My thoughts on Civ 7 after playing for nearly 200 hours

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.

I totally feel you on the pacing. I’m about the same time in, and it just feels like everything’s moving too fast. Those legacy bonuses are neat but they don’t make up for the feeling of being pushed along. Civ 6 definitely gives you more freedom to play how you want, so I might do the same and wait for improvements too.

You’re right about that city limit. It definitely slows down the fun. Civ 6 still has that sandbox feel.

Totally get what you mean about the UI. It’s hard to focus on the game when you’re constantly trying to find what you need. It really pulls you out of the experience.