Civilization: Beyond Earth trailer shows opening cinematic

Here's the opening cinematic to the future-set 4X strategy Civilization: Beyond Earth .

. You may as well watch it now, because, in game, you'll only see it for the few seconds it takes to hit Escape and get to the menu. While Civ's historical intros were geared towards the grandiose—of the permanence of legacy and the weight of rule—this sci-fi cinematic is more about the hope of a better tomorrow.

Of course, that tomorrow could potentiallybe about an augmented machine-man race that goes back to invade Earth. But don't let that detract from the poignancy of the video.

Civilization: Beyond Earth is out next week, on 24 October. For more, check out our hands-on impressions, either in videoor written wordformat.