In a departure from older versions in the series, Caesar IV is equipped with variable, realistic 3D instead of fixed, isometric 3D.

In an attempt at historical realism, the game tries to stay as close to proper Roman lifestyles as possible.

[citation needed] The game is divided in three parts, named after the three traditional eras of Ancient Rome: "Kingdom", "Republic" and "Empire".

[3] Positive aspects mentioned were the city building, large amount of content, visually appealing 3D graphics and professional sound and music.

However, there were complaints centering around crashes, user interface issues, lag problems and repetitive game play.