U.S.-based video game developer Firaxis Games has announced its impending game "Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth," which looks set to take gamers on an enthralling ride through space.
A strategy-based game, Beyond Earth will technically be the sixth installation in the popular Civilization series. The upcoming game is being touted as the spiritual successor to "Alpha Centauri" (partially owing to the space exploration theme), which was also Meier's brainchild but published by Electronic Arts in 1999.
"Despite our advances in both science and technology, we can no longer deny what is clear. Our time on Earth is ending, so we turn our gaze upward, to the stars, and embark on the greatest journey in human history," teases the game's trailer.
While there is a shift from Earth to space in terms of the backdrop, the mechanics of Beyond Earth are similar to previous Civilization games. However, this time round gamers will don the persona of an extraterrestrial residing in an alien planet instead of being a human in a familiar world.
"It's not about humans versus aliens, it's about different factions of humans all trying to go to the same place," said lead designer David McDonogh.
Beyond Earth will let players chose their spacecraft, cargo and colonists, which will aid them in starting their own civilization. Players will also be able to make satellites to get different advantages, find alien relics, do quests and missions simultaneously while exploring the planet, create trade routes and more.
Players will also have three new "affinities" (namely Harmony, Supremacy and Purity), which are pivotal to the gameplay.
"When you start the game, it's from a positive place," said lead designer Will Miller to Wired. "The apocalypse has happened. We survived it, and now we're looking for a solution. Once the game starts, Beyond Earth tells a story from roughly where we are now into an uncertain future. No matter which path you take - becoming indigenous to the new world, becoming almost sentient computers, or sticking to humanity as it exists now - those choices and paths are all very optimistic."
As for how one emerges victorious in Beyond Earth, it's simple enough - kill everyone or be the first one to communicate with an alien race!
"Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth" is set for a Fall 2014 release for PC, Mac and Linux.
