With the release of Sid Meier's Civilization Beyond Earth on the horizon, I thought it would be an appropriate time to look at the game that Beyond Earth has its roots in.  Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri was released in 1999 , between Civilization II and III, for Windows and was later ported to Mac and Linux.  No need to fire up DOSBox for this one.



Running the game

If you want a physical copy, they can be had for between $5 and $15 depending on the options: Jewel case vs big box, strat guide, and whether or not the Alien Crossfire expansion is included.  If you want to play it NOW, you can download the game from gog.com for $5.99.  The digital download does include the Alien Crossfire expansion.

What is the game about?

One of the victory conditions in the Civilization series is the Science Victory.  The player achieves the Science Victory by advancing their space exploration program to the point where they can launch a passenger spacecraft into outer space.  Once you launch your craft, the game is over, you win.  That is where Alpha Centauri BEGINS.

In the year 2060, the United Nations starship Unity leaves Earth headed for a planet in the Alpha Centauri system.  Along the way, the seven most powerful leaders on the ship become the leaders of seven factions of differing ideologies and a different plan for the how the human race should continue.  Before the game begins, you choose which faction leader to play as.  This choice will set the foundation for your group's morals as well as determine starting technologies, abilities, etc.  There is a great deal of replay value within the faction choice and good strategy games are all about making meaningful choices.

Once you have chosen your faction (along with some basic game options like map size) you begin the game with your starting units.


How do I get started?

To be honest, this is not an easy game to pick up and play.  If you have never played a Civilization game, you will probably need a bit more of a primer than you will find here.  I highly recommend reading the manual.  If you purchase the game from GOG, a PDF of the manual is included.  Not only is there a lot of back story, but the manual will explain what your early game strategy should be.


Most factions start with their first base and a scout unit.  The scout is an explorer and can engage in very light combat.  You are going to want to start expanding your forces pretty early on.  Unlike other Sid Meier games, you don't choose exactly what you are researching and producing at all times.  You give the game a focus and the game researches techs that match your focus and style of gameplay.

While the game does a very good job of explaining as much as it can, the manual shouldn't be disregarded.  As you keep playing, you will start to get into the flow of the game.  I always tell new players to play 5 or 6 10-15 minute "getting familiar with it" games, before starting the game that you will continue each time you sit down to play.


Will I like it?
The game requires patience, strategy, and a willingness to learn the intricate systems of the game.  You will have to manage units, make sure they have enough food, heal them, expand your bases, interact with other factions from the Starship Unity, engage in combat with humans and aliens, and much more.  It should also be stated that both the music and the voice acting in the game are absolutely top notch.  It really stands out when going back and playing an older game where the visuals are a bit dated when the VO and audio is as good as it is here.

If you enjoy or have ever been curious about Civilization, you will probably enjoy Civilizaion in space.  Like most slow paced games, you have to stay with it.  You won't be sorry.

The upcoming Civilization Beyond Earth has been called the "spiritual successor" of Alpha Centauri but I would say that it may be closer to a remake or an update than a successor.  Like I said before, read the manual and maybe watch a few gameplay videos to get the "flow" of the game.

Play more Sid Meier games, they make you smarter.

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