Sid Meier's Civilization V: Brave New World

Essentially, if you love Civilization V, Brave New World will open up a world of possibilities. And if you haven't yet picked up Civilization V, Brave New World is the best way to play.

Brave New World smartly builds on the foundation laid by Gods & Kings, adding a great deal of depth without becoming needlessly complex or confusing. It swings the pendulum from war to peace, encouraging you to engage with other leaders in new and interesting ways, and weaving in trade routes and other familiar elements of the global economy. It's an essential addition, and its represents one more step along the path of Civilization V maturing into the kind of strategy game we thought it would be when it was released in 2010.

I have few complaints about this second and final expansion to Civilization V. My favorite game in recent years is better than ever thanks to Brave New World. The way Firaxis has fleshed out the thin areas of the game without screwing up the many things it does right is impressive. Peaceful no longer means passive.