WhenSid Meier’s Civilization 7launches on February 11, it will include extensive changes to many of the core gameplay systems from theCivfranchise, including a complete overhaul to combat mechanics, city building, a new Ages system, and more. Developers for the new installment aim to reduce micromanaging aspects of civilization development by streamlining or simplifying some of the more tedious tasks. By reducing the amount of mundane tasks,Civ 7hopes to draw in a broader audience and prevent some of the log jams and bottlenecks fromCiv 6and its predecessors.
This approach to more entertaining and efficient gameplay comes with many pros, such as making combat more dynamic and less confusing, but it also comes with many cons, like having a limited number of civilizations to choose from at the start of each Age. Balancing some of the problem areas frompreviousCivgamesmight come at a cost, and it remains to be seen whether these larger changes to gameplay will end up making things less cluttered and overwhelming in the endgame.
Why Civilization 7 Is Updating Its Gameplay From Civ 6
From Combat To Narrative Development, Civ 7 Is Making Big Changes
In an early update from developers atFiraxis, the intention behind introducing the Ages system as well as updating many of the core systems in the game was to make the late stages ofCivgameplay more fun and less cumbersome. The three core problem areas include a “snowballing” effect that makes a comeback after falling behind excessive micromanagement, and an overall lack of Civ balance in the endgame.
To put it simply,Civ 6players get bored or overwhelmed and lose interest in the gameabout halfway through, andCiv 7wants players to enjoy it from start to finish.Civ 7will attempt to overhaul the systems fromCiv 6in order to reduce snowballing, which makes"your choices and decisions have little effect on the ultimate outcome,“and ultimatelyreduce the amount of actions the player needs to take to complete a game.
For example, toreplace Builder units,Civ 7will include a"growth event"point system that"simplifies the gameplay and reduces the repetitive actions seen in past games.“Similarly, thenew combat systemswill introduce a Commander unit that streamlines siege warfare tactics. Overall, these changes will likely accomplish their intended goal, even if that comes at a cost.
Positive Features Of Civ 7’s Updated Gameplay
Civ 7’s Gameplay Changes Will Make The Endgame More Interesting
Obviously, with the gameplay updates aimed at resolving slow and tedious gameplay in the later stages ofCiv 7,a major positive aspect is that more players will actually be able to finish the game.“More than half of the Civilization 6 players have never finished a single campaign,“and overhauling repetitive tasks with moreefficient and dynamic systems will lower the chances of players losing interestafter a couple of hours of playing.
Reaching the final stage of the game should not feel like an impossible chore, so hopefully these updated features are successful in getting players over that hump. Further positives include more-enjoyable, less-frustrating combat (and proper flanking bonuses!), an emergent narrative system that will introduce better storytelling features and mechanics, as well as improved city management, which could become tedious and overly complicated inCiv 6.
This New Civ 7 Feature Makes Choices Matter More During The Antiquity Age
The addition of Discoveries during the Antiquity Age will make choices matter in Sid Meier’s Civilization 7, more so than the goody huts from Civ 6.
These positive changes are sure to bring in a wider audience at minimum, butideally will enhance Civ gameplay enough that players are excited about the final stages of the campaign,which is incredibly important for a strategy game designed to build progressively across the Ages. While there are many pros to the updates coming toCivgameplay inCiv 7, there will certainly be some drawbacks as well.
Why Civ 7’s Streamlined Systems Might Be A Problem
New Systems Could Introduce Limitations In Civ 7
While these new systems will benefit gameplay in many ways, some drawbacks include a more limited selection of civilizations as compared toCiv 6, especially at the start of a campaign. Because of the Ages system, civilizations will be confined to some extent to their respective Ages andonly certain civilizations will be available within each Age.
This is a major departure from a favored aspect fromCiv 6, which gives players a massive list of leaders to choose from at the start and locks them in to that civilization for the entirety of the campaign. Additionally, the Commander unit will consolidate combat mechanics at the cost of individual unit promotions.
Civ 6: 10 Best Civilizations For The Ancient Era, Ranked
Starting the Ancient Era off the right way in Civilization 6 will require selecting the leader and civilization with early game bonuses.
There will be further drawbacks to these updated systems, especially for players who are big fans of certain elements fromCiv 6.The gameplay inCiv 7may be too much of a departure fromCiv 6or previousCivgames for many players,especially in the areas of city building and management.
Anyone who enjoys the micromanagement inCiv 6will surely be in for a rude awakening, though it’s likely this will introduce more pros than cons for the overall player base. Ultimately,Civilization 7promises to give players a more streamlined and approachable experience, but by improving certain systems, may end up alienating longtime fans.
