Civilization VII’s massive modifications could possibly be precisely what the sequence wants

Civilization is the North Star of 4X strategy games . Because the authentic model of Sid Meier’s Civilization first hit PCs in 1991, it has laid the groundwork for a whole style of technique games . That is not going to vary anytime quickly, with Sid Meier’s Civilization VII on the horizon, releasing February 11, 2025.

I’ve performed extra Civilization than some other sport. I’ve over 3,000 hours of playtime between Civilization V and VI on Steam. In case you’ve performed the sport earlier than, you understand how simply time immediately disappears whereas taking part in it. You assume you possibly can simply play for just a few extra turns and go to mattress at an inexpensive time. Out of the blue, the Romans are launching a shock assault, and earlier than you understand it, it is two within the morning.

My pleasure for the brand new sport is at an all-time excessive after seeing the gameplay reveal. The brand new function making it attainable to navigate rivers with boats is sufficient for me to purchase Civilization VII on launch day, however there’s loads extra.

Gwendoline Christie is an thrilling addition because the narrator. She attracts from a line of Recreation of Thrones actors who beforehand narrated the sport, like Sean Bean and Peter Dinklage. However, that does not imply I haven’t got just a few considerations. It is clear that Firaxis is planning for Civilization VII to mark a significant turning level within the sequence, however the introduction of recent gameplay components has me hopeful that Civilization VII can keep away from the issues that plagued each V and VI.

Can Civilization VII be higher than Civ VI from the bounce?

Earlier Civ video games have launched feeling unfinished

I used to be actually enthusiastic about taking part in Civilization VI when it was first launched again in 2016, however the sport was fairly disappointing, which follows a development for Civilization video games at their launch. New Civ video games often do not overtake their predecessors till they’ve obtained their DLC expansions. For years after the sixth installment’s launch, I performed Civilization V over the newer sport.

Now, I’d say that Civilization VI is the higher of the 2, though there’s still a healthy debate among fans. What modified for me have been the 2 primary enlargement DLCs launched for Civilization VI — Rise and Fall and Gathering Storm. The identical factor occurred with Civilization V, which grew to become a a lot totally different, and higher, sport after its two massive DLCs have been launched. One factor that has me hopeful with Civilization VII is that Firaxis appears to be altering gameplay components solely for this new entry. So, even when it is not nice, it will really feel like a distinct expertise.

The massive information from the Civilization VII gameplay reveal is how you may change civilizations as you progress by way of the three ages within the sport. So, you may begin as Egypt within the Historic Period, however whenever you attain the Exploration Period, you can select a brand new civilization primarily based on how you have performed the sport to this point. You’ll mix sure bonuses from each your outdated and new civ as you try to dominate a brand new period. It ought to all make for enjoyable technique selections and totally different gameplay types.

Whereas your civilization may change, you’ll preserve the identical chief all through all the sport, which brings up one other thrilling new function — ability timber to your chief. As you advance by way of the sport, you can flesh out the character main your civilization by selecting traits from totally different ability timber. In earlier video games, your chief was only a static charcter that popped up in cutscenes. Decoupling leaders from their civilizations is the largest change made within the sequence since its inception. This all provides as much as a giant guess, but it surely could possibly be nice for the Civilization sequence.

The Civilization sequence wanted change

Civilization VI was nice, however we do not want a copycat

Firaxis might have launched a Civilization VI clone with just a few new options and had no drawback delivery copies of the brand new title. I’d’ve purchased the sport if the one function they added was the flexibility to sail boats up rivers. As a substitute, they’re attempting one thing slightly totally different. An enormous cause behind that may be a core drawback that dates again to the unique Civilization sport — a normal Civilization sport begins very thrilling however then will get extra boring because it drags on into later eras. Every version of the sport has tried to deal with this drawback in its personal manner. Civilization VI added the consequences of local weather change to the endgame, whereas Civilization V added a world congress to the later phases of video games.

Civilization VII will profit from each of these options, however this time, the large reply to fixing the endgame drawback that plagues Civilization video games is to vary the sport itself. By weaving collectively totally different civilizations and filling out your chief’s ability tree primarily based on what you want for that sport, every playthrough ought to really feel completely totally different as you attain the fashionable age.

Mixed with the additions from earlier video games and improved pc AI, making the endgame full of sufficient selection that it is totally different each time is likely to be the proper reply to the issue that has stumped Civ builders from the start. Nonetheless, there’s additionally proof that this function is not what 4X technique avid gamers need.

Humankind already tried altering Civilizations in-game

A Civilization competitor had a really comparable function

Humankind was a much-anticipated Civilization competitor that was launched in 2021. It featured the identical kind of concept that the brand new Civilization will use, with you constructing an evolving society as time goes on within the sport by selecting totally different components from obtainable civilizations. The Humankind Twitter account even vaguely pointed this out.

Sadly, although, Humankind wasn’t very nicely obtained. It has been caught with a “Combined Evaluations” tag on Steam since its launch. I performed the sport a bunch when it got here out, and the most effective factor about it was that it actually made me need to play Civilization VI.

That is the true great thing about the Civilization sequence, although, and why Firaxis ought to be daring when making new installments—Civilization video games maintain up extraordinarily nicely. There is no cause to make the identical Civilization sport over once more with a few new options and barely up to date graphics. Stepping outdoors what has made earlier entries profitable might make Civilization VII the largest failure within the sequence to this point, however that threat might additionally make it essentially the most profitable entry ever if it is lastly in a position to make Civilization’s endgame as fascinating as its begin.