Why Civilization 7 Is a Game-Changer for Console Players

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For quite some time, it was widely assumed that intricate grand strategy games were simply too challenging to adapt effectively for home consoles. Many thought the console market wasn’t big enough for these strategy games, and therefore, there was no necessity to develop them for consoles. This assumption might be why a mainline Civilization game didn’t appear on a console for about 20 years.

In contrast to the previous mainline games like Civilization 2 from 1999, which were only available on PC, Civilization 6 was the first one to be adapted for consoles. Although it didn’t feel as naturally intuitive as using a mouse and keyboard, the console version functioned adequately. Now, Civilization 7 is breaking new ground by launching simultaneously across all platforms, a move that appears to have been wise, given that the console experience on day-one feels robust due to enhanced controller support.

Civilization 7 Might Be The Best The Franchise Has Felt on Console

Civilization 7’s Action-Cycling Mechanic Adds a Sense of Fluidity to Turns

For individuals who are new to playing massive strategy games on consoles, the control setup in Civilization 7 might require a brief adjustment period. However, its design is exceptionally user-friendly, building upon and enhancing the console-controller layout of Civ 6 in numerous thoughtful ways.

A significant area for enhancement in Civilization 7 lies within its action-repeating mechanism. Instead of manually executing each action, players are given an option at the bottom right corner of the screen to automatically cycle through all actions they can perform during that turn. This includes commanding units, selecting a civic, addressing crises, and expanding cities. The action-repeating mechanism in Civilization 7 is thorough, guaranteeing that players make optimal use of their turn on each cycle.

In essence, this mechanic simplifies the gameplay of ‘Civilization 7’ significantly, allowing players to navigate through their actions using only a handful of buttons. To proceed, they merely need to press “Y” or triangle to cycle through choices, use the left stick to highlight an option, and finally press “A” or cross to confirm selection. The repetitive yet seamless process creates an intuitive flow that makes ‘Civilization 7’ gameplay feel more rapid compared to earlier versions.

In a simpler, more conversational manner: While it seems that Civilization 7 is designed for a smoother gaming experience with a mouse and keyboard, console users can still enjoy a similarly satisfying gameplay.

Civilization 7’s Radial Menu Is a Subtle But Important Improvement

One significant enhancement in the control scheme of “Civilization 7” is the incorporation of a radial menu, accessible by pressing LB. This menu has two main sections. The first half allows players to navigate through various game options like policy screens, tech trees, and Legacy Path pages. The second half enables players to choose an opponent’s leader and immediately access their diplomacy page without navigating through multiple menus. This feature may seem minor but it significantly improves the game’s usability, particularly for newcomers to the “Civilization” series or the 4X strategy genre as a whole, by making gameplay more streamlined and efficient.

Speaking candidly, Civilization 7 lacks a couple of console-exclusive features from Civ 6 that would be delightful to have again. The most conspicuous omission is Civ 6’s functionality that allows players to move the cursor directly to the tile where the camera is focused by clicking the right stick. In Civilization 7, clicking the right stick instead moves the camera back to the cursor’s location, which isn’t as practical.

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2025-02-17 00:24