Choose Galactic Civilizations IV
Choose Galactic Civilizations IV if you want a Simulation game with Online PvP, Online Co-op, and Adjustable Text Size. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 1,581 Steam reviews back the pick.
Galactic Civilizations IV vs Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri™ Planetary Pack
Galactic Civilizations IV and Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri™ Planetary Pack both land in Strategy on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Strategy games on Steam. Galactic Civilizations IV (2023) is 1 year older than Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri™ Planetary Pack (2024). Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri™ Planetary Pack scores higher on Steam reviews (90.7% positive) than Galactic Civilizations IV (73.6% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri™ Planetary Pack
Choose Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri™ Planetary Pack if you want the LAN PvP side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 90.7% positive across 486 reviews.
Both Galactic Civilizations IV and Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri™ Planetary Pack sit in Strategy on Steam and both list Multi-player and PvP, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Galactic Civilizations IV |  Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri™ Planetary Pack | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2024 |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation | Strategy |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Playable |
| Price | 39.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 73.6% positive (1,581 reviews) | 90.7% positive (486 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player |
| Developers | Stardock Entertainment | Firaxis Games |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Galactic Civilizations IV (2023) is 1 year older than Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri™ Planetary Pack (2024).
- Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri™ Planetary Pack scores higher on Steam reviews (90.7% positive) than Galactic Civilizations IV (73.6% positive).
- Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri™ Planetary Pack is currently ~88% cheaper on Steam than Galactic Civilizations IV (4.99 USD vs. 39.99 USD).
- Galactic Civilizations IV has co-op; Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri™ Planetary Pack does not.
- Steam Deck: Galactic Civilizations IV is Deck Unsupported, Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri™ Planetary Pack is Deck Playable.
Galactic Civilizations IV vs Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri™ Planetary Pack — FAQ
- Which is better, Galactic Civilizations IV or Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri™ Planetary Pack?
- On Steam reviews Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri™ Planetary Pack scores higher (90.7% positive) than Galactic Civilizations IV (73.6% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri™ Planetary Pack is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Galactic Civilizations IV or Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri™ Planetary Pack first?
- If you want chronology, Galactic Civilizations IV (2023) came out before Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri™ Planetary Pack (2024). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Galactic Civilizations IV and Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri™ Planetary Pack similar?
- They overlap on Strategy on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.