Parents need to know that Sid Meier's Civilization VI is a strategy game that promotes thinking of different ways to solve a problem and gives real historical insight into human history. Victory can be achieved in a number of ways beyond military might, though you're likely to encounter battles (but violence shown on screen is minimal). It's possible to play without engaging in a fight. The game can be intimidating at first, but players quickly fall into a groove and will get the hang of it. Parents should be aware, though, that after a limited number of turns (60), if you want to keep playing, you'll have to pay to unlock the full game, which costs $60. Read more here about what the developer does with users' personal information.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT?

Sid Meier's Civilization VI is the latest in a phenomenal series of strategy games, letting players experience all ages of world history and compete against historical figures. The game starts with the player of a nomadic tribe, establishing a single city and then (over the next 500 turns) lets them attempt to achieve global domination via military power, scientific superiority, establishing a dominant religion, or having the most expansive culture. Players build up their cities and expand to control more land, creating districts, such as holy sites, military encampments, neighborhoods, and industrial zones. It's an exact re-creation of the PC game, which in and of itself was a big step forward for the series.

IS IT ANY GOOD?

PC gamers often avoid other platforms, especially mobile, but if any game is going to get them to consider gaming on the go, it's this one. Sid Meier's Civilization VI plays as naturally on the iPad as it does on the PC – and that's an astonishing thing, given the game's many moving parts and very deep gameplay. Everything we loved about the PC version is here: the revamped city-building system, the need to strategically use builder units, the decisions that go into unlocking governments and religions, and the deep, deep technology tree to choose from.

It looks stunning and it plays better than it looks. The "one more turn" hook is just as strong, maybe even stronger since you're able to play on the go. The only warning we can give (and it's hardly a warning) is that you'll need a fairly new system to run the game, along with a lot of free memory. If you've got that, though, it's entirely worth the price, even one that's considerably steeper than most apps.

RATING AND CONTENT

Recommended for ages 11 and older

Quality: 5 out of 5

Ease of play: 5 out of 5

Violence: 2 out of 5

Sex: 1 out of 5

Language: 0 out of 5

Drinking, drugs, and smoking: 1 out of 5

Consumerism: 3 out of 5 (Are products/advertisements embedded? Is the title part of a broader marketing initiative/empire? Is the intent to sell things to kids?)

APP DETAILS

Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad

Price: $60

Release date: December 21, 2017

Category: Simulation Games

Size: 3140.00 MB

Publisher: Aspyr Media

Minimum software requirements: Requires iOS 11.0 or later

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