Civilization VII reviews are mostly positive

Civilization VII: Initial Impressions from Early Reviews

With Sid Meier's Civilization VII launching next week, the review embargo has ended, and initial reactions are flooding in. Here's a summary of the key takeaways from various gaming outlets:

The most lauded new feature is the Era System, a significant departure from previous iterations. This system dynamically evolves civilizations over time, addressing past criticisms of excessively long matches and runaway civilizations. The three distinct eras each offer unique technological advancements and victory conditions, effectively creating three different gameplay experiences within a single game.

The ability to pair leaders with different civilizations is another widely praised addition, injecting strategic depth by allowing players to combine strengths in unconventional (and sometimes historically inaccurate) ways.

Further improvements noted include refined city placement, a stronger focus on resource management, enhanced district construction, and a more user-friendly interface (though some found it overly simplified).

However, not all reviews were completely positive. A common complaint was the perceived small size of the maps, diminishing the sense of scale present in earlier Civilization games. Technical issues, including bugs and frame rate drops when accessing menus, were also reported. Furthermore, some players experienced abrupt game endings without clear explanations of victory or defeat.

Given the immense scope and replayability inherent in a Civilization game, a definitive judgment will require extensive community exploration. Nevertheless, these early reviews offer a comprehensive initial assessment of Civilization VII.