Sid Meier’s Civilization Beyond Earth is a 4X strategy game, the follower of Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri. You need to develop a new civilization from a colony that arrives on another planet. You can choose a nation from 8 available expeditions, a settlers’ class and some other parameters that give you start bonuses and define the path your colony will follow. The goal of the game is to dominate the world.

Like in the previous games of the series, Beyond Earth features resource mining and management, technology development, trading and diplomacy. However, ways to the victory differ from classic Civilization ones. Here they depend on the resource type you focus on. As a result, you can rather co-exist with the planet, become the technological leader, make this new planet more Earth-like by changing its landscape or establish contact with aliens.

Additionally to general civilization development Beyond earth often gives you tasks to progress through the game. A huge part of the game is dedicated to exploration and interaction with aliens who protect their homeland from invaders.