Subject: Civilization Revolution: 3,99$ CDN

And does it ever feel good to be back. The problem is that I’m rusty as hell- both as a gamer concerned with climbing leaderboards and beating extreme scenarios, and as a guy trying to write about games. But I’ve got to give credit where it’s due. And here I credit the iOS version of Civilization Revolution, which has calmed Nathan’s fried nerves since 2011. I love it.

I love that it cuts out ranged volleys, oversimplifies build, commerce, diplomacy, and science ladders. I even love the graphics that necessarily are silly reductions of the original. I love that you can finish an entire map in an hour and a half. If you’re picky, and like to micro-mange, you can spend thrice that canvassing the world with your special brand of democracy or totalitarianism.

My strategy is simple: climb the tech tree till I get knights, then roll over the enemy, upgrading everything in one fell swoop by dropping Leonardo DaVinci’s Workshop in my capital. After that, I convert what survivors there are by carpet-bombing my empire with world wonders. And if someone (usually Isabella or Gandhi) is particularly troublesome - and while the idea sickens me - I drop the bomb.

The graphics are a total mixed bag: most designed for pre-retina screens, part for hi-res iPads. And the interface: in city mode, it tends to drag you to in-game purchases, and clogs until you break out again to the map. It’s a hodge-podge.

But it is Civilization mechanics without the pretence of being a full-fledged Civilization game. It’s as Civilization-like as can be had when all you’ve got to deal in is thumbs. Speaking of, I give Revolution two of them, and pretty high up.