Same as the original but worse
The original is more fun to play, more responsive, more focused, more clean.
This DO feel like a mod for civ4 rather then a exiting new version of colonization, and it shouldn't feel that way. Turns are slow, interface and map is unnecissarily messy. Hell, its even hard to see which squares are having hills or not (you have to hoover the mouse over and READ what the tile includes).
AI is even more lame then in the original and if you play on a smaller map only one opponent shows up (wtf?) Gold and economy doesnt feel very rewarding to deep into so it becomes a shore early on. Only good thing is they removed the penalty for high tory in large settlements which was kinda enoying in the orig.
I have to admit that i didnt really like civilization 4 much either (i think civ3 was much more enjoyable).
Its not a bad game, its ok, but way to messy, slow and frustrating. I play the old one over this one anytime.