We have been seeing this game being the big talk of the town for a while now. Firaxis Games has developed this new turn-based strategy game Sid Meier’s Civilization VII which was released on 11th February 2025. The game is available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
In Civilization VII your strategic decisions will shape the unique cultural lineage your evolving empire will have. You can rule as one of the many legendary leaders from the historical timeline to make your own story and make a new civilization.
While the game introduces several new and exciting game mechanics it also faced some backlash. Right after gamers got the early access through pre-ordering they had some complaints. The steam page of the game has mixed reviews where 52% of it is positive.
Story and Setting
Like the previous predecessors of the game Civilization VII does not have a complete linear story but instead it gives you a sandbox experience. You will need to evolve your civilization from the ancient era to the modern times.
“In Civilization VII, your strategic decisions shape the unique cultural lineage of your evolving empire. Rule as one of many legendary leaders from throughout history and steer the course of your story by choosing a new civilization to represent your empire in each Age of human advancement.”
You will start from the antiquity era where you will cover the classical period focusing on early settlements and exploring ancient leaders. Then you will transition into the medieval to early industrial periods. Gradually your strategic choices will allow you to go to the modern age where technology, diplomacy and geopolitical conflicts will take over.
“Strive to accomplish significant scientific, cultural, militaristic, and economic milestones within each Age to unlock impactful advantages in the next!”
Leader and Civilization Customization
In this new game the leaders are separated from the civilizations. This means you can choose any of your favorite historical leaders and you can pair them with different civilizations.
“For the first time in franchise history, you can choose your leader separately from your civilization, giving you the freedom to create all-new strategies by mixing and matching gameplay bonuses.”
This creates a unique combination like imagine Julius Caesar leading the Aztec civilization. Each leader has their own unique playstyle. The leaders have their own diplomacy, warfare and economic policies.
City-Building and District Overhaul
The city building mechanism got a huge revamp. The districts now require adjacency bonuses dependent on multiple factors like terrains, trade routes and available resources. So, now you actually need to have proper strategic thinking when building your city plans. There is also a new mechanism called Infrastructure point system which determines how many districts your city can support.
Graphics and Sound Design
The game definitely features an updated graphics engine. This makes the game more alive and immersive. The city visuals feel more realistic with updated art style and colorful aesthetic.
Moreover, the sound design is also quite immersive which makes your gameplay more intense. The voice acting for the leaders are also formidable which adds depth to the diplomacy interactions.
Why Is Civilization VII Being Review Bombed on Steam?
Despite being one of the most hyped games Civilization VII received mixed review with many players expressing their frustration.
Removal of Fan-Favorite Features
Fans complained that several of the popular fan favorite mechanisms from the previous games were removed or altered, for example the World Wonders system now requires maintenance costs which is kind of frustrating. Religious Victory has been replaced by some influence system which fans are finding it less interesting. Lastly, fans are kind of mad that ottoman empire is reserved for DLC content.
Monetization and DLC Concerns
Firaxis has already made an announcement about their DLC roadmap and fans are not really happy about it. They feel like the base game itself feels quite incomplete and some of the main contents are locked behind DLCs.
Moreover, the prices are also quite high the founder’s edition is almost $100. Fans also complained about several glitches and multiplayer desync.
Conclusion
Sid Meier’s Civilization VII brings a mix of innovation but of course there is some controversy as well. The launch of the game has been overshadowed by the missing content and monetization concerns which lead to backlash from long-time fans. Veteran fans are hoping the developers will take their feedback into account.
