Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword vs Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
A full spec-by-spec comparison of Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword vs Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — engine, performance, dimensions, features and price, with the differences highlighted to help you decide.
| Specification | Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword 2K Games, Aspyr | Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Kepler Interactive |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Release Date | June 24, 2007 | April 24, 2025 |
| Availability | Released | Released |
| Developer | Firaxis | Sundial Interactive, Sandfall Interactive |
| Publisher | 2K Games, Aspyr | Kepler Interactive |
| Official Site | http://www.2kgames.com/civ4/beyondthesword/ | https://www.expedition33.com |
| Gameplay | ||
| Genre | Strategy | RPG |
| Game Modes | Single-player, Multiplayer | Single-player |
| Average Playtime | 3 hours | 26 hours |
| Perspective | — | Third-person, 3D |
| Platforms & Pricing | ||
| Platforms | PC, Apple Macintosh | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
| Available On | Steam | Epic Games Store, Steam, PlayStation Store, Xbox Store |
| PC Requirements | ||
| Minimum Requirements | Windows 2000 (plus Service Pack 1 or higher), Windows XP Home or Professional (plus Service Pack 1 or higher), or Windows Vista; 1.2GHz Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon processor, 256 MB RAM, 64 MB video card with hardware T&L (GeForce 2, Radeon 7500 or better), DirectX 7 compatible sound card, 1.7 GB of free hard drive space, DirectX 9.0c (included) Recommended: 1.8GHz Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon processor or equivalent (or better), 512 MB RAM, 128 MB video card with DirectX 8 support (pixel and vertex shaders), DirectX 7 compatible sound card, 1.7 GB of free hard drive space, DirectX 9.0c (included) | Мінімальні: Потребує 64-бітних процесора та операційної системи ОС: Windows 10 Процесор: Intel Core i7-8700K / AMD Ryzen 5 1600X Оперативна пам’ять: 8 GB ОП Відеокарта: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB / AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT 6 GB / Intel Arc A380 6 GB DirectX: версії 12 Місце на диску: 55 GB доступного місця Додаткові примітки: SSD required. Minimum specs allow for 1080p 30FPS low settings gameplay. |
| Recommended Requirements | — | Рекомендовані: Потребує 64-бітних процесора та операційної системи ОС: Windows 11 Процесор: Intel Core i7-12700K / AMD Ryzen 7 5800X Оперативна пам’ять: 16 GB ОП Відеокарта: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti 8 GB / AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT 16 GB DirectX: версії 12 Місце на диску: 55 GB доступного місця Додаткові примітки: SSD required. Recommended specs allow for 1080p 60FPS high settings gameplay. |
| Critic & Community Scores | ||
| Metacritic | 86 / 100 | — |
| Community Rating | 3.8 / 5 (162 ratings) | 4.5 / 5 (447 ratings) |
Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword vs Clair Obscur: Expedition 33: which should you buy?
For Filipino buyers, the choice between Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hinges on your hardware, genre preference, and budget. Civ IV: Beyond the Sword is a strategy classic from 2007 with very low system requirements (Windows 2000/XP, 1.2GHz CPU, 256MB RAM, 64MB GPU) and a Metacritic score of 86. It offers single-player and multiplayer, but its average playtime is only 3 hours (likely a main campaign estimate; actual games can be much longer). It's available on Steam for PC and Mac. In contrast, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a brand-new 2025 RPG with demanding specs (min: i7-8700K, 8GB RAM, GTX 1060 6GB, 55GB SSD; recommended: i7-12700K, 16GB RAM, RTX 3060 Ti). It has a higher community rating (4.5/5 from 447 ratings) and a longer average playtime of 26 hours. It's single-player only, available on multiple stores (Steam, Epic, PlayStation Store, Xbox Store) for PC, PS, and Xbox. No pricing is provided, so price comparison is unavailable. If you have an older or low-end PC and enjoy turn-based strategy, Civilization IV is a safe, cheap option. If you have a modern gaming rig and prefer story-driven RPGs with high production values, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the better choice. Both are released and available now.
Frequently asked questions
Which game has lower system requirements?
Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword has much lower requirements (1.2GHz CPU, 256MB RAM, 64MB GPU) compared to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (min i7-8700K, 8GB RAM, GTX 1060 6GB). Civ IV can run on almost any PC, while Clair Obscur needs a modern gaming setup.
Which game has longer gameplay?
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has an average playtime of 26 hours, while Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword's average is only 3 hours (note: this figure likely refers to a very short campaign, as Civilization games are known for much longer sessions). Based on the provided data, Clair Obscur offers more hours of content.
Are both games available on Steam?
Yes, both games are available on Steam. Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword is only on Steam for PC and Mac, while Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is also on Epic Games Store, PlayStation Store, and Xbox Store.
Which game has better community ratings?
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has a higher community rating of 4.5/5 (447 ratings) compared to Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword's 3.8/5 (162 ratings). However, note that ratings are from different time periods and player bases.