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Alpha Centauri employs the same basic game play, rules, and concept as Civilization 2, but features enhanced diplomacy and a new, slicker interface. Players begin by assuming leadership of one of seven colony factions, establishing a base on the unexplored world. Conquering territory, developing technology, expanding the faction's population, and dealing with native life forms are critical priorities that must be correctly balanced for survival. If a faction's military output is low, it may be vulnerable to attacks by others or by dangerous mind worms that roam the landscape. On the other hand, building war machines at the expense of scientific research may result in trying to manage a massive but obsolete war machine or a rebellious population.
Within the game, you can now automate tasks that--in the earlier game--were repetitive and dull. The factions also have a better mix of leaders; three of the seven factions are headed by women. The computer AI for the other groups does a good job of making decisions in accordance with each faction's particular philosophy and world view, and will often surprise a human player with an offer of strategic alliance or a sudden double-cross.
Alien Crossfire, the official add-on pack for Alpha Centauri, expands on the original game by adding seven factions, new facilities, additional secret projects, and new branches to the elaborate technology tree. The pack also provides new enhancements to Alpha Centauri, including play-by-e-mail multiplayer mode, hot-seat multiplayer mode, and numerous tweaks to the interface and unit properties. Alien Crossfire's new factions include cyborgs, drones, pirates, and two sets of alien societies. Factions are balanced by a set of predetermined statistics and characteristics, such as bonuses for particular government and production styles.
This easy-to-learn and thoroughly absorbing game takes the best features of the classic Civ 2 and sets them in a brave new world. The addition of Alien Crossfire's expanded features, missions, and multiplayer capabilities ensures that players will be exploring the fascinating world of Alpha Centauri for a long time.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Alpha Centauri,
By K'ana heik "K'ana heik" (Arizona) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri Planetary Pack (CD-ROM)
Being a long-time fan of Civilization, and Sid Meier games in general, I admit I felt a certain trepidation when first playing the game. The interface and style of play were so reminiscent of Civilization I&II that I thought Alpha would be just another clone in a a long line of them.(Call to Power comes to mind...) But Alpa Centauri surprised me. It has a depth in story that was lacking in previous games, and the characters are all fully fleshed out in their beliefs and speech patterns. From Deirdre the Planer-friendly enviromentalist to Morgan Freeman the ruthless profit-driven marketeer, they all have their own definite agenda. And unlike previous games, your enemies can think. Diplomacy and war go hand in hand, with the computer working together behind your back or deciding to make war on your allies so another force can strike in your blind spot, the AI is sophisticated enough to provide a challenge to the most jaded player. Difficulty settings are easily adjusted, with easy being, well, easy, and the hard setting can make you weep to see it all crumble around you. Alpha Centauri continues to astound me, even after multiple games it still feels new and engaging. So go buy it already.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Mozart of Strategy Games,
By
This review is from: Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri Planetary Pack (CD-ROM)
Why compare this game to Mozart? They are the same: Genius in Simplicity.I loved this game. I am actually surprised that even more people have not played it. It has the highest rating ever from PC Gamer (98%). Think about that: Alpha Centauri is 2% away from being considered The Perfect Game. Why? Strategy that is detailed but intuitive. Diplomacy that is believable and matters. Game balance. A fun storyline. An intelligent AI that does not have to cheat to win. But by far my favorite part of the game is the technology aspect of the game. Each new future technology (some truly vague) is introduced with a sound byte from a faction leader, but more important is WHAT these leaders say. Philosophy, religion, literature, hard science, Emmanuel Kant, Aristotle, even Military Cadences are used to provide atmosphere to the game. This is a game that respects the gameplayer's intelligence. Additionally, the future technology tree has been well researched. Just go to the back of the well-produced Alpha Centuari manual to see the vast bibliography of Science Textbooks, Hard Science Fiction (Think Stanley Kubrik's 2001) and Soft Science Fiction (Think Star Wars or Star Trek) that the game draws influence from. I have a PhD in Molecular biology, and I must endorse the technology tree as an excellent model for speculating how humanity's future knowledge-base may be represented. Particularly interesting is how different civilizations are based on faction instead of nationality. However, nationalistic stereotypes are represented. The communist/socialist faction is represented by Chairman Yang (Chinese). The Gaia mentality is represetned by Lady Dierdre Skye (Celtic/Irish). The University faction is represented by a Russian Scientist (Academician Prokhor Zakharov), and the UN peacekeeping faction by a Ghandi-like figure in Commissioner Pravin Lal. There are others, to be sure, but these are the most egregious. Regardless, the game is an outstanding mix of fun, a stytle of gameplay that does not require excessive detail to be considered intelligent, great presentation values, and an overall attention to polish even in the smallest details. There is precious little that could be changed in this game. To quote Salieri describing Mozart's music, "Displace one note and there would be diminishment. Displace one phrase, and the structure would fall."
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Probably the best game of its type yet-absorbing & addictive,
This review is from: Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri Planetary Pack (CD-ROM)
I've been playing Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri since the week it was released. When the expansion pack, Alien Crossfire, was released, I bought that right away as well. That was some time ago. I'm still playing it. Regularly. About the only other game I have ever owned with this kind of addictive play is SimCity 2000 (SimCity 3000 is graphically lovely but not nearly as absorbing). With all of the factions, random maps, difficulty levels, customizable units, etc, gameplay is surprisingly different every time. Mixing and matching the factions is fascinating. Perhaps the best feature of the game is that it forces you to think strategically as well as tactically - you literally have to think 20 to 50 turns ahead of the game all the time. Really a wonderful piece of work; I cannot recommend it more highly. And now I think I'll sign off and boot it up...
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