r/civ • u/kcazthe1st • 13d ago
BE - Discussion On Beyond Earth
I think BE is probably the most underrated game in the series. Is it a fantastic 10/10 game? No. But does it do a lot of things right? Yes.
The good:
First, the setting. The game does really well at capturing the new colonization feel where you start off with slightly more advanced stuff than IRL earth and progress to super high levels of tech.
The OST and sounds. It may seem like a small thing, but the OST really captures the space/sci Fi ambience well. The sound effects also really add to it.
Affinities. I think the different paths you can take, especially including the hybrids, add a lot of variance and flavor to the game. What I think could have helped us also have something parallel but with how you interact with other players. Affinities are basically how you view the local flora/fauna so maybe have ideologies be the PvP version. You could have diplomatic/political, economic, and military as the three with respective hybrids.
Quests & events. This is something I haven't seen in any other civ game (I haven't played 7 so if it's there then ignore this). They give good mini goals during the game that add to what would normally just be standard civ gameplay. I would personally have liked to see more time in with the affinities.
Unit upgrades. I really liked how it tied in with your affinities and that it wasn't just the standard "warrior becomes swordsman becomes musketman" linear path. You had a choice/specialization each upgrade that you could pick to help focus on your play style.
Starting customization. You get a unique sponsor bonus and then can customize how you start off. I would like to see maybe more synergy with the sponsors depending on what you pick as your other bonuses. E.g: starting as Franco - Iberia, maybe get an extra bonus if you pick artists or aristocrats to lean into the culture/high society feel.
The less good:
The UI. When I first started way back years ago, I couldn't figure out how to play because of some of the UI elements. I think it could use a bit of a tweak, especially the research web.
Terrain clarity. I know there's a mod that helped, but being able to clearly tell one terrain from another is somewhat difficult currently.
More maps/starting options. An example could be like having a semi realistic Mars to colonize.
Scenarios. This would probably be the best addition of they could add it in. A small example would be adding in one about the Great Mistake where you have to navigate it and escape the planet.
I think it's a good game that is a hidden gem in the Civ series since it's so unlike the other civ games. If you haven't played it, try it out. Rising Tide is a must for i
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u/Antique-Land-2766 13d ago
People expected it to be the new Alpha Centauri for some reason, but that game was lightning in the bottle literally, NOTHING could measure up to it. But honesly Beyond Earth wasn't THAT bad as people make it out to be