I would be very interested in a multiplayer Civilization 4 game. Though it would probably take us quite a few sessions to finish a game, I think that the Earth (18 civ) map would be quite interesting. Though there might be a few disagreements on who gets Germany and America.
We would need to work out the best times to organize such a game, however. I am available during the day on Thursdays and Fridays (noon-7pm CST, which would be 7pm-2am German time.)
As for Civilization: Beyond Earth, my opinion of it thus far is somewhat positive though there are a few areas of disappointment. On the good side the game utilizes the Civilization V engine which is a proven system that does its job relatively well. If you are familiar with the trade system in Civ 5 then you will be well acquainted with its equivalent in this game. The cultural expansion of borders, bombardment system, and happiness system (now called health, but the principal is roughly the same) is very similar to Civ 5. So in terms of gameplay mechanics I have few complaints.
Likewise, there are a few interesting additions.
TECH WEB
The tech web adds variety to the research system in that different civilizations can research technologies in very different directions. Having each technology have 2 secondary techs is also an interesting idea that makes sense when you consider how actual technological development happens.
AFFINITY SYSTEM AND UNIT UPGRADES
Also the affinity system is quite fascinating. By performing certain quests (which can involve anything from using explorers to observe ruins or simply making a choice between two options), researching certain technologies, or taking other actions then you can gain ranks in one of three affinities. The purity affinity favors keeping humanity human and making the planet more like earth, the supremacy affinity favors mechanical augmentation of humanity in order to make them independent of their environment, and the harmony affinity favors biological modification to become more like a native lifeform of the planet. As you take ranks in the affinities you gain certain benefits and can upgrade your units. In fact, the new units are not really discovered so much from researching technology. Rather as you increase in ranks then you can select how to upgrade your units based upon a few choices. The upgrade options in this game are far fewer than what existed in Alpha Centauri. As you upgrade the units, each copy of the unit in your army automatically upgrades. Obsolete units are not really an issue in this game.
ALIENS
There are alien units which act in a similar manner to barbarians in Civilization V. However, there are some differences. For one thing, if you choose the harmony affinity then you can make your own alien units which can be quite powerful. Furthermore, aliens tend to ignore military units unless you attack them first and make them hostile, though Colonists (Settlers) will be killed by any aliens in the area. They can be quite an obstacle early on, but later in the game (as you unlock new units) the aliens are much less of an issue.
CUSTOMIZATION
When you start a game you select many aspects of your civilization (er... faction.) For one thing you select your backer, which is the equivalent of your civilization. Each faction has unique attributes (for example ARC has bonuses to covert actions) which can suit some gaming strategies but be less suitable to others. You also pick your colonists (scientists, artists, aristocrats, etc.) which will determine their skill set and give a set bonus per city (for example, scientists will give you +2 science per city.) You also pick your cargo (which determines what unit, building, or bonus you start with) and your spacecraft (which can give you an energy bonus, allow you more freedom to pick your landing area, or give you more information on the terrain around your landing area.) All of these make your start quite customizable and unique. Which also leads to the major issue that I have with the game...
A LACK OF PERSONALITY
Due to the customization of the factions, each time you play the game the factions will be different. This does change up the game, but it also removes the possibility of giving the factions any personality of their own. In Alpha Centauri we had the University, Morgan Industries, The Hive, The Believers, and others with unique ideologies. This made you feel for the factions and their leaders and made you feel like you were playing a game with personality that was telling a story behind the scenes. This was reinforced by the wonder videos, technology quotes, and story quotes throughout the game. Though this game does try with its quest system, the inherent feeling of eeriness and distinct philosophical factions is lost in this game. The game mechanics are there, the innovative additions are there, but the personality is gone. Perhaps it is unfair to compare this game to a classic like Alpha Centauri, but I feel that it is inescapable considering the parallels between the two.
OVERALL VIEW
I suppose that I would give the game an 8.5/10. It is a fun game with an excellent replay value (I have played it for 16 hours thus far) but it could have been much more. If you are a fan of Alpha Centauri or Civilization V then I would recommend buying it when it goes on sale, perhaps for the Christmas season.
If you would like to see a video review that matches my overall opinion for the most part and that gives you an idea of the gameplay then I would recommend this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IydX8R2xxe4
