Choose Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization
Choose Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization if you want the Multi-player side of the pairing. Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization launched in 2008.
Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization vs Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword
Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization and Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword 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. Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword (2007) is 1 year older than Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization (2008). Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword scores higher on Steam reviews (97.9% positive) than Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization (87.2% 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 Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword
Choose Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword if it's a focused single-player run rather than a multiplayer commitment. Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword launched in 2007.
Both Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization and Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword sit in Strategy on Steam, 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
 Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization |  Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2008 | 2007 |
| Genres | Strategy | Strategy |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 4.99 USD | 5.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 87.2% positive (847 reviews) | 97.9% positive (48 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Single-player only |
| Developers | Firaxis Games | Firaxis Games |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword (2007) is 1 year older than Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization (2008).
- Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword scores higher on Steam reviews (97.9% positive) than Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization (87.2% positive).
- Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization is currently ~17% cheaper on Steam than Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword (4.99 USD vs. 5.99 USD).
- Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword has no Deck rating yet.
Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization vs Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword — FAQ
- Should I play Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization or Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword first?
- If you want chronology, Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword (2007) came out before Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization (2008). 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 Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization and Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword 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.
- Does Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword have multiplayer like Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization?
- No. Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player), while Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword is listed as single-player only.
- Does Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.