The original CLASSIC, also the origin of my computer nerddom!!!
I don't know because I have not read any other reviews. That being said, I LOVE this game, and I don't throw that word out there a lot. This game opened up entire worlds for me and many of my friends.
This game opened up the Civ franchise, as I am still playing Civ 4, Warlords and Swords. Additionally, this opened up multi-player to me, which until that point was NBA Jam Tournament Edition on Sega or Duck Hunt on Nintendo (or Street Fighter on SNES, the list could go on here... but I digress). BTW, I played this when it was new so I have been hooked on Civ for almost TWENTY YEARS. That is crazy, but speaks to a powerful game and a powerful franchise. Kudos Sid Meier and Team(s)!!
I would play with roommates via a serial connector (old school, I know) and would often win. I was brutal as this game of world domination (and have mellowed little of the years). Also this game was one of few I would play for 10 or 20 hour stretches at times. Other games were more level-based and I would play for an hour or so, or a level or so, but this I would play until literal exhaustion, or work, or whatever else got in the way of my enjoyment.
After first playing this game, I died pretty early, but immediately I was back into another game. I still feel that I can learn from each game I complete or die from (so save regularly if you arent Civ-savvy? I have logged (estimate) about 1000 hours in this franchise, mostly with Civ 3 and Civ 4. And I still love it, there are still new things to do, new scenarios to beat (though far less so now then when these games were new).
I eagerly await Civ 5, whenever it is ready, I will be ready for it. No matter (I will at least try the games, no matter the reviews or how awful they try to make it) what happens with the franchise, I will be playing this game until my thumbs fall off and my eyes bleed. Guaranteed or the world back.
One final note, the only reason this game did not get a perfect 10 is because there were things that other Civs got right that this game missed (graphics, semi-RPG elements, scenarios, better sound), but for the time this game was KING! But I do want to nominate this game for LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD. We are 13 months away from its 20th birthday (and we won't talk about how old I am).
thanks for reading and play on gamers,
Spiritof