Choose a civilization and leader
Set game speed, map type, difficulty, and victory conditions
Found your first city
Explore the map with your starting units
Improve nearby resources with builders
Research technologies in the Science tree
Unlock civics in the Culture tree
Produce units, districts, buildings, and wonders in cities
Expand by founding more cities or conquering others
Manage amenities, housing, gold, science, culture, faith, and production
Place districts carefully for adjacency bonuses
Build an army to defend your cities and attack enemies
Form alliances, trade, and negotiate with other civilizations
Use governors, envoys, and policies to strengthen your empire
Pursue a victory type such as Science, Culture, Domination, Religion, or Diplomacy
Prevent rivals from winning by monitoring their progress
Keep your cities growing, productive, and defended
End the game by achieving a victory condition before others