Every entry in the “Sid Meier’s Civilization” series has a learning curve. The first time players take on a campaign, it’s full of blunders. They have to dig through the new mechanic and discover they built a city wrong or that they didn’t account for a pivotal resource. Success in these strategy games relies on knowing the nuances, but that’s hard without diving in and understanding the mistakes hands-on.
With the latest entry, “Sid Meier’s Civilization VII,” Firaxis Games makes radical changes to the formula, and that means players will have several missteps as they figure out the sequel’s new contours. This time around, leaders are separated from their civilizations. Players choose a historical figure, who has his or her own perks and abilities, and pair the leader with a civilization, which also has its distinct traits.
Major Changes
Although the leader remains the same, evolving with earned attribute points, the empire progresses through three eras, creating a layering effect. That means players not only have to learn the traits of one society through a campaign, but they must also figure out two others. It’s an update that other games such as “Humankind” have introduced, and it’s a sensible one, making the progression across history feel more balanced.
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In the age of antiquity, Greeks will be challenging Egyptians, while the Exploration Age can pit the Spanish against the Abbasids. In the Modern Age, players can command the Mexican civilization and fight over historic relics or other end-game goals with the Russians. It adds another level of depth as players have to figure out the civilizations that accentuate the strengths of others through the three phases.
The ages concept also divides “Civilization VII” into three distinct chapters. Antiquity is all about establishing a strong foundation for the player’s small corner of the world, while exploration is about finding out more of the wider world and creating colonies. The modern era is where players solidify how they intend to achieve victory.
Uneven Ages
In concept, it’s a way to keep campaigns manageable with a distinct beginning, middle and end, but it makes a run feel predictable as players check boxes of what they should do. The transition between each era also feels disjointed, as it becomes a soft reset, in which players are rewarded for the goals they achieved in the previous age, while also making drastic changes such as shifting a capital, throwing parts of an empire in disarray.
In addition, not all eras feel as fleshed out as others. The Age of Antiquity is the best and echoes the classic “Civilization”-style, while the later eras are less engaging. The modern age is the worst, especially with the lack of World Congress and other elements, such as climate change, impacting the cities. This section of “Civilization VII” feels incomplete compared to past entries.
Updated City Building and Combat
Another major change comes in the form of city building. It’s better in “Civilization VII,” but it has more of a learning curve as players figure out how towns and cities work. Firaxis limits how many settlements players have by creating a cap that leads to a happiness penalty if players go above it. They also have to manage districts and the ratios of towns to cities. Towns don’t make units or structures unless purchased, while cities have the freedom to build anything. It offers more depth and even stronger rewards for players who can maximize the yields in each settlement.
The last major change arrives in combat. “Civilization VII” puts an emphasis on commanders. These are hero units that can gather other troops and deploy them. It’s also the only military force that earns promotions and players can use the experience points they earn to upgrade perks that are given to their armies.
It makes these generals mandatory in combat, because without them, players’ armies won’t grow more powerful. The commanders are also the key to turning the tide of battle with the power to move troops across the battlefield because they can absorb and deploy them around the map. There are commanders for air and naval units, too.
PC vs. Nintendo Switch 2
When it comes to the best platform for “Civilization VII,” PC is still king, but right behind it is the Nintendo Switch 2. What’s excellent about the two platforms is that the game supports cross-saves, so players can enjoy a campaign on their desk but then move that run to the portable system in the living room and pick up where they left off.
What’s even better is that the Switch 2 version supports all manner of controls. Players can use the touch screen, which feels natural. The controller works fine, but has its drawbacks when players want to pick certain aspects of a crowded screen. Using the Joy-Con 2 controller as a mouse works surprisingly well on a couch arm, and the experience is close to a PC except the responsiveness of the controllers is awful at times. Otherwise, “Civilization VII” on the Nintendo Switch 2 works like a dream as long as players use it docked.
Although “Civilization VII” falls short now, it has room to grow. That’s the MO of the series. The initial entry feels limited, but the downloadable content and expansions fine-tune elements and turn each entry into a fantastic experience. Fans will have to wait on that for an experience that’s commensurate with the reputation of the series.
‘Sid Meier’s Civilization VII’
2½ stars out of 4
- Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, Mac, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
- Rating: Everyone 10 and up
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