February 4th 2025.
Sid Meier's Civilization 7 has finally arrived, much to the excitement of strategy gaming fans. As the most iconic name in the genre, Civilization has become synonymous with conquering the world in a variety of ways – whether through military might, economic prowess, scientific breakthroughs, cultural influence, or a combination of all these elements.
While previous installments were initially only available on PC, this latest sequel can be played on various platforms. With its massive scale and endless possibilities, it's no surprise that Civilization has remained a popular choice for gamers for over three decades. And let's be real, it's not just because of the graphics.
After nearly a decade since Civilization 6, it's safe to say that a new sequel was long overdue. However, upon playing Civilization 7, it quickly becomes apparent that it needed a bit more time in the development stage.
Every new Civilization game follows a similar formula, but that's not necessarily a negative. Each installment offers a unique perspective on different elements of the game, from the importance of religion to the focus on military conquest. This time around, player accessibility takes center stage – and for good reason.
Prior to its release, there was much optimism surrounding Civilization 7. The hands-on experience and interview at Gamescom last summer acknowledged a common flaw in the game – the opening hours are often more engaging than the later stages, where players are busy upgrading cities and defenses.
But unfortunately, Civilization 7's solution to this issue is to simply end the game in the 1960s, after the first manned space launch. This not only feels anticlimactic, but also seems like a ploy to release DLC later on.
One of the most noticeable changes for returning players is the streamlined interface, most likely to accommodate the game's console versions. While some may criticize this as "dumbing down" the game, it's not quite that simple. The lack of tooltips and visual aids can make it difficult to understand certain aspects of the game.
The customization options before starting a game have also been significantly reduced. While playing on a map of Earth can be fun, most players spend the majority of their time on randomly-generated maps, which they now have less control over.
Although Civilization 7 is not a lazy sequel by any means, it does seem misguided. The original concept of the series was to choose a famous culture and guide it from prehistory to the future. However, with the inclusion of leaders like Gandhi and Queen Elizabeth I, this idea didn't always make sense. In this new game, cultural avatars are now independent of their historical origins, allowing for interesting and unexpected combinations.
But this also means that fan-favorite leaders like Gandhi are not included in the base game. And to make matters worse, Great Britain and its leaders are only available through a paid DLC expansion. For those who opt for the Deluxe Edition, the game's price can reach a whopping £90, or £120 for the Founders Edition.
In Civilization 7, the game is divided into three different ages, each with its own victory conditions and special rules. While this may seem like a more realistic approach to cultural change over time, it's hard to ignore the fact that this idea was borrowed from another game, Humankind. And the soft reset at the end of each age can throw a wrench in players' plans.
Another common issue in strategy games is the illogical actions of artificial intelligence when it comes to diplomacy and combat. While Civilization 7 attempts to address this, the AI still seems clueless about the end of each age. However, the increased importance of commanders and the ability to stack multiple combat units offers a welcome improvement to the game.
Sid Meier's Civilization 7 is the latest installment in the renowned strategy gaming series, but it falls short of being the best entry. It's a franchise that has become synonymous with the genre, much like Tetris for puzzles and Street Fighter 2 for fighting. Civilization has been around for 34 years and has always been a PC-only title, allowing players to conquer the world in their own way - whether through military might, economic prowess, scientific advancement, cultural influence, or a combination of these.
The scale of Civilization 7 is grand, with its vast gameplay and various elements. While it may have some complex mechanics and can get bogged down in the endgame, its popularity has stood the test of time. However, after almost a decade since Civilization 6, this new sequel feels like it needed more time in development.
Each Civilization game follows a similar formula, but it's not just about refining what works - each entry also highlights different aspects of the game. This time, the focus is on player accessibility, which may raise some concerns for longtime fans. We were initially optimistic about Civilization 7, as our hands-on experience and interview at Gamescom last summer acknowledged one of the game's flaws - the early stages are more interesting than the late game where you're just upgrading cities and defenses.
To address this issue, Civilization 7 ends the game in the 1960s with the first manned space launch, cutting out the modern and future ages entirely. While this may seem like a solution, it feels anticlimactic and appears to be a way to sell DLC in the future. The interface has also been streamlined, potentially to accommodate the console versions, but there are few tooltips and visual aids to explain gameplay mechanics.
The customization options before starting a game have also been reduced, and the randomly-generated maps are where players will spend most of their time. Additionally, some fan-favorite leaders, like Gandhi, are not included in the base game and are only available through paid DLC. The game is divided into three different ages, with each one having its own victory conditions and rules, but this idea seems to be borrowed from another game, Humankind.
Another issue with Civilization, and most strategy games, is the artificial intelligence's tendency to make illogical decisions. While Civilization 7 tries to improve on this, it still falls short. The increased importance of commanders in combat is a welcome addition, but the soft reset at the end of each age can disrupt your plans.
In conclusion, Civilization 7 is not a lazy sequel, but it misses the mark. The series' original idea was to choose a famous culture and lead them from prehistory to the near future, but now players can mix and match leaders and civilizations, which takes away from the game's human element. Despite some new features, it ultimately feels misguided.
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