Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

FreeCiv VS Widelands

Compare FreeCiv VS Widelands and see what are their differences

FreeCiv logo FreeCiv

Freeciv is an open-source, turn-based strategy game based on Civilization II.

Widelands logo Widelands

Widelands is a free, open source real-time strategy game with singleplayer campaigns and a...
  • FreeCiv Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-10
  • Widelands Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-28

FreeCiv features and specs

  • Cost
    FreeCiv is completely free to download and play, making it accessible to a wide audience without any financial burden.
  • Open Source
    Being open-source means that the source code is available for anyone to modify, which can lead to a wide range of customizations and improvements from the community.
  • Community Support
    There is a robust community around FreeCiv that contributes to its development, offers support, and shares mods and tips.
  • Multiplayer
    FreeCiv offers extensive multiplayer options, allowing players to enjoy the game with friends or other players online.
  • Cross-Platform
    The game supports multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, Linux, making it versatile and accessible on various operating systems.
  • Customizability
    FreeCiv lets players customize game settings, rules, and even graphical elements, providing a tailored experience.

Possible disadvantages of FreeCiv

  • Outdated Graphics
    The graphics in FreeCiv are relatively dated compared to modern standards, which may not appeal to players looking for visually rich experiences.
  • Learning Curve
    New players might find the game challenging to learn due to its complexity and lack of in-depth tutorials, which can be daunting.
  • User Interface
    The user interface of FreeCiv can be considered somewhat clunky and unintuitive, impacting the overall user experience.
  • Performance Issues
    Some users have reported performance issues, especially in larger games with numerous units and cities.
  • Limited Support
    Being an open-source project, official support is limited. Players may need to rely on community resources for troubleshooting and assistance.
  • Complexity
    The game can be highly complex and time-consuming, which might not be ideal for players looking for a more casual or straightforward experience.

Widelands features and specs

  • Free and Open Source
    Widelands is completely free to download and play, and its source code is open for anyone to inspect and modify under the GNU General Public License.
  • Rich Gameplay
    Inspired by The Settlers II, Widelands offers complex resource management, strategic gameplay, and detailed world-building, which appeals to fans of real-time strategy games.
  • Active Community
    The game has an active community of developers and players who contribute to discussions, development, and support, ensuring regular updates and improvements.
  • Cross-Platform
    Widelands is available on multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, and Linux, allowing a wide variety of players to enjoy the game.
  • Multiplayer Support
    Players can enjoy multiplayer matches over the internet or local network, adding to the replayability and social aspects of the game.

Possible disadvantages of Widelands

  • Steep Learning Curve
    The complexity and depth of the game can be intimidating for new players, leading to a steep learning curve.
  • Lack of Polish
    As a community-driven open-source project, Widelands may lack the polish and production quality seen in commercial games, including less refined graphics and user interface.
  • Limited Tutorials and Documentation
    Although there is a community and some resources available, the documentation and tutorials may not be comprehensive enough for all players, making it harder to learn the game.
  • Inconsistent Development Pace
    The development and updates are reliant on community contributions, which can lead to an inconsistent pace of new features and bug fixes.
  • Niche Appeal
    The game is designed to appeal to a specific audience of players interested in strategy and resource management, which may not attract casual gamers.

Analysis of FreeCiv

Overall verdict

  • FreeCiv is a well-regarded game, especially among fans of classic turn-based strategy games.

Why this product is good

  • FreeCiv offers a robust and intricate gameplay experience that echoes the early Civilization games, with expansive features and active community support. It's an open-source project that allows for substantial customization and engages players with its depth and replayability.

Recommended for

    This game is ideal for strategy enthusiasts who appreciate historical simulation, enjoy open-source projects, or are fans of the Civilization series looking for a free alternative with classic gameplay.

FreeCiv videos

FreeCiv - (Free Civilization Style Strategy Game)

More videos:

  • Review - Game Review: Freeciv- Redone
  • Review - Isotrident is the best Freeciv cl- ORIGINAL GAME ever made.

Widelands videos

Widelands review - open source gaming on Linux

More videos:

  • Review - Widelands - (Settlers 2 Inspired Open Source Game)
  • Review - Widelands Gameplay

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to FreeCiv and Widelands)
Games
77 77%
23% 23
Strategy Games
69 69%
31% 31
Action
80 80%
20% 20
Action Games
60 60%
40% 40

User comments

Share your experience with using FreeCiv and Widelands. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, FreeCiv seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 19 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

FreeCiv mentions (19)

  • Unciv
    Well how about I introduce you to... FreeCiv! https://freeciv.org/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • We built an entire game with graphics almost exclusively generated by DALL-E 3 (open source)
    There are many other commercial projects similar to this (colonist.io landover.io etc). None of them are open source though. This has been done in the past extensively (see freeciv.org, or Terasology, or 0 AD etc). Source: over 1 year ago
  • C-evo Distant Horizon (Civilization 2 and FreeCiv like opensource fan game)
    While many CivFanatics have probably heard of FreeCiv and Civ2Clone, there is also another freely available opensource indie game inspired by Civilization 2 called C-evo! C-evo aims to recreate the classic mid 90s TBS Civ2 like experience, but with more emphasis on a custom military unit designer, extremely powerful/deadly AI, and careful design of the rules, resulting in a true challenge. The game uses similar... Source: over 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: Released games built on FOSS engines?
    FreeCiv uses its own FOSS engine[0], can keep you occupied for days. [0] http://freeciv.org/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Thinking of setting up a private server
    The client and server are separate binaries; they are released together on freeciv.org, but Linux distributions put them into different packages. Source: almost 2 years ago
View more

Widelands mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Widelands yet. Tracking of Widelands recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing FreeCiv and Widelands, you can also consider the following products

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI - Sid Meier’s Civilization VI is a Turn-based Strategy, War, Tactical, Single and Multiplayer video game created by Firaxis and published by 2K.

Age of Empires - Age of Empires is the critically acclaimed, award winning Real Time Strategy (RTS) game with a legacy spanning over 20 years and nearly a dozen titles in the franchise.

The Battle for Wesnoth - The Battle for Wesnoth is a turn-based tactical strategy game with a high fantasy theme.

0 A.D. - 0 A. D. is a free, open-source, historical Real Time Strategy (RTS) game currently under development by Wildfire Games, a global group of volunteer game developers. Download 0 A. D.

Stronghold - Stronghold Crusader is a RTS game from the series from Stronghold.

Age of Mythology - Age of Mythology. The game that transports players to a time when heroes did battle with monsters of legend and the gods intervened in the affairs of mortals. Use mythological creatures like Minotaurs and Cyclopes to bolster your armies' strength.