The Civilization series has undergone a clear and steady evolution since its debut in 1991, adding more complex features and streamlining popular mechanics as it progressed. The main entries have iterated on those before them, introducing new systems or improving the existing ones in an effort to push the series--and the genre it helped define--forward.
Civilization: Beyond Earth feels more like an expansion than another leap ahead, or even to the side. The title was always meant to be a series spinoff and spiritual successor to Alpha Centauri, but its heavy Civilization V foundation makes Beyond Earth feel very familiar. That said, the new sci-fi setting and added features bring enough to the series to make Beyond Earth worthwhile. It doesn't reinvent the franchise by any means, nor does it possess the same charm and personality as Alpha Centauri, but there's still a solid strategy game here that offers a sufficiently different experience from the core games.
This more peaceful experience has its positives and negatives, and whether it's better or not will depend on personal preference. There's a lot of empire building and improvement that can be done through research and infrastructure investment (plus a neat new satellite feature, with which you can launch beneficial objects into orbit), and it's tempting to race your opponents to a scientific singularity or grow an awe-inspiring culture. It can get a bit boring at times as you hastily end turns to finish researching new technology, which stalls your growth and progress.
The Affinities and research web are joined by an amusing mission feature that will hand out extra objectives and ask you to choose (perhaps a bit too frequently) between two options for a bonus. They will usually involve some sort of moral query about how to proceed with a new discovery (this is very similar to the feature found in Galactic Civilizations), but it really boils down to which bonus you'd rather take--there isn't usually a downside. This is another way to develop your faction along the desired route, adding the boosts that supplement your larger-scale vision.
There's a lot to consider when advancing your empire, and Beyond Earth requires more planning in terms of research and an endgame goal than the traditional titles. The new sci-fi backdrop alone isn't enough to make this game stand out without more variation, but the altered systems add up to something that, while similar to its Civilization V foundation, is unique enough to inspire different play styles and experiences.
