It's more complex and at the same time easier to play. The design is worlds above WoM. 

If anything, it's more complex because there is simply more stuff in the game.  A couple of things have been taken out, like boats and dynasties, but a ton more have been put in.  Definitely not dumbed down.  Smarted up.  Wait, what is the opposite of dumbed down?  Anyway, the AI is much smarter, the game better balanced, and the factions more diverse.  If you loved WoM, then you will want to marry and lay pipe to FE.

Thank you for the responses guys. I just bought it.

I was a little hesitant at first, because after four great civilization games, I remember buying the fifth one on faith, and I simply hated it. Contrary to popular belief, I don't think people enjoy 4x games because we like to see little people moving around on a map. I think we enjoy it because of the feeling of empowerment. At least, I've always enjoyed the aspect of sitting behind my computer with my hands folded, plotting the destruction of my (soon to be) enemies while cackling like a super villain.

Yet when I fired up Civ V, I was bored with the game in just a few hours. I didn't like the hand-holding aspect of the game, nor did I like the removal of that feeling.

Same thing with Mount & Blade: FIre and Sword. I loved the original and Warband, too, but I felt that, much like Civ V, it seemed that they wanted to streamline the experience for dumber players. But what companies don't seem to realize is that you're never going to migrate the HALO crowd into the 4X market. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying there aren't people who enjoy both. But it seems like, to me, at least, that the majority of people who enjoy 4X games and the majority of people who enjoy HALO are not the type to be mixed together.

Command and Conquer 4 is another great example. Just who are those games marketed to?

Thank you so much for all the responses!

I don't agree with you often Mtn_Man but I do agree that G&K + mods changed Civ 5 to be a good game.

As for the OP - I *DETEST* dumbed sown games and I love FE.

I haven't played the expansion pack, so I'm basing this off the vanilla game, which I couldn't stand.

Seriously?  I hardly ever post here.

It's complex and it's actually really fun. I'm shocked and happy.

It's so complex that I don't have any idea what the hell I'm doing, and I keep getting my backside handed to me by the all damn monsters all over the place.  That one review was right when it said that the world itself was more dangerous than the AI players you'd face.

On that note, is there any way to remove the injuries from champions who fall in battle, or are those permanent debuffs?

As of the last beta, and I believe the 1.00 version, the only way to heal injuries is to find a special potion through a quest.

There are people who are talking about mods that could include new buildings that could heal injuries, though.

Agree 100% on CiV:G&K.  I have played it about four times more than any other game I've ever played.  (And I've been gaming since the original X-Com).   

And after the next patch will probably start playing it again. 

I have found that potion for sale at a neutral city in the campaign.  I've heard you can research something to buy it readily in the regular/sandbox game, but I have yet to find the tech to let you do so.  Out of many hundreds of hours in the beta, I only got the injury-heal potion once. :/

I think the main problem Civ 5 has is that it proceeded Civ 4, which by the end was...I don't know how to describe it, amazing. It's like Gal Civ 3, why would you make it? You certainly don't need to Gal Civ 2 has everything you'd ever want in that kind of game. You can't beat a 100/100.

Was Civ 5 a bad game? No, I think it was probably a good game, but when I still have 4 installed, well, why would I play a good game when I have an amazing game to play instead.

Maybe that's the problem Diablo 3 has.

Anyway, I really liked the original version of War of Magic, but it kind of got nerfed for me lol. I would cut off one arm of a continent and keep it dark and throw troops in there to train them up.

FE is just a really good game.