‘Civ 7’ is Unexpectedly My Favorite Version of the Franchise

Starting off, I’ll say I came into the Civilization franchise very late. My first Civ game was Civilization V on my Switch. I got it on a sale because it was something I had my eye on for a long time, but had just prioritized other games ahead of it. Once I got in and it got its hooks in me, though, I understood why people loved this series. The emphasis on strategy and legitimate decision-making was right up my alley. Even though the games would skew long, I always enjoyed the minutiae of building my civilization from the ground up. So, when Civ 7 came around, I was ready to dive in.

I found myself in a very unique position when it did come out. I felt weird about the change in gameplay to the Ages system, but I also knew I was going to be far more welcoming to it than long-time fans of the series may be. What followed was a slight relearning curve and general acceptance. I found that I enjoyed taking Civ 7 in smaller chunks versus a longer campaign, but wishing the option was there for the original style.

‘civ 7’ CHOPPED AND SCREWED

It is, admittedly, a bit strange to play a game like Civ 7 when it’s given to you in pieces. But there is something to it. It felt easier to learn all the game’s systems when I was attacking it an age at a time. The change made for clearer decision-making at each turn, and as I advanced, things that I learned earlier became second nature in later ages.

I will say though, I also feel the same way about this change that I did when watching How I Met Your Mother for the first time. I came in long after the series ended and binged it all the way through. By the time I got to the series’ controversial ending, I wasn’t mad at it. But I also didn’t invest 8 to 9 years of my life in this story. Same thing here. There are people who have been playing Civilization from the beginning. They have a clear idea and belief in what the game should be. The foundational elements of the franchise should never change, in their eyes.

And I can’t say that they’re necessarily wrong. There is a specific feeling to the series that is lost in playing Civ 7. But given Firaxis’ explanation that “History is built in layers,” everything that Civ 7 does makes perfect sense. If anything, it’s more realistic. However, what’s irrefutable is that this is still a very good game and a worthy entry into the franchise.

Let’s take more chances in gaming

We’ve seen franchises take big swings before when they believe it serves the gameplay, and Civ 7 is no exception. But it should be a rule. If you’ve got something long-running, shake it up a bit. Explore new avenues. It sucks that the state of the gaming industry makes this a lot harder to do because we really are missing out on some truly creative ideas.

So, I commend Firaxis Games for taking this shot. Not only because it makes sense, but because they believed it would make a better game. They stood on it and they’re delivering. And as they continue to build upon the game, I think that it will be more obvious. After all, we’re in the era of constant iteration from launch, and there is work to do. Not everyone has that freedom, though, and they absolutely should. And gamers should be more willing to step away from what they’ve known in pursuit of experiences they haven’t encountered.