Sid Meier’s Civilization VII Negative Reviews: Should You Wait?

Gamers are wondering what is up with all the Civilization VII negative reviews.

2K Games’ latest in the grand strategy Civilization series just released early for some regions.

But the Steam and user reviews have been bombing harder than Gandhi on Deity!

Civilization VII Negative Release

To put it simply, the players are expressing frustration with the current condition of the newly launched game. However, this isn’t an unusual occurrence when it comes to initial releases of a Civilization game.

Nevertheless, these complications in the game, despite its 4-year development, seem puzzling. While some critics may praise it with high ratings like eight or nine, others are giving it lower scores, such as sevens and sixes.

Hello, fellow Civilization enthusiasts!

With more players diving into #Civ7, Firaxis Games has been carefully reviewing your feedback, particularly on the user interface and other topics you’ve been discussing. They are currently working on a plan to address the top community requests.

For all the details, head over to their full message here: [link]

— Sid Meier’s Civilization VII (@CivGame) February 7, 2025

But where it hits most with the Civilization VII negative reviews is with the users.

At present, there seems to be a general consensus among players that the user interface (UI) could use improvement. This assessment is surprising given their successful design of Civilization 6 and 5 UIs. Both positive and negative reviewers have pointed out the current UI’s shortcomings.

Additionally, it’s designed primarily for console users and lacks resource icons, nested menus, and hotkeys, making it a challenge to navigate without them. So, you might as well fully immerse yourself in this user interface that offers minimal shortcuts.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but express my disappointment with Civilization VII, particularly in contrast to its predecessor, Civilization VI. One significant feature that seems to be missing is the automatic exploration for units. Instead, we find ourselves meticulously guiding our scouts across the map throughout the entire game, which feels quite different from what we were accustomed to before.

On the upside, the new art style has been well-received by many. The more lifelike depiction of leaders and tiles seems to have appealed to most players, as they found Civilization 6’s cartoonish style a bit inconsistent at times.

However, a significant downside is discovered when there’s no swift action or combat, which greatly extends the length of both solo and particularly multiplayer games compared to their earlier counterparts.

However, like every other Civ game before, they will most likely fix it later.

Fix It In Post

For those who might not know, the structure of a Civilization game typically follows this process: Launch a game that’s less advanced but packed with content compared to its predecessor, spend three years refining it with updates and expansion packs, and subsequently receive favorable critiques from reviewers.

Indeed, it appears that the initial criticism towards Civilization VII may soften over time. However, the dilemma still stands – whether to purchase it now or wait for potential updates or improvements in the future.

Initially, Civilization VI didn’t seem its best until around three years after its launch, particularly following the releases of expansions like Rise and Fall in 2018 and Gathering Storm in 2019. This is when it really began to shine.

The truth is, only game number 3 was really up to par. The others, unfortunately, didn’t meet expectations. I suggest they make a few improvements before releasing them again. As it stands, spending over $100 on any of these games right now doesn’t seem like the smartest move.

Consider if you’d enjoy the new Civilization game, as it shares a similar style with its predecessor. If you didn’t take a liking to Civilization VI, there’s a chance you may feel the same about this one.

For avid enthusiasts of Civilization 5, anticipation for more may have been dampened by the emphasis on city tile placement in Civilization VII. Similarly, some devotees of Civilization 6 might find the absence of certain mechanics a tad disheartening. However, it’s crucial to remember that Civilization VII is not just an updated version; it’s a distinct take on the Civilization series.

Perhaps, you might consider waiting as the community works towards enhancing the user interface. After all, they’ve demonstrated their ability to do so in the past, so it would be wise to stay informed about any updates they may implement.

Read More

2025-02-12 18:31