Civ 3 is truly a great game. I have not played the previous civilizations but the third installment of the series is terrific. You start as a nomad and work your way up throughout history. You discover and develop everything from the wheel to archers to frigates to planes to ICBM's. The game can also be short or long depending on how you go about things, the ultimate goal is world domination.
Review of Civilization III
