I quite like it although i stopped playing Civ V due to burnout so i was just happy to play Civ again. The tech tree is interesting that there are several techs under the one tech so you need to unlock that one first. As long as its connected in the tree you can research anything albeit some of them would take forever. It works for this game but wouldnt work in a historical setting at all, a more linear tech tree works better for that. The satellites are a nice addition. I found myself using trade convoys a lot in this game compared to the others.
Units are the only thing that really bugs me. I do like that you can upgrade units into new more powerful forms and choose their stat buffs, but i also hate that you have to have affinity to do so. I can't work out how to get affinity to upgrade just a specific unit type, its been random for me because of this; for example i want to upgrade my aircraft carriers i can't work out how to do that i just get enough affinity and hope its that unit. Id much rather just research a certain tech and immediately be able to upgrade or be given access to a new unit. More unit customisation would have been preferable, much more unit types would have been great too.
It would be interesting if you could get supplies from old Earth or new asylum seekers arrived, they are playing it as there was only so much room aboard the space crafts and thats your lot just the one lot of humans and supplies. A little bit of variety in the terrain and alien species would be nice, even if it was just different skinned or textured models.
Its very difficult for myself to judge how far along the other Civs are.
Its not like Alpha Centauri imo, its more like they just extended Civ V and made a game out of future techs. The whole "space" and being on another planet hardly comes into play. Alpha Centauri was quite unique imo. Only barbarians are now aliens and theres toxic gas around the map.
I didn't pay full price and im merely satisfied, its like a standalone expansion pack, a good one just nothing revolutionary, nothing like an Alpha Centauri sequel.