This is a common refrain for players of this insanely addictive game. If you've played it then no doubt you've had your own experience of a time warp. Start with a humble little band of settlers and after hours of pushing back the darkness of your unexplored surroundings don't be surprised to find yourself totally engossed; perhaps in a massive civilizational war with one of the opposing tribes or involved in a desperate effort to hold things together in the face of unhappy citizens, polluted cities, scattered settlements and scare benefits. Researching, exploring, building, and conquering are your main activities. Time, decisions, choices are your main challenges. Tactically you are faced with deciding on location and number of cities. What tradeoffs are you going to make between city improvements and military forces? On the bigger strategic scale  decide between war and peace and expansion or consolidation.