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.
Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword vs Forgetful Dictator
Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword and Forgetful Dictator 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 12 years older than Forgetful Dictator (2019). Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword scores higher on Steam reviews (96.7% positive) than Forgetful Dictator (94.1% 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 Forgetful Dictator
Choose Forgetful Dictator if you want an Indie and Casual experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Forgetful Dictator launched in 2019.
Both Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword and Forgetful Dictator 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
 Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword |  Forgetful Dictator | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2007 | 2019 |
| Genres | Strategy | Strategy, Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Playable |
| Price | 5.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 96.7% positive (2,802 reviews) | 94.1% positive (118 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Firaxis Games | Please Know More |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword (2007) is 12 years older than Forgetful Dictator (2019).
- Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword scores higher on Steam reviews (96.7% positive) than Forgetful Dictator (94.1% positive).
- Forgetful Dictator is free; Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword is paid (5.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword is Deck Unsupported, Forgetful Dictator is Deck Playable.
Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword vs Forgetful Dictator — FAQ
- Which is better, Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword or Forgetful Dictator?
- On Steam reviews Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword scores higher (96.7% positive) than Forgetful Dictator (94.1% 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 Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword or Forgetful Dictator first?
- If you want chronology, Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword (2007) came out before Forgetful Dictator (2019). 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 Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword and Forgetful Dictator 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.
- Is Forgetful Dictator free?
- Yes — Forgetful Dictator is a free-to-play Steam title. Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword is paid (5.99 USD).