Life thousands of years ago must have been difficult. Guess what, today studies took a backseat as I played Civilization 4: Beyond The Sword. So for a greater part of the day I found myself struggling with the game.

My favourite genres happen to be RTS (Real-time strategy) and CMS (constrution and management simulation). Among CMS, the city-building subgenre more specifically. Make no mistake, I am no diehard gamer. The few games I have ever played on the computer are (the years indicate when I played them):

• Age of Empires II – 2002
• Max Payne – 2002
• Max Payne 2 – 2007, replayed in 2009
• Zeus: The Master of Olympus – 2003, replayed in 2009
• The Gladiators: Galactic Circus Games – 2003
• Tropico – 2003
• Rise of Nations – 2009
  
• Little bits of Road Rash, FIFA, etc 2003

As you can see, I ain’t much into action. Max Payne being the only exception. But then, it is a beautiful game with a compelling storyline! I am more into srategy games than anything. Two great city-building games I have played are Tropico and Zeus: The Master of Olympus.

I already know all the exciting things about Civilization series from the distant memories I have from reading Digit years back. That it is turn-based and strategy gaming at it’s best. My initial thoughts on the game aren’t promising though! I like the way most things are automated. I just give an order to construct a wall or barrack in a city and it gets done. What lets me down is the combat! I am totally clueless with this one-to-one combat. But it is supposed to be one of the greatest games out there! What I’m missing? A lot of Googling din’t come to any help either. Apparently some mod would let me enjoy one-to-many combat. But I am feeling kinda download-weary. So here I am struggling in 1500 B.C.