overwhelming in that there are more systems, and understanding late-game mechanics affects early game decisions more, so memorizing the possibility space is more important if you want to min/max things

 

[Never the Lesser]

In my opinion, V with the expansions is better for beginners -- fewer mechanics to learn, good tutorial, and you don't need to build as many cities to win.

VI with the expansions is more complex than V and can be a little overwhelming for beginners. Geography matters a lot more in VI, so you have to be much (MUCH) more deliberate in how you build your cities. V is more forgiving in that regard.

Try V out with the expansions. See if you like it, and if you want more complexity and deeper systems, give VI a shot with the expansions. (I wouldn't buy just the base game for either V or VI).

Looks like it's only $7.84 to pick up Gathering Storm for me via the Steam Platinum Edition bundle because I already own every other part of the bundle. Probably time to pick it up.

New Frontier Pass is 20% off ($32). Worth it?

Click to shrink...

Gathering Storm is worth it. Wait for a bigger sale on the New Frontier Pass.

 

[karnage10]

I don't have the latest dlc for civ 6
For me civ 6 with the 2 expansions is better than civ v. The districts, climate change and a few other stuff make civ 6 a more varied game play.

Imo civ 6 biggest problem is that the AI has a hard time to use all the mechanics. This means as you become better at the game the more idiotic AI will seem to you.

 

[yogurt]

I'd say Civ 6 platinum. The higher level AI and metagame is better in Civ 5 but for a new player 6 does more interesting and enjoyable mechanics.

That said, if you have no 4x loyalty I would recommend Endless Legend, Endless Space 2, or Stellaris over the recent Civ games. Much of the best parts of Civ 6 come from the districts and governors systems borrowed from the Endless franchise.

Click to shrink...

I enjoyed Stellaris a lot, but I would absolutely not recommend it for a newbie. The interface is more confusing, the systems are a lot less intuitive, and the end game / win condition is a total mess. It's a great game for exploration / narrative, but it doesn't have the strategic streamlined elegance of Civ.

 

[Deleted member 24079]

Funny I guess I have Civ 5 with all the dlc. Weird. I'll give this a deep dive. I had no idea it was ten years old. Better to try this out instead of shell out $36 on 6

 

[Drek]

I enjoyed Stellaris a lot, but I would absolutely not recommend it for a newbie. The interface is more confusing, the systems are a lot less intuitive, and the end game / win condition is a total mess. It's a great game for exploration / narrative, but it doesn't have the strategic streamlined elegance of Civ.

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Maybe its just experience with the genre, but I found Stellaris, while systems/numbers heavy, pretty forgiving from a difficulty standpoint on default settings, where optimal build paths weren't really required to at least be stable and competitive with the AI.

It is a very narrative heavy version of the genre though, so it probably does merit a grain of salt in recommending it for someone new to the genre.