I have a long history with theCivilizationfranchise, and I’m pretty confident thatCivilization 7will be able to come back from its initial bad impression. My first experience with theCivilizationfranchise was watching my older brother playCiv 3. Although I never played3myself, I did start playing whenCiv 4came out, though I’ll admit I was probably still a bit too young to fully appreciate it. That changed when I playedCiv 5, and I ended up sinking hundreds of hours into the game. Though I played5more, I still enjoyedCiv 6.
As a long-running fan of the series, it was inevitable that I would at least giveCiv 7a try. I’d be lying if I said there aren’t someaspects ofCiv 7that I’m not jazzed about, andI can honestly see where a lot of the negativity surroundingCiv 7is coming from. That said,Civ 7was just fully released on February 11, so it’s not like the game doesn’t have a chance to improve. I’ve experienced growing pains with theCivfranchise in the past, and I think it’s way too early to countCiv 7out.
Civ 7’s Detractors Make Strong Points
I Agree With Some Of The Negative Criticism About Civ 7
At the time of writing,there are over 15,000 reviews forCiv 7on Steam, with a little under half of them being negative. I say that so you understand when I say I agree with some of the negative reviews I’ve seen, that doesn’t mean I agree with 100% of them, because I don’t have time to read 100% of them. I have also seen some hyperbolic reviews that are way too hard onCiv 7. That said, I have seen some very fair criticism of the game from among the reviews I have read.
I’ve seen many negative reviews from people who say they, like me, are long-time fans of the series who have sunk a lot of hours into the previous games. Now, I do realize that could mean they, like me, are just biased toward how the older games worked and don’t like all the changes implemented inCiv 7. However,it’s hard to argue with some of the points I’ve seenmade about why certain players aren’t connecting with the new game.
I can understand complaints aboutCiv 7’s feeling somewhat unfinished. The first time I noticed this was when browsing the game’s Civilopedia and there were no entries for major parts of the game, includingArtifacts that are essential for a cultural victory. There are also fewer starting map types and map sizes thanCiv 6had at launch.
Some complaints I’ve seen aboutCiv 7’s Legacy Paths have also resonated with me. They do serve to make the game feel a bit more linear. To me,they almost feel likeCivtraining wheels. I don’t think I’d mind them if they had been an optional feature or something to guide newer players, but I don’t love that everyCiv 7game I play is going to revolve around the same handful of objectives. However, despite all these complaints, I still have hope thatCiv 7can turn things around.
Civ 7 Has The Chance To Change Over Time
Civ 7 Feels Unfinished, But It Could Still Be Completed
I can understand the frustration of paying full price for a game that doesn’t feel fully finished. After all, I boughtCyberpunk 2077in 2020as soon as it was released. That said,just becauseCiv 7feels a little unfinished right now, doesn’t mean it won’t improve over time. Issues, especially minor ones like the Civilopedia, can be ironed out in patches and updates over time. I would be very surprised if classic maps, like the Earth map, longer game modes, and larger maps don’t get added in later. In fact, the Earth map wasn’t inCiv 6at launch either.
Things likeCiv 7’s Legacy Pathscan also be addressed in later updates. While they can’t exactly be removed from the game, perhaps there could be a way to make them more flexible. Maybe add several quests that players could fulfill to finish a given Path, instead of one clear road to victory. This could allow players to diversify their strategies a bit more, without having to lose the nice framework created by Legacy Paths for newer players. However, if you’re someone who hates the new Legacy Path style of victory, I don’t think it will change substantially.
I won’t pretend like every issue that every player has can be addressed byCiv 7. Some players seem a lot more disappointed with the game than I am, andif you are someone who strongly dislikes every aspect of the game, I don’t see it changing enough to address all your issues. That said, if you’re happy with the bones ofCiv 7and just wish there was a bit more work done to it to address some of its shortcomings, my assumption is the game will become a lot more enjoyable over time.
Civ 7 Is Not The First Divisive Civilization Game
Civfans not liking the newest game in the franchise is not an issue that has just started withCiv 7. Back whenCiv 5came out, some players didn’t like the changes it made to combat (like removing stacks of doom). WhenCiv 6came out, some players didn’t like the new additions, like governments, and many were displeased with the more stylized graphics. I’m not trying to say that any complaints about previousCivgames, or aboutCiv 7, were wrong, just thatcomplaints about changes are common amongCivfans.
I don’t thinkCivilization 7is dead on arrival. There will likely be some players who adjust toCiv 7, or some that just enjoy it, either because they like the changes or because they haven’t played otherCivgames and are happy with this version. That said, it’s hard for me to say, “Just play and find out for yourself,” when the game costs $70, and I can understand why some people don’t like it. I would recommend looking into the changes it’s made fromCiv 6, or watching some gameplay if you’re new to the franchise.
Sid Meier’s Civilization VII
Sid Meier’s Civilization VII empowers players to guide their empires through three distinct Ages—Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern—each offering unique civilizations and challenges. For the first time, leaders and civilizations can be mixed and matched, allowing unprecedented strategic combinations.
