Summary
The Civilization series has long been a cornerstone in the realm of strategy gaming, allowing players to build and lead a civilization from the dawn of history to the modern age. With the release ofCivilization 7, the series introduced serious changes that set it apart from its predecessor,Civilization 6.
What exactly are those changes, and do they create a truly better game? Or is Civilization 7 a step backward? We’ll look at several different important categories, like military mechanics and the gameplay structure, to see which game is the best option today.
9Gameplay Structure
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Civilization 7 seriously overhauls the series' traditional gameplay by dividing the experience intothree distinct ages: Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern. Each era has its own challenges and goals, with a crisis event at the end that signals the start of the next age. You also get to choose a new civilization at the end of each age, though you still keep your settlements and some units.
This is a different perspective compared to the continuous timeline of Civilization 6. However, some players may find this segmented approach restricts the sense of ongoing progression, as each era resets certain aspects of gameplay, like your military.
8Diplomacy
Civilization 7
In Civilization 7, diplomacy has been reimagined. There are several notable additions to thediplomatic system, like influence, which is a dedicated currency used to start diplomatic actions. Players can utilize Influence to initiate endeavors such as cultural exchanges, research collaborations, or impose sanctions on rival nations.
This system encourages strategic planning since you can’t carry outeverydiplomatic option. Civilization 6 doesn’t have this kind of depth, with most diplomacy centering on starting and avoiding wars.
Civilization 7’s new mechanics can take some time to learn, even for experienced Civilization players.
7Military Mechanics
Civilization 7 revamps military engagement by introducing Commanders and specialized units with unique skill trees that replace the traditional unit-based combat system. Commanders level up and unlock new benefits on top of “carrying” units from place to place. It streamlines battlefield movementsa lot.
You keep commanders from age to age. Therefore, having a very advanced commander can mean a lot when you approach the modern age! This also adds a layer of depth to the battlefield and eliminates a lot of the mindless clicking that’s in Civilization 6. You don’t have to move every unit individually at every turn since you may control them all with a commander.
6City Management
Civilization 7 introduces a nuanced approach to city management by differentiating between towns and cities. Towns serve as supplementary settlements that enhance resource production and can be converted into cities as the civilization expands. This allows you to strategically plan what regions you want to develop and which you do not.
Each city but your capital reverts to a town at the beginning of each age. This allows you to leave some earlier settlements as towns if there are now more important strategic locations by the time you reach the modern age. Towns are a lot more hands-off, and this eliminates a lot of the busywork of choosing production that’s present in Civilization 6.
5Graphics And Art Style
In Civilization 7, the art style represents a fusion of the vibrant, colorful aesthetics of Civilization 6 and the detailed realism of Civilization V. Many fans did not like the art style of Civilization 6, which was a huge departure from the series norm. This new art style is likely to sit well with those who weren’t happy with Civilization 6.
One of our favorite parts of Civilization 7 is the dynamic cities. Each one looks different based on the culture and buildings placed within it. Urban districts develop naturally, with a mixture of normal buildings and special production buildings.
In Civilization 7, your cities do change their look at the beginning of each age when you change civilizations.
4Victory Conditions
Civilization 7 completely rethinks victory conditions by implementing legacy paths for each age. In the first two ages, these paths open up bonuses in the next age, so you’ll want to complete as many as you can. However, in the modern age, completing a legacy path means you win the game, so it’s a race to the finish for all civilizations. These paths vary widely from age to age, especially theculturalandeconomicpaths.
On the other hand, Civilization 6 focused on more traditional means of victory, like domination and building wonders. You may see glimpses of these in Civilization 7, but the system looks completely different.
3AI Behavior
Civilization 7 has many advancements in how AI functions. The AI now exhibits improved strategic planning, particularly in military operations and city defense. Adjustments have been made to AI behavior during wars, making AI leaders more of a threat to player territories. Independent powers (city-states) are also much more of a threat and can actually destroy your cities if you aren’t careful.
This category is just a clear advancement from Civilization 6. However, this is to be expected to some extent due to the age difference between the two games.
2Replayability
Civilization 7 was designed with different ages largely to improve replayability, as the team found thatnot many players completed gamesin Civilization 6. The game incorporates mix-and-match leaders and civilizations, with different combinations making a significant impact on gameplay. Plus, the introduction of Narrative Events, triggered by various in-game conditions, adds emergent storytelling elements that vary with each campaign.
No two games of Civilization 7 are the same, and the late-game is just as exciting as the beginning. Civilization 6 performed very badly in this category, and this was on the developers' minds as they sought to improve with the next game.
1The Winner
Civilization 7 introduces some serious innovations that add depth to the gameplay. For instance, the introduction of ages and commanders prevents some of the late-game busyness that tends to pop up in 4X games. It’s much more streamlined, but that doesn’t mean that it is shallow.
Civilization 6 is still a favorite for many fans, especially with all its DLC. However, Civilization 7 is expecting DLC in the near future, and it will likely outperform even more when that happens.
