Civ 7 Dev Details Brand New Crisis System

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Civ 7 Dev Details Brand New Crisis System

Highlights

  • Civilization 7 introduces Age Transitions and Crises, changing your Civ with each new era based on player choices.
  • Crisis system inspired by Fall of Rome, players must navigate crises at the end of each age to determine their Civ’s fate.
  • Players face various crises at end of age, impacting production, gold, units, etc., making for dynamic gameplay in Civ 7.

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of strategy gaming under my belt, I’ve seen Civilization games evolve from humble beginnings to complex masterpieces. The latest addition to this grand series, Civilization 7, is shaping up to be a game-changer in more ways than one.

It appears difficult to innovate on Civilization‘s core premise, given its nature as a strategy game and reliance on history, but that hasn’t stopped Firaxis from introducing new mechanics in every single Civilization game. The same goes for Civilization 7, which will introduce a serious shake-up to how Ages and Leaders work. One associated mechanic is also the new Crisis system.

Essentially, each game played in Civilization 7 experiences a phase change called “Age Transition.” During this transition, decisions made during one age influence the next in multiple aspects. The Age Transition is signaled by a crisis that marks the conclusion of the current age. Recently, Game Rant had the opportunity to spend a few hours at Firaxis Games in Baltimore, Maryland, playing Civilization 7 and conversing with executive producer Dennis Shirk about various mechanisms, specifically focusing on the Crisis System.

What Age Transitions Do in Civ 7

It’s important first to know that a Civ 7 Leader can be paired with any Civilization. That’s already a big change, and while Civilization 7 will recommend some combinations, players will be able to find new metas across all of these possible pairings. However, they should also know that their Civilization will change at the end of every Age Transition. For example, someone can start off as Egypt, transition into Mongolia for the next age, and then transition into another one for the Modern Age. Of course, that’s not exactly what happens in real life, but the age transitions are decided by what players do in that age (Unlocking Mongolia as a possible age transition deals with putting together enough mounted cavalry armies) and probably how they react to each age-ending crisis.

The main source of inspiration for the Crisis System in Civilization 7 is the Fall of the Roman Empire. Although Rome as an empire no longer exists, its impact can be observed in numerous cultures today. This system reflects the idea that players can transform into a completely different Civilization during the Modern Age while still preserving their original essence. This approach resolves issues related to a Civilization’s unique unit becoming irrelevant or disappearing too quickly before upgrades are unlocked. Players must finish an entire Age and confront a Crisis that arises at its conclusion to enter this transformation phase. As Shirk stated, these crises signify challenges that players must overcome within each age transition.

…”This is merely one illustration of how we’ve utilized this crisis system in an innovative way. It’s a unique feature called ‘Select Your Own Catastrophe’, which gradually intensifies as we reach the end of an era. When crises begin to manifest, you must make decisions about the challenges you’ll face. This system is modeled after real-life events and represents a fresh approach in Civ 7, inspired by countless historical situations.”

The Crisis Before the Fall

Towards the close of an Age, players are repeatedly prompted to select from several impending disasters, each causing various effects on resources, units, and production. In our play session, we didn’t reach the Age Transition, but a schedule indicated we would encounter multiple events as we approached the end of the Age. The perplexing aspect is that players must choose their own downfall; however, the scenarios presented were reminiscent of historical occurrences, such as the case of discontented commanders under our leadership. This intriguing twist adds a unique layer to the game, making it more engaging and historically relevant.

As the launch date for Age Transitions and Crises in Civilization 7 approaches, Firaxis Games will likely unveil more details about these features. It’s exciting to speculate on the various strategies players might employ when managing transitions between civilizations, addressing crises, and ultimately, how all these elements influence victory conditions. One cannot help but notice that Civilization 7 appears to offer a greater variety of options compared to its predecessor, Civilization 6. This increased diversity promises a unique experience for every game played.

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2024-08-21 00:14