Civilization VII Review – Into a New Future

Civilization VII Review

The release of a new game in the venerable Civilization franchise is always an event. The wait between the excellent Civilization VI, which came out in 2016, and the brand new Civilization VII, is the longest gap in the series. Firaxis has been cooking up the latest installment for a while, with a determination to innovate on a beloved formula. That’s a tall task, and the game we got is packed with ideas. But that leaves us with one simple question: Can Civilization VII transcend history?

The Tides of Time

Let’s be clear right from the front: Civilization VII is good. Very good. I have really enjoyed my time with it. I’ve played every Civ game since the beginning, way back in 1991, and this new game ranks high. But can it climb to the tippy top of the rankings? It might. Every Civ release turns back the clock on game features, with the expectation of DLC and expansion packs. After all the updates, Civilization VI clocked in at 50 different Civilizations and more than 75 unique leaders, and that’s before you delve into the robust modding scene. To compare, Civilization VII starts with a base of 21 leaders.

It’s an unfair comparison, so I will try not to linger on it too long, but VII feels like a slim game, even at release. I’m confident that after a couple of years, I will eat those words, but it crossed my mind every time I started a new game (and I started a LOT of new games). Though the game boasts a smaller roster, it more than makes up for it in new gameplay features which I discussed in earlier previews of the game.

The verdict is that I think this is the tightest gameplay of any Civilization game. There are decades of experience to draw from, and Firaxis focused on making the game fun. I was a bit nervous about the new era system but in the end, it’s a fantastic move. Choosing a new Civilization each era slowly expands your focus. The early game will feel familiar, but the Age of Exploration lives up to its name. The Modern Age turns up the pressure on diplomacy and warfare. I still can’t help starting a new game over and over, but for the first time ever, a game of Civilization stays exciting throughout.

Careful Clockwork

Though the three eras are lots of fun, I think some personality gets a bit lost along the way. It’s tough to remember which opponents are in charge of which Civ. You may find yourself facing an Emperor Augustus who rules over Greece, with Hatshepsut ruling over Rome. By the Modern Era, anything could happen. Augustus might be the Emperor of Mexico. Hathshepsut might be in charge of Russia.

As a strategy game, this inspires some really interesting choices. You have to think about your unique bonuses, and which bonuses you may want to claim in the future. This makes Civilization VII positively dense with strategic options and synergies. There is even a new meta-progression, where you can earn bonuses from winning as certain leaders and then build up other leaders like RPG characters, which is really fun. But as a simulation of history, the game feels a bit funny.

I guess it never really made much sense that an immortal Benjamin Franklin was leading a group of American cavemen, but with the new levels of complexity, the game feels even more abstract. Maybe it would feel different if you chose a new leader every era and retained your Civ. I guess we will never know. But this is the key dynamic of the new Civilization game. Some of the narrative is sacrificed in service of making the game more fun. Ultimately, that’s the right decision.

The Times They Are A-Changin’

I’ve written extensively about the exciting gameplay changes, but a new game means new technology. Civilization VII looks great. At first, I found the style similar to Civilization VI but the longer I played, the more I appreciated the new flourishes. There’s an almost water color effect to the graphics. Gwendoline Christie is the new narrator, and her ASMR whispers lend a lot of personality to the game. The overall style has one toe in a Dark Academia aesthetic. The leader animations are as good as any of the excellent animations in VI, and often better.

The new music doesn’t have as strong a style as the graphics, but it totally works. I won’t mind listening to it for a few hundred more hours. The voice acting for the leaders is pretty impressive, especially when you consider some of them are speaking dead languages. And if you, like me, are a connoisseur of Civilization quotations, this game has the best picks of any game since Civ IV.

As a whole, this is an excellent and worthy continuation of one of the most important series in gaming. The care and attention paid by the good people of Firaxis have produced a game with a rock solid foundation. The new era transitions are transformative, and change the game as much as moving from a grid to a hex board. The most important takeaway is that the rules of this Civilization are strong, and probably the best starting point for any installment. But the real thing to track will be the additions. As the game gets better, will the balance be maintained? Will the style? Will this new Civilization game be able to stand apart from the series? That remains to be seen, but if you’ve always wanted a meticulously constructed entry in the Civilization franchise, your day has dawned.

***PC code provided by the publisher for review***

The Good

  • Fun from start to finish
  • New eras system works great
  • Looks and sounds impressive
87

The Bad

  • Slim starting roster
  • Some features will be added via expansions