I bought Civilization 4 last week, and so for I'm loving it..

I've always been a fan if the Civ series, and I'm not disappointed by this one either.
The first thing you notice is the (seriously) improved 3D graphics.
The gameplay is pretty much the same (and that's a good thing), but it has been refined a lot so overall I must say that this is the best one of the series so far..

Anyone else who's tried it?

I haven't tried it, but I have Civ II and I love it. My brother has Civ III on his laptop, but I don't get to play it much. From what I have played, it's a great series.

hopws it like? is it easy for new civ starters?

CIV 4 - yeah baby yeah!

but am new to the whole civ thing.. will I understand how to play civ4 easily?

Originally Posted by MightyMacbeth

will I understand how to play civ4 easily?

Yes (probably.. )
It's quite easy for beginners, but you can make it more advanced when you're getting used to it.

cool.. sounds nice..

so u just basically build a nation.. its not like Cossacks or the Total War games eh..

Originally Posted by MightyMacbeth

cool.. sounds nice..

so u just basically build a nation.. its not like Cossacks or the Total War games eh..

Its much more than that. You have to build a nation from the Stone age to the near future. Managing everthing from taxes, culture, military, scentific research, the economy, etc. It just eats time, its so addicting.
Word of advice, stay single. This game (Civ I) cost me my college girlfriend.

lol, well college itself gives me headaches.. so I guess Il stick to Cossacks 2 napoleonic wars or the total war series

No but seriously, I got to try civ , I only live once!

Sid Meiers Civilization III Complete (Gold Edition) ain't no slouch either.

You can spend endless hours building empires and destroying civilizations and never have to observe one drop of blood. HOW ENJOYABLE!

It's one of a very few games that have come out lately that is not solely based on violence.

It calls for a multitude of choices on your part, but if you make the correct choices it will be your spaceship that will ultimately reach the new world and ensure the survival of your civilization.

ENJOY!