I’ve spent around 190 hours playing Civilization VII, and I have to say, I’m feeling a bit let down. I had really high hopes for this game, but it doesn’t quite deliver.
One major issue is how rushed the gameplay feels. The game keeps urging you to advance without allowing for a more strategic approach. While the legacy paths sound intriguing, their linear nature limits gameplay variety and makes it feel repetitive.
Another downside is the strict city limit, which becomes a real drag, particularly in the later stages. It feels like you can’t grow your civilization the way you want to. The way the game speeds through different ages makes it seem like I’m missing out on a lot of historical context. There isn’t enough time to properly develop your civilization.
What frustrates me the most is the loss of that sandbox experience. Previous editions allowed players to craft their empires freely, but in Civ 7, the game mechanics feel constraining and don’t let you express your playstyle.
Diplomacy has its ups and downs too. While some improvements have been made, a lot of the immersive aspects from Civ 6 are gone. Peace negotiations come off as superficial, trading cities is cumbersome, and the liberation process feels inconsistent.
And don’t get me started on the user interface; it’s overly complicated and often confusing.
Civilization VII isn’t awful, but it does have significant issues that need to be addressed. For now, I’m going back to Civ 6, where I feel the freedom to create my own narrative. The political aspects are more engaging, and the negotiations feel meaningful.
By the way, the price of the DLCs is pretty outrageous, but that’s another topic altogether.