In case you’re not a mega-nerd, “Sid Meier’s Civilization” is a game series that first debuted in 1991. In it, players play as a historical culture or nation and attempt to fulfill a victory condition. These range from conducting the first moon landing, establishing the world’s most influential culture, converting every civilization to the player’s religion, conquering everyone, or something else that symbolizes great achievement, compared to other in-game civilizations. Each game has different win conditions. Civilization VII was released just over a week ago and is a hot topic in Civilization fan circles.
First, some background. Civilization (Civ) V was released in September 2010 and received much criticism for lacking features present in previous titles. In July 2013, the paid DLC “Brave New World” turned fan opinion from disappointment to overwhelming positivity. To this day, Civ V has a large community of players, many claiming it to be the “best Civ.” Three years later, Civ VI was released, introducing significant changes to the game’s mechanics. Many fans did not like the new “districts” mechanic and the game’s art style. Despite the controversy, Civ VI brought a breath of fresh air, especially with its new and improved color, which made the game world prettier and easier to “read.”
Civ VII brings new mechanics but lacks an enormous amount of features from previous games. At launch, map sizes are limited to tiny, small, and standard, missing large and extra-large maps. The game also lacks the option to play after a victory—“just… one… more… turn…”— a famously loved feature of Civ games. Additionally, there are not many map types to play on overall. This severe lack of game options is concerning for Civ players, especially considering the game’s high price of $70, $100, $130 (depending on the “edition”), in comparison to the normal $60, $80. Not to mention, multiple leaders and cultures are locked behind the $100 and $130 versions of the game on launch. Day-one DLC, as it is known, has been becoming more and more common over the years, but an extra $60 of day-one DLC is among the highest I have ever seen, nearly doubling the cost of the game.
OK, is anything good? TL;DR: Yes. Despite the lack of color coding–which does hurt visual clarity– the map looks gorgeous. The diplomacy system is refined to be easier to understand and use, and the leader diversity is a great addition to Civ. Of course, some classics have returned, such as Napoleon of France, Isabella of Spain, and a few more, along with new additions that would not normally be added, like Trung Trac, Harriet Tubman, and Machiavelli. There are also new Civs and cultures, such as Maurya, which I led into the Abbasid empire due to my scientific progress, and then into Prussia, as I needed to defend myself from my neighbors who wanted to curb my scientific progress. It is incredibly fun to switch cultures and nations throughout the game, evolving to what one predicts they will need in the next age. The town mechanic also frees up a lot of turn time, especially later in the game, which is much appreciated. Not having to micromanage 20 cities is a relief.
Overall, Civ VII is a gorgeous entry into the series but is currently missing core features that have been in the series for over 30 years and are extremely expensive. Currently, while it can be very fun (the most important part of any game), it’s priced way too high and lacks too many features for me to recommend it. In a few months or years, Civ VII will most likely be an incredible entry, once DLC that expands core mechanics comes out and the game goes on sale. Until then, if you want to see some gameplay to help decide whether to dive into the game yourself, I recommend watching PotatoMcWhiskey.
Author
Idaya is a student here at Seattle Central College who is always looking out for the health of our communities; here at Central, in Seattle, and, as per Idaya’s lofty aspirations, a healthy international community as well. As a writer and photographer, Idaya loves to report on current events, keeping the community well informed.
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