Civ II gives you a three-quarters view of the world, a view that shows all of the action. The sprite based units and virtually flat landscape are all that is needed to draw you into this game. Little attention will be paid to the colors, as you'll be busy pulling your hair out after the computer has its way with your armies.
Though music isn't too prominent in these games, the little that you hear goes a long way in setting the right attitudes. Sound effects are also none too common, though they do appear when needed. Overall, the games stay mainly quiet at key moments of deep thought, letting you brood to your hearts content with minimal distraction.