Sid Meier’s Civilization VII has arrived, and it’s a big deal! This is the first time the game launches on all platforms at once, including the PS5. If you’re new to the series, let me fill you in. Civilization, often called Civ, is a staple in the 4X genre. In this game, you guide your civilization from ancient times to the present, competing against AI rivals to become the greatest in science, culture, or military strength.
The latest installment introduces a significant change with its new ‘Ages’ system. Instead of navigating one civilization through history, you’ll now shift between different civilizations across three distinct eras: Antiquity (Bronze and Iron Ages), Exploration (Medieval and Renaissance), and Modern (from the Industrial Revolution onward).
In Civ VII, you control a different civilization in each age, adapting your strategy as new objectives arise. Each age ends with a crisis, leading to the rebirth of your civilization, which allows you to carry over some achievements while starting fresh with new challenges.
This shift in gameplay has sparked mixed feelings among long-time fans. Another game-changing element is that your leader now stays with you throughout the game. You can combine their unique skills with the different civilizations you play with, making each game feel fresh. However, some leader choices are quite unusual and may seem historically inaccurate, which might frustrate purists.
Cities in Civ VII have also changed. All settlements except your capital begin as towns and can grow based on their surroundings. This approach adds depth to your city planning, giving you choices between focusing on fewer, stronger cities (tall) or many smaller ones (wide).
Combat has received an upgrade with new army commander units. You can stack up to eight units and move them together, simplifying military maneuvers. Plus, diplomacy has a new layer, utilizing a currency for negotiations and interactions with other factions, making resource management crucial for success.
Fans will appreciate the long-requested navigable rivers, which enhance naval strategy during the Exploration Age. While the game looks fantastic, with a blend of realism and cartoonish art styles, some features from previous versions are missing, like the World Congress or diverse map types. Players seeking traditional start locations will also be disappointed as there’s no Earth map this time.
The late game feels incomplete, with the final age concluding in the mid-20th century, omitting modern units like helicopters and stealth bombers. This has led to speculation about potential DLCs that may include this content in the future, leaving some fans feeling disappointed by the perceived need to purchase expansions for a complete experience.
The graphics are visually appealing, with intricate details that bring the game world to life. The music from composer Christopher Tin is stellar, accentuating your gameplay experience. But, the user interface has been criticized. Navigating critical information about your empire can be cumbersome, making it hard to keep track of everything as the game progresses.
While the controls on consoles can feel less than ideal, especially in the late game, the performance is generally good with quick load times. Civ VII brings exciting innovations along with some growing pains, truly deserving a dedicated and patient player base to explore its new foundations.
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Review, Sid Meier
