Unleashing the Galactic Epicness of Civilization Games in Starfield: The Beyond Earth Story
Explore the depths of space with Civilization: Beyond Earth, the game that takes classic gameplay to new heights Join the interstellar hype train and consider a sequel to this beloved title
Gamers who have enjoyed previous Civilization titles, including Civilization 6, are likely familiar with the franchise's foray into space with Civilization: Beyond Earth. However, it appears that other game publishers and franchises are also embracing this trend, such as Bethesda with their latest offering: Starfield. Despite similarities to their respective publishers' other titles, both Civilization: Beyond Earth and Starfield possess unique characteristics that differentiate them from the rest.
2K Games released Civilization: Beyond Earth for PC on October 24, 2014. The game's storyline is set in the near future, where humanity searches for habitable extraterrestrial planets following a disaster that made Earth uninhabitable. Like its predecessor, Civilization 5, Beyond Earth features hexagonal grid and turn-based strategy gameplay, with familiar elements such as city building, leaders, and technological advancements. However, Beyond Earth also introduces new features, such as objectives surrounding contact with alien life, that set it apart from traditional Civilization games.
How Civilization: Beyond Earth is Similar to Starfield
Both games have been hailed as spiritual successors to earlier titles, with Beyond Earth being linked to Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri, released in 1999. In Alpha Centauri, players navigate a turn-based strategy game with leaders and civilizations, similar to Civilization 6, but with a unique storyline. Humans leave Earth due to issues such as famine, pollution, and war, rather than a single catastrophic event. While famous for its customization options, based on Civilization 2's engine, it can be more challenging to learn compared to modern, streamlined games like Beyond Earth.
Starfield, on the other hand, has been described as “Skyrim in space” by director Todd Howard. The game is a spiritual successor to Bethesda's first-person RPGs such as Skyrim and Fallout 4, but it also draws from the legacy of Bethesda's cancelled project, The 10th Planet, which was a space game. The gameplay will be reminiscent of Fallout and TES, with recognizable mechanics such as persuasion, pickpocketing, recruitable NPCs, factions, outposts, and lockpicking. However, the story will be unique from Bethesda’s other franchises.
The Case for Civilization: Beyond Earth to Ride Starfield’s Hype Train and Release a Sequel
The premise of Starfield revolves around the player joining a group of space explorers who are determined to uncover the secrets of the planets and societies affected by the Colony War. However, the trailers and demos have yet to reveal the reason behind humanity's decision to abandon Earth and venture light years away to settle in Starfield's Settled System, which bears a striking resemblance to our present-day solar system.
Starfield, developed by Bethesda over the span of 25 years, is finally set to release on September 6, 2023, creating a buzz of anticipation among gaming enthusiasts. Being a creation of a highly successful company like Bethesda adds to its prestige. Starfield's gameplay seems to break boundaries in space exploration games, with its dynamic combat system surpassing that of its Fallout and Elder Scrolls counterparts. The game's resource collection mechanic is more advanced than that of No Man's Sky. Moreover, with more than 100 star systems and 1,000 procedurally generated worlds, the game's world-building is ambitious. With so much to explore, players can expect to spend countless hours immersed in the universe of Starfield.
A potential sequel to Beyond Earth, incorporating Civilization 6's adjacency bonus and Beyond Earth's affinity system, could be a lucrative move for Firaxis Games and 2K given the popularity of Starfield. These mechanics allow players to specialize their cities or civilization, earning bonuses for specific resources and technologies. However, despite fans' desire for an updated game, there is currently no news of a sequel for Civilization: Beyond Earth. In the meantime, players can enjoy the Rising Tide DLC or explore newer games like Stellaris. Civilization: Beyond Earth is currently available on PC.
