Summary
Players who hearFiraxis Gameswill most likely think of Sid Meier, with the acclaimed video game designer being one of its co-founders. However, while manyCivilizationtitles are under the Firaxis banner, players may be surprised that many franchises are also considered parts of the video game dev’s slate of games.
On top of hitCivilizationtitles are otherFiraxis Games, which accommodate various genres. While Firaxis Games seems to specialize in all “turn-based” tags, the video game dev may surprise fans with their rather expanded slew of games they can try.
10Sid Meier’s Railroads!
The similarities betweenSid Meier’s Railroads!andRailroad Tycoonare likely tied to both games being designed by Sid Meier, with the former being Firaxis Games’ successor toRailroad Tycoon 3. As with other tycoon games,Sid Meier’s Railroads!focuses on micro-managing a railroad business instead of an entire civilization, where opponents are defeated by outpacing them in terms of revenue.
This emphasis on economics and simplified mechanics makesRailroads!an easy game to understand and get into. The game largely automates the construction process of graphical components such as cities, towns, and bridges, making players focus on managing industries, tech learned, and outwitting the competition. Options to play against opponents and overcome challenge scenarios also makeRailroads!an appealing title for strategy enthusiasts.
9Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution
One of the biggest offerings ofCivilization Revolutionto the acclaimedCivilizationseries is its compartmentalization of the 4X formula for consoles. Compared to the lacklusterCivilization Revolution 2, Firaxis’s first foray intothe consoleCivexperience defined the franchise’s micro-4X experience. At its core, players still choose between 16 Civilizations with different abilities and bonuses, have four Victory Conditions (Cultural, Domination, Economic, Technology), and retain its traditional tech trees and diplomacy options.
However, a key change thatCivilization Revolutionoffers players is accessibility and speeding up of processes. Being able to access menus with a button press and having fast-paced matches makeCiv Revfulfill one’s itch to dominate the world on a short schedule.
8Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth
At first glance,Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earthseems like a reskin ofCivilization 5. However, the title usingCiv 5’s engine while being a spiritual successor toAlpha Centauriat the same time paved the way for a future-set game with different demands for players. Set after the events of a Science Victory in aCivgame,Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earthtasks players to dominate a habitable planet after a vague “Great Mistake” rendered Earth uninhabitable.
7Sid Meier’s SimGolf
In a surprising twist to simulation games,Sid Meier’s SimGolftones down hardcore world domination to something more bite-sized: managing a golf empire. As the name implies,Sid Meier’s SimGolftasks players in creating their dream course, being able to create a full 18-hole course complete with staff and crew, amenities such as vendors and decorations, and even buildings such as hotels to encourage visitors.
On top of cameos from celebrities such as Robin Williams and Pamela Anderson, players can also create customized golfers to “compete” and earn money for the course. Being aSimgame,SimGolfalso offers a sandbox mode where players can choose a location to fully customize according to their whims.
While effectively a remake of Sid Meier’s 1987 game of the same name,Sid Meier’s Pirates!goes above and beyond being a mere graphical overhaul by giving what may be the best simulation of historical maritime life. Players are thrust into the harsh openness of the Caribbean after an evil Spanish nobleman wronged their family. While pursuing this mission, a player and their trusty boat can engage induels with pirates, engage in diplomatic affairs, and pursue business as a merchant - all based on their preference.
What makesSid Meier’s Pirates!an appealing game is its simple approach to mechanics. As long as players can manage their ship’s resources, they can pursue any type of quest provided to them. They’re free to chase treasures, trade with other ships, or even capture ships to add them to their fleet.
5Sid Meier’s Civilization 3
WhileCivilization 4revolutionizes theCivfranchise with a graphical overhaul,Sid Meier’s Civilization 3is perhaps thebest iteration of the classicCivilizationformula. On top of its default zoomed-out view is a more minimalist layout that gives the game more of a sleek business simulator look than a visually intensive 4X title.
However, whereSid Meier’s Civilization 3shines even better than modern titles is its simplicity. WhileCiv 4added more flexibility to the franchise,Civ 3’s straightforward features make for more replayable experiences. The game boasts a simpler tech tree, few unit types, and more straightforward government types that give players room for faster plays, with strategies created here applicable to future installments.
With a plot surrounding a mysterious Hunter uniting Marvel heroes to defeat Lilith’s demonic invasion, comic book fans might be apprehensive aboutMarvel’s Midnight Sunsand its non-traditional superhero premise. However, Firaxis Games surprises gamers with an in-depth tactical deck-building experience overshadowed only by its poor sales.
Similar toXCOM, players spend their turns controlling their three-hero team across battlefields. On top of making basic movements, interactions, and attacks, characters have customizable decks of special moves that are drawn randomly every turn. The game’s in-depth card collection gives a new take on the turn-based tactics genre, with a story chock-full of comic book references, making it an appealing title for fans looking to move on fromother crossover RPGs such asUltimate Alliance.
3Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri
Despite its age,Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauriremains one of the best approaches to a 4X game separate from theCivilizationgames. Set in a colonization mission in Alpha Centauri gone awry, this potential headcannon take on aCiv’s Science Victory (where the last achievement is sending an Alpha Centauri colonization ship) boasts not just a deep sci-fi story but also complex mechanics that have yet to be matched by other 4X titles to this day.
The game retains coreCivprinciples such as colonies, resources, tech trees, and the occasional barbarian (native aliens) assaults. However,Alpha Centaurioffers advanced features that fit its sci-fi setting. These include full unit customization, more flexible government systems, as well as social engineering techniques that offer a gamified take on potentially dystopian sci-fi concepts.
AlthoughSid Meier’s Civilization 6retains the overall 4X formula of other games in its franchise, the newest entry to theCivilizationseries sets itself apart with perhaps the most in-depth offering for a grand strategy title. Despite its cartoony graphics,Sid Meier’s Civilization 6amps up gameplay with the introduction of various leaders per nation, board game-esque hexagonal tiles, and a much-requested Religious Victory condition.
However,Civ 6truly shines in how these new features tie into more flexible mechanics. The hex-based game world paves the way for more intricate army management, with customizable city tiles forcing players to be more decisive with every district upgrade. The game’s more freeform tech trees and card-based policy-making also lead to more seamless gameplay.
After the victory of the alien forces inXCOM: Enemy Unknown, players ofXCOM 2: War of the Chosenare tasked to lead XCOM, now a resistance group, in the war effort to repel the invasion. Mechanics-wise,XCOM 2: War of the Chosenis a standalone expansion ofXCOM 2, this time boasting procedural map generation, time-based objectives, and a new concealment system to keep players on their toes. Introduced inWar of the Chosenis the eponymous Chosen, a recurring trio of elite units that attempt to eliminate the players.
What makesWar of the Chosensuch a must-play for Firaxis fans is the title’s in-depth approach to the tactical RPG genre. The game’s permadeath feature forces players to take time to customize their units carefully. Moreover, the title’s destructible environments and fighting while outnumbered encourages players to make full use of the map’s offerings, giving one of the best battlefield simulations for fans of the “tacticool” theme.
