Every Game In The Series, Ranked

Civilization is one of the most consistently good video game franchises of all time. As a turn-based strategy franchise, it introduced the defining elements of 4X gameplay. It is also one of the games responsible for “One More Turn Syndrome”, where a player who wants to end their session says they will do it after one more turn, but ends up playing a lot longer and even losing track of time.

Initially developed by Sid Meier, there are six main games in the franchise, plus a few spinoffs, and even board games. Though the core gameplay has remained the same over the years – over 32 and counting – each game has brought its own mechanical and gameplay improvements. This has led to plenty of gamers differing on which Civilization game they like most. But that’s why we’re here: to quickly analyze all the Civilization games and rank them ourselves.

Updated February 27, 2025 by Quinton O’Connor: It’s not often we get to add a brand-new entry to a list like this one!

8

7

Civilization 2 (1996)

Civilization 2 is a fun game and a considerably cohesive one at that, but it’s still not on the same level as the other Civs – at least we think it isn’t. The more natural-seeming maps and better visuals are a real perk, and the increased number of civ options is good stuff. The isometric view and greater dedication to polish might make it easier to play these days, but there’s something a little lacking in soul. Much of Civ 2 has a certain blandness. Not necessarily as a video game in general, but rather, relative to all its Civilization peers. Leader screens were now only generic portraits, the city view was static, and more. Many of these things were improved substantially in its sequel, and we’d say Civilization 3 is rather the culmination of what Civilization 2 aimed to achieve.

That said, major props to the deliciously cheesy live-action advisor performers. Their outrageous quarrels during turns of ‘Anarchy’ between shifts in government will live rent free in our heads forever.

6

Civilization (1991)

Though not as polished as its sequels, the developers put a lot of heart into Civilization. In fact, most people who have played it have enduring moments of the things they experienced. After all, it was a new kind of experience for most of them. The city view was fully animated, and when negotiating with other leaders, you could see their expressions change.

That said, the first Civilization game leaves a lot to be desired for gamers who have already played the sequels. For one, the tech tree was small, and the game only had seven leaders. Simplistic, though rather groundbreaking for its time!

5

Civilization 3 (2001)

Civilization 3 introduced several robust features which have been core to the franchise DNA ever since. This includes its deep systems, beautiful animations, and an appreciably polished aesthetic. The game also brought us Civilization traits, which made the civs feel more individualized and distinct from each other and encouraged different play styles and strategies depending on who you picked.

That wasn’t all. Civilization 3 also allowed players to deal with volcanic eruptions, corruption and monopolize luxuries and sell them at a higher price. Civilization 3’s a good time even today.

4

Civilization 7 (2025)

Right now, we’re not in love with Civilization 7. The boldness behind this paradigm-shifting latest entry is admirable, but the execution presently leaves more than a bit to be desired. We’ll place it above the earliest games because there’s simply so much more on-tap in more recent outings, but we’ve got some caveats keeping it from climbing any higher.

The three-ages system, which separates your playthroughs into three civilizations, is a superb twist that keeps “power creep” from reaching a fever pitch while tossing fresh ideas at you at routine intervals. The more focused objectives and streamlined nature are more unevenly-achieved, however, and the UI is just… rough. It’s just rough.

Still, there’s plenty to like. We’re confident that Firaxis will make Civ 7 a dream come true in due time.

3

Civilization 4 (2006)

After the success of Civilization 3, Civilization 4 went all-out in a way we haven’t seen in the franchise since. With full 3D graphics, the game had inspirational quotes from Star Trek’s Leonard Nimoy, beautiful menu music, and you could even zoom out until you could view the whole world as one during the late game.

The game also made religion relevant as a way to control your population, and it introduced cool stuff like espionage and vassal states. Although many of Civilization 4’s pioneering features have eventually made their way to Civ 5 and especially Civ 6, via post-launch updates, Civ 4 still managed to do it all in a fantastic, no-holds-barred, formula. For many longtime fans, this is Civilization at its peak – even if the series has become admirably more complex ever since.

2

Civilization 5 (2010)

The developers made a major change to the franchise with this game: they altered the map from a square grid and turned it into a hex grid. Thanks to this, the maps looked and felt more natural than ever before. Civilization 5 also introduced city-states, a welcome concept, though a bit frustrating in implementation.

When it was launched, Civilization 5 had a few problems, like the AI acting in erratic ways, espionage being too simplified, and the loss of vassalage. However, they more than made up for it with the release of the expansions. From Gods and Kings to Brave New World, the game introduced and brought back essential features like religion, ideologies and tourism.

It’s still a lovely-looking game, and while it’s less graphically detailed than its follow-up, the more semi-realistic art style holds a lasting appeal for some. It’s also made ever more fantastic by the Vox Populi community mod – check it out!

1

Civilization 6 (2016)

At launch, Civilization 6 and its immediate predecessor were not all that different, except for one major thing: Where Civilization 5 failed to introduce most of the features that would make it stand out until its expansions, Civilization 6 included most of them from the get-go. If anything, Civ 6 improved all these features, like city-states, espionage, and tourism. The game also de-stacked the cities and spread them over several tiles. This makes a simple thing like city placement so much more tactical.

In the several years since Civ 6 launched back in 2016, Firaxis has been remarkably stable in supporting the game until it’s been polished with a mirror sheen. Two major expansions followed, and eventually a New Frontier Pass with new civilizations and a slew of fresh gameplay modes. Even more recently, the Leader Pass has brought new playstyles to existing civilizations.

Granted, you’ll need to shell out a fair bit of cash to have the full experience. Be sure to wait for a great sale before fetching the main game itself, or better yet, grab everything in one price-slashed package. Paying full price for the base game, and then spending gobs of money on the DLCs, is going to make most wallets feel notably lighter.

It’s a lot of game, and for all its splendor, and while its base launch wouldn’t have topped our list, its modern form unequivocally does.