Most people's most anticipated title in the first 6 months of 2008 was propably GTA IV. The rest are waiting for MGS4. Not mine. Ever since it was announced, Civilization: Revolution has been my number one title for the first half of the year.

There was always a worry in my mind that the translation from PC to console could be disastrous. Revolution is not the first Civilization attempt on consoles (Civilization II was ported over to the PS2). However upon hearing that the man himself, Mr Sid Meier, would be taking a very hands on approach on this game i was appeased.

Until, i read Eurogamer's impressions of the game.

"To this end, the game map is a smaller place you can cross in just a few turns, there are fewer unit types (it tops out at tanks and bomber planes), far fewer technologies (researching Bronze Working enables you to build archers, harvest fish and construct the Colossus of Rhodes. Erm) and diplomacy is a slim, relatively optional affair. Success doesn't come from trading spice with Russia for wine, but simply from war and peace. In fact, it's possible to go an entire game without engaging in any diplomacy at all...."

I knew that there would be compromises but the greatness of Civilization arose from the many ways one could rule his country and still have a fighting chance. Be it a cultural victory, an economic or a military victory. And the journey to reach that victory was also left up to the player. Great diplomatic battles to secure that vital supply of oil for your tanks, or to establish an alliance and fend off an invasion. Diplomacy, trade, economies were all equally important aspects in Civilization games. It appears that in Revolution, these elements of gameplay are now gone. Sacrificed in the name of accessibility and reducing sessions from days to just a few hours.

"Civilization is a leaner, brighter-eyed figure, with nice teeth and none of that musty PC smell, but its attention span seems a little diminished. Whenever I approached the part of what would, in an unrevolved Civ, be crunch-time, with a hundred different facets of war and expansion and uprising and construction and research and religious freedom and pollution to worry about at once, I'd suddenly find myself within spitting distance of conclusion. Half the globe was already either wiped out or absorbed into mine or another Civ, making it a straight race between me and those that remained. "

In all the years i had been playing Civ i never once felt that i was rushing through it. In fact the pace totally suited my tastes. It rewarded patient gamers, taking their time with each turn and i always enjoyed the journey more than the actual ending. From what i am reading here Revolution is indeed just a board game version of the PC game i love.

"....after a dozen or so games I now worry the enormity of what's been composited and removed may make it an unsatisfying single-player game to old hands. "

I now worry too.