So I’ve put almost 200 hours into Civilization VII and honestly I’m pretty disappointed. I was really hyped for this game but it just doesn’t hit the same way.
The biggest issue for me is how fast everything moves. It feels like the game is constantly pushing you forward no matter what you’re trying to do. Those legacy systems looked cool on paper but they’re way too restrictive and make every playthrough feel similar.
Don’t even get me started on the city limit. Late game becomes such a slog because you can barely expand. The different eras are okay I guess but it feels like you’re missing huge chunks of history. Everything just rushes by without giving you time to really build up your civilization.
What really bugs me is that it doesn’t feel like a sandbox anymore. Previous Civ games let you play however you wanted but this one forces you down specific paths. Too many mechanics telling you what to do instead of letting you figure it out.
The diplomacy stuff is weird too. Some parts are better than Civ 6 but other parts got dumbed down. Trading cities feels pointless and liberating city states is confusing as hell.
The UI is also a mess. Way too cluttered and hard to navigate.
It’s not a terrible game but I expected way more. Right now I’m back to playing Civ 6 because at least there I can actually roleplay and make meaningful diplomatic choices. In Civ 7 it feels like I’m just following a script.
Also the DLC prices are insane but that’s a whole other issue.