Choose Sid Meier's Civilization® IV
Choose Sid Meier's Civilization® IV if you want the Multi-player side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 33% cheaper on the Steam Store. 1,884 Steam reviews back the pick.
Sid Meier's Civilization® IV vs Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword
Sid Meier's Civilization® IV 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. Sid Meier's Civilization® IV (2006) is 1 year older than Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword (2007). Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword scores higher on Steam reviews (96.7% positive) than Sid Meier's Civilization® IV (92.5% 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 carries the stronger Steam consensus at 96.7% positive across 2,802 reviews.
Both Sid Meier's Civilization® IV 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 |  Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2006 | 2007 |
| Genres | Strategy | Strategy |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 3.99 USD | 5.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 92.5% positive (1,884 reviews) | 96.7% positive (2,802 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Single-player only |
| Developers | Firaxis Games | Firaxis Games |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Sid Meier's Civilization® IV (2006) is 1 year older than Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword (2007).
- Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword scores higher on Steam reviews (96.7% positive) than Sid Meier's Civilization® IV (92.5% positive).
- Sid Meier's Civilization® IV is currently ~33% cheaper on Steam than Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword (3.99 USD vs. 5.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Sid Meier's Civilization® IV is Deck Playable, Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword is Deck Unsupported.
Sid Meier's Civilization® IV vs Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword — FAQ
- Which is better, Sid Meier's Civilization® IV or Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword?
- On Steam reviews Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword scores higher (96.7% positive) than Sid Meier's Civilization® IV (92.5% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Sid Meier's Civilization® IV or Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword first?
- If you want chronology, Sid Meier's Civilization® IV (2006) came out before Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword (2007). 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 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?
- No. Sid Meier's Civilization® IV supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player), while Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword is listed as single-player only.