Sid Meier’s Civilization 7: A Revolutionary New Take on the Classic Strategy Game

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Since the initial release in 1991, the Sid Meier’s Civilization series has been a towering presence within the strategy game genre known as 4X. Numerous other games have either followed its lead or aimed to challenge it, but none have managed to surpass it thus far. Now, following nearly a decade of post-launch updates for Sid Meier’s Civilization 6, developer Firaxis is preparing to release the long-awaited sequel: Sid Meier’s Civilization 7.

Similar to every previous title in the Sid Meier’s Civilization series, Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 challenges players to lead a nation through various historical periods with the ultimate goal of emerging victorious. The turn-based strategy gameplay will be familiar to those who have played the series before, yet this latest installment could feel like an entirely new experience. Key changes include splitting civilizations and leaders, as well as limiting the gameplay to three ages. This could potentially be one of the most significant updates in the series so far. While it might not appeal to players immediately, the studio has delivered another captivating strategy adventure that is likely to serve as a foundation for future developments.

Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 Approach to Leaders is an Exciting Change

As soon as gamers embark on their journey with “Sid Meier’s Civilization 7”, they’ll immediately spot a significant shift in the gameplay dynamics. In contrast to previous versions, players would choose a solitary historical nation headed by a well-known real-life leader, guiding it through the various epochs of history. Each civilization had its unique advantages and disadvantages, necessitating different strategies for mastery. However, with “Sid Meier’s Civilization 7”, the civilizations retain their distinct qualities, but this time, the leaders are no longer tied to those specific nations. To make things even more intriguing, players will find themselves commanding three distinct civilizations within a single game in this revised edition.

As players launch their game, they need to pick a historical figure to represent them throughout the gameplay session. In Sid Meier’s Civilization 7, each leader comes with unique skills, and this time, these abilities aren’t limited to nation leaders alone. Familiar faces like Catherine the Great and Napoleon are present, but players can also choose characters from history such as Harriet Tubman and Machiavelli. Similar to earlier versions of Sid Meier’s Civilization, additional figures will be introduced through DLC packs in the future.

In this game, after picking their historical figure, players get to decide the civilization they’ll begin with. Each civilization offers unique advantages and disadvantages, just like leaders. Players can experiment by combining different leaders with civilizations to find the most effective pairing. The game provides suggestions for optimal combinations, but players have the freedom to choose as they please. As they advance through the three ages in Sid Meier’s Civilization 7, they will encounter new civilizations with fresh abilities, units, and wonders, ensuring a dynamic and evolving gaming experience.

In contrast to prior iterations of Sid Meier’s Civilization, this fresh approach offers an exceptionally enjoyable gaming experience. Instead of relying on familiar strategies, it pushes players to innovate, discover new wonders and units, and test various abilities within a single game. What adds to its allure is that certain civilizations can only be accessed when specific tasks are completed in the preceding era – for example, establishing a certain number of cities or building multiple instances of a particular structure. There are numerous methods to unlock these civilizations, and each unlock is themed based on the historical characteristics of the civilization. Fortunately, even if players don’t complete those tasks, they still have several potent civilizations available as default options.

Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 Ages Help Shake Up the Experience Immensely

As a gamer, I’ve noticed that Firaxis has shaken things up with how ages function in Sid Meier’s Civilization this time. Instead of multiple stages, we’re now diving into just three unique and distinct ages, each offering its own captivating gameplay mechanics. My gaming journey typically starts in the Antiquity Age, where I lay the foundations of my civilization, interact with neighboring civilizations, and engage in activities typical for those initial turns. After approximately 150 to 200 moves, the game transitions into the Exploration Age, which presents a whole new set of challenges and opportunities.

In the Era of Discovery, players are encouraged to venture into uncharted territories, mirroring the real-world expansion of civilizations. As the second part of the map becomes accessible, players encounter fresh lands ripe for conquest and new cultures to interact with. The task is to establish thriving cities in these unexplored regions, exploit their unique resources, and maintain unity within one’s nation. With the omission of the loyalty system from Sid Meier’s Civilization 6, players enjoy significant freedom to construct wherever they can secure protection.

In the culmination of events, we refer to it as the Modern Era, where competitors intensify their struggles towards the ultimate triumph. The era of growth and expansion has ended; this period demands strategic army building, city fortification, resource allocation for winning, and preparing for the possible catastrophe of a Global Conflict. It’s worth noting that such a conflict is inevitable since it is the sole path to achieving a Military victory in this stage.

As time progresses through different eras in this game, it undergoes a form of reset. Players retain their existing cities and military units, while keeping the same neighbors. However, at the start of each era, players choose a new civilization which grants them fresh technological and civic advancements, as well as replacing all city-states with new ones. This ensures that lagging players have a fairer chance, and pushes powerful players to reconsider their strategies due to the introduction of new abilities. Furthermore, certain buildings are replaced, and age-specific Wonders become accessible for construction.

Initially, embarking anew might seem somewhat frustrating, but players are compensated based on their performance from the previous era. The more they achieved during that last era and the further they progressed along one of the game’s Legacy paths, the more points they receive. These points can be utilized to acquire unique skills or enhancements. Although these bonuses won’t make a player invincible, they do provide a minor advantage for the upcoming era. With careful planning, these benefits could potentially be the key to securing victory.

In a more conversational tone: Using a different age system in Civilization 7 offers an unusual and entertaining play experience, but it’s not perfect. One major issue arises during the Exploration Age, where only civilizations on the same continent as the player can fully utilize the distant lands feature since the original continent isn’t considered “distant.” Developer Firaxis has expressed plans to address this concern, but until then, it could potentially disrupt the game’s immersive aspect. Additionally, the ages sometimes cause games to feel excessively rapid-paced, so players might need to lengthen the overall game duration.

Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 Has a Plethora of Other Changes As Well

In Sid Meier’s Civilization 7, there are numerous changes that might slip past players’ notice. One notable alteration is the introduction of a new Attribute system for leaders. As you progress through tasks, you’ll accrue points for six distinct talent trees: Cultural, Diplomatic, Economic, Expansionist, Militaristic, and Scientific. These trees enable you to refine your leader’s attributes over time, granting subtle advantages in various resource acquisitions across the game.

In addition, combat strategies have experienced a significant transformation thanks to “Sid Meier’s Civilization 7”. Previously, players had to manage individual units, provide them with enhancements, and organize similar groups. However, Firaxis has revolutionized the gameplay by introducing commanders for the players to generate. These commanders can accommodate up to six units at a time, enabling them to traverse the map as a single, unified unit. Upon arrival on the battlefield, they can disembark and commence wiping out the opposition. If they are within the commander’s zone of influence, they can synchronize their attacks and reap powerful benefits. As they wreak havoc, the commander will advance in level, allowing players to accrue points for more potent advantages across various tech trees.

Beyond the existing improvements, the anticipated release of Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 promises a fresh wave of enhancements for players to explore. The negotiation system with city-states has undergone significant revisions, newly established cities now begin as manageable towns, diplomacy has seen some adjustments, the game has resumed its authentic artistic style, builders have been phased out, new optional bonuses are introduced as unlockable mementos, and there’s a host of additional changes. Although seasoned players may find the fundamentals familiar, this iteration of Sid Meier’s Civilization is distinctly unique compared to its predecessors.

Sid Meier’s Civilization 7’s Victories Are Not Perfect

Absolutely, the primary objective when playing a game of Sid Meier’s Civilization is to emerge as the winner. In this game, there are four distinct ways to achieve victory: Culture, Military, Science, or Economic. The Legacy victory, which can only be earned if none of the others are obtained, is not included in this count. It’s essential for players to understand these victory types, as they share some similarities with earlier games. Yet, securing these victories has been significantly altered compared to past editions of the game.

In this new round of gameplay, winners advance through their journeys utilizing the freshly introduced Legacy Trails. Each phase introduces unique Legacy Trails, where each trail is divided into various stages. As players accomplish these stages, they earn Legacy Points which provide minor advantages in the subsequent phase. Furthermore, as players successfully complete an entire trail, they are granted a special Golden Age that corresponds to the specific path.

The steps given here certainly guide players towards winning the game, but the tasks themselves can seem rather ordinary, leading to somewhat underwhelming victories. To illustrate, securing the Culture victory involves amassing 15 artifacts and hosting a World’s Fair. Although there are numerous prerequisites to achieve first, if players concentrate on these tasks, it is not overly difficult. However, the triumph often does not feel as fulfilling as one might expect when playing the game. It doesn’t detract from the overall experience, but it could potentially make the conclusion of the game less exciting as Lead Designer Ed Beach mentioned that improvements to the victories are planned for future updates.

Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 delivers an exceptional gaming experience for enthusiasts of the series and strategy genre. Its turn-based play mechanics are captivatingly engaging, the civilizations and leaders are delightful to manipulate, and its portrayal of history is a spectacle worth witnessing. While it has some issues that require improvement, much like previous entries in the Sid Meier’s Civilization series, these will likely be rectified with future updates and additional content. Therefore, for long-time fans eagerly awaiting the next installment or newcomers unfamiliar with this franchise, it might just be the perfect fit.

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2025-02-03 17:12