sid-meiers-civilization-iv-colonization posts

Fallout 3 isn't the only game on sale on Steam this weekend, In fact there's a ton of games that have just been collected into a new game bundle via the download service. 20 titles from 2K Games are now available to purchase as one big game pack for just $59.99. If you bought each game individually it would cost $229.80. Oh, and did we mention that from now until July 7 you can get 10 percent off that already low price, making the bundle $53.99?

Here's the full list of games in the bundle:

Sid Meier's Civilization IV,
Sid Meier's Civilization III Complete
Sid Meier's Pirates!
Shattered Union
Prey
CivCity: Rome
Civilization IV Warlords
Sid Meier's Railroads!
Railroad Tycoon 3
Railroad Tycoon II Platinum
X-COM: Terror From the Deep
X-COM: Apocalypse
BioShock
X-COM: Interceptor
X-COM: UFO Defense
X-COM: Enforcer
Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword
Freedom Force
Freedom Force vs. the Third Reich
Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization.

The collection will contain the original title from developer Firaxis Games, the game's two expansion packs (Warlord and Beyond The Sword) as well as 2008's stand alone title Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization. The collection will have a price tag of $39.99. In an interesting twist, the press release announcing the collection also stated that it is "entirely DRM-free". That's yet another indication that publishers might be figuring out that PC games that don't have DRM set-ups might be a good selling point from consumers.

The console release of Sid Meier's Civilization: Revolution seemed to sell well last month according to NPD Group info but PC gamers are still excited to get their hands on Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization. The Firaxis Games developed title, which is basically a stand alone total conversion of Civ IV, is due out this fall.

The game's publisher 2K Games sent out some new screenshots of the title which is a (sort-of) remake of the 1990's PC game Sid Meier's Colonization with players heading out to the New World to meet the natives, establish colonies and trade and more. Look for multiplayer and mod tools to be part of the mix as well. 2K Games has yet to announce a specific release date beyond fall 2008.

There was lots of excitement from Civilization fans when it was announced a couple of days ago that Firaxis Games would release Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization for the PC this fall. Not only would players get a new stand alone Civ game for the PC they would also get a a (kind of) revamp of Meier's 1994 title Colonization. But is that actually a bad thing? Ben Fritz, the writer for Variety's recently launched gaming blog site, seems to think it's a horrible thing. In his view, a game based on the historical premise of Europeans colonizing the New World is racist.

According to Fritz, "A game about colonization that's entirely about controlling the settlers can either force the player to do horrific things or let him avoid doing it and whitewash some of the worst events of human history. Either option is offensive." He adds that while he knows publisher 2K Games has every right to publish the game, "I think personally think they shouldn't release it, if it's at all what it appears to be based on the early marketing. And I'm hoping a lot of people agree with me and will say so publicly."

So what do you think? Does Fritz have a point? Or is he overreacting?