Civilization IV®: Warlords on Steam - User reviews, Price & Information
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Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Warlords is the first expansion pack for the award-winning game that has become an instant world-wide hit. Paying homage to some of history's greatest military leaders, the expansion delivers six unique and interesting scenarios, giving players the chance to change the course of history with the help of their...
Civilization IV®: Warlords is a strategy, turn-based and 4x game
developed by Firaxis Games
and published by 2K.
Released on April 06th 2007 is available on Windows and MacOS
in 5 languages: English, French, German, Italian and Spanish - Spain.
It has received 481 reviews of which 437 were positive and 44 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.5 out of 10. 😎
The game is currently priced at 4.99€ on Steam.
The Steam community has classified Civilization IV®: Warlords into these genres:
Media & Screenshots
Get an in-depth look at Civilization IV®: Warlords through various videos and screenshots.
System requirements
These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.
Windows
Minimum: 1.2GHz Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon processor or equivalent, 256MB RAM, 64 MB Video Card w/Hardware T&L (GeForce 2/Radeon 7500 or better), DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card, 1.7 GB of free hard drive space, Direct X 9.0c (included)
Recommended: 1.8GHz Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon processor or equivalent/better, 512 MB RAM, 128 MB Video Card w/ DirectX 8 support (pixel and vertex shaders), DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card, 1.7GB of free hard drive space, DirectX 9.0c (included)
SUPPORTED OPERATING SYSTEMS:
Windows 2000 (plus Service Pack 1 or higher), Windows XP (Home or Professional) (plus Service Pack 1 or higher)
*Requires Sid Meier's Civilization IV to play
Recommended: 1.8GHz Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon processor or equivalent/better, 512 MB RAM, 128 MB Video Card w/ DirectX 8 support (pixel and vertex shaders), DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card, 1.7GB of free hard drive space, DirectX 9.0c (included)
SUPPORTED OPERATING SYSTEMS:
Windows 2000 (plus Service Pack 1 or higher), Windows XP (Home or Professional) (plus Service Pack 1 or higher)
*Requires Sid Meier's Civilization IV to play
MacOS
Recommended:
- OS: Mac OS X 10.4, 10.5, and 10.6
- Processor: PowerPC G5 or Intel
- CPU Speed: 2.0 GHz
- Memory: 1GB or higher
- Hard Disk Space: 3.5 GB free disk space
- Video Card: (ATI): Radeon 9600 Video Card (NVidia): GeForce FX 5200
- Video Memory: (VRam): 128 MB
- Multiplayer: Internet (TCP/IP) and LAN (TCP/IP) play supported. Internet play requires broadband connection.
- Media Required: CD Drive
- NOTICE: Apple original CPU’s only, CPU upgrades not supported.
- NOTICE: Intel integrated video chipsets (GMA 950) are not supported. Supported Video cards: NVIDIA GeForce 5200, 6600, 6800, 7300, 7800 ATI Radeon 9600, 9650, 9700, 9800, X600, X800, X1600, X1900
- REQUIRED: FULL VERSION OF Civilization IV for Mac OS X TO PLAY
User reviews & Ratings
Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.
Expert Review Civilization IV: Warlords is the first official expansion to the critically acclaimed Civilization IV, and it brings with it a collection of enhancements, additions, and subtle refinements that deepen the core experience without altering what made the base game a strategy titan. For players on Steam — especially those with hundreds of hours already sunk into Sid Meier’s meticulously crafted historical sandbox — Warlords provides a strategic refresh that’s often subtle but meaningfully rich. Drawing from the most celebrated Steam reviews and respected gaming publications, here’s a balanced deep dive into what Warlords brings to the table, who it’s best for, and where it could have dared to do more. Gameplay: More Than Just Muscle At its core, Warlords introduces a number of features designed to make the early-to-mid game more engaging. The titular “Warlord” units, generated through Great Generals earned in combat, allow players to create powerful military stacks or bolster city defenses with elite troops. For players who lean into warfare, this is an enticing evolution that makes early aggression not only viable but often rewarding. What Players Love: Great Generals & Warlords Mechanics: The new Great General unit and the Warlord mechanics are a major highlight. They give military-minded players new incentives to engage in wars early and reward sustained combat with tangible, lasting benefits like unit upgrades and experience-sharing across entire armies. It’s a feature that adds both narrative and mechanical depth to military conquest. Unique Scenarios: The expansion includes a set of hand-crafted historical scenarios, many of which are standouts for their flavor and challenge. Scenarios like “The Rise of Rome” and “Genghis Khan” are praised by players for offering fresh strategic puzzles that deviate from the standard sandbox play — a refreshing diversion that invites replay. New Civilizations & Leaders: Warlords introduces six new civilizations and ten new leaders, each with unique traits and units that diversify gameplay. Long-time fans appreciate this added variety, as it injects new life into the familiar tech-tree and map-control loop. Leaders like Stalin and Augustus Caesar bring distinct playstyles that encourage experimentation. Vassal States System: One of the most debated — but undeniably impactful — additions is the Vassal State mechanic. When a civilization is defeated to a certain threshold, they can become a vassal to a more dominant civ, changing the flow of diplomacy and victory conditions. It gives warmongers a way to exert soft power and control without complete annihilation of foes. Where the Expansion Falters: Diplomacy Still Feels Static: While Vassal States add a new layer to diplomacy, the system overall remains somewhat undercooked compared to the depth of other mechanics. AI leaders still behave predictably, and negotiations lack nuance. Longtime players hoped for more intelligent interactions, especially given how the base game’s diplomacy was already a known weak spot. Not Essential for Every Player: For those who preferred cultural, scientific, or diplomatic victories in the base game, Warlords doesn’t add as much to their toolkit. Many of the improvements are clearly weighted toward military playstyles, which might disappoint more peace-minded players. The expansion leans heavily into war-centric gameplay, which limits its appeal for certain kinds of strategists. Feels More Like a Refinement Than a Reinvention: Some reviewers argue that while Warlords enhances the game, it doesn’t shake up the formula as much as an expansion could. It’s evolutionary rather than revolutionary — more polish than overhaul. For hardcore fans, this is fine, but players seeking dramatic changes might find themselves wanting more. Visuals and Sound: Consistent with the Base Game Since Warlords is an expansion, it retains the visual and audio design of Civilization IV. The graphical style is serviceable and clean, though by today’s standards, it certainly shows its age. The music, however — particularly the civilizational themes and in-game score — continues to be one of the series’ strongest points, creating a strong sense of atmosphere and identity for each leader. Final Verdict: Who Is Warlords For? Civilization IV: Warlords doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel, and for most fans of the base game, that’s just fine. It tightens up combat, rewards military prowess, and introduces new civs, leaders, and scenarios that extend the life of Civ IV considerably. While it might not be the most groundbreaking expansion ever released, it’s a clear value-add for anyone looking to diversify their strategic approach — especially those who favor the art of war. That said, players looking for sweeping changes, richer diplomacy, or better support for peaceful victories may find it a bit too narrowly focused. Final Rating: 7.8/10 A strong expansion that refines and enhances the original in meaningful ways, particularly for military players. While not essential for everyone, it’s a worthy addition to the Civilization IV experience — just don’t expect a complete overhaul. If you liked my attempt at making a professional review of this game, please leave a like for this review and if you think I should continue doing professional game reviews, then click on "Award" in the bottom right corner. Thank you!
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teehee its the middle expansion no one ever checks (civ 4 is goated, see my beyond the sword review)
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Many variables and options to victory [or defeat] - means no two games can be the "same"
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Warlords is Fantastic and I prefer it to all other strategy games. A perfect balance between game play and graphics, plus you can play up tp 17 AI civilizations, all with customizable strengths. Best of all there is a simplified personal leaderboard so you can continually challenge your previous high score in whatever trait you chose to improve. the combinations of winning scenarios are never-ending. A major busus is there is no requirement for in-app purchases. :)
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Classic 4X. I liked the first 3, but this IV was special to me. This game would run constantly on my computer for months at a time while I put in turns as time allowed... the mechanics are much different than V and VI... it could be a good nice spot for those of you looking for "something different" than CIV VI but still familiar enough to evoke the same feels.
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Civilization IV®: Warlords is currently priced at 4.99€ on Steam.
Civilization IV®: Warlords is currently not on sale. You can purchase it for 4.99€ on Steam.
Civilization IV®: Warlords received 437 positive votes out of a total of 481 achieving a rating of 8.45.
😎
Civilization IV®: Warlords was developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K.
Civilization IV®: Warlords is playable and fully supported on Windows.
Civilization IV®: Warlords is playable and fully supported on MacOS.
Civilization IV®: Warlords is not playable on Linux.
Civilization IV®: Warlords is a single-player game.
Civilization IV®: Warlords does not currently offer any DLC.
Civilization IV®: Warlords does not support mods via Steam Workshop.
Civilization IV®: Warlords does not support Steam Remote Play.
Civilization IV®: Warlords is enabled for Steam Family Sharing. This means you can share the game with authorized users from your Steam Library, allowing them to play it on their own accounts. For more details on how the feature works, you can read the original Steam Family Sharing announcement or visit the Steam Family Sharing user guide and FAQ page.
You can find solutions or submit a support ticket by visiting the Steam Support page for Civilization IV®: Warlords.
Data sources
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Additionally, we incorporate data from the SteamSpy API, which offers insights into game sales and player statistics. This helps us present a comprehensive view of each game's popularity and performance within the gaming community.
Last Updates| Steam data | 27 April 2025 07:03 |
|---|---|
| SteamSpy data | 28 April 2025 18:26 |
| Steam price | 30 April 2025 04:50 |
| Steam reviews | 29 April 2025 11:57 |
If you'd like to dive deeper into the details about Civilization IV®: Warlords, we invite you to check out a few dedicated websites that offer extensive information and insights. These platforms provide valuable data, analysis, and user-generated reports to enhance your understanding of the game and its performance.
- SteamDB - A comprehensive database of everything on Steam about Civilization IV®: Warlords
- SteamCharts - Analysis of Civilization IV®: Warlords concurrent players on Steam
- ProtonDB - Crowdsourced reports on Linux and Steam Deck Civilization IV®: Warlords compatibility
Game modes
Features
Online players
159
Developer
Firaxis Games
Publisher
2K
Release
06 Apr 2007
Platforms