When I think of Sid Meier's Civilization 7, one particular movie scene stands out—not the epic fights from Gladiator or the suspenseful moments from Apollo 13. Instead, it’s Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes in The Aviator, delicately running his hand along an airplane’s fuselage and insisting he wants no rivets visible. This methodical approach to design resonates with some of the choices made by Firaxis. While the game takes impressive strides in combat and diplomacy, it also suffers from an excessive streamlining that often detracts from the beloved depth we expect from a 4X title. Let me clarify: I don't dislike playing Civ 7. It maintains a significant portion of the franchise's distinct charm and finesse. Yet, there's something about this version that feels molded by a company prioritizing user-friendliness, akin to Apple's design philosophy, which tends to strip away customization options. I prefer the flexibility offered by Android products. One of the major obstacles is the interface, which lacks the depth in information essential for a strategy game of this complexity. Learning how to navigate Civ 7 has been frustrating. While I navigated through inadequate tooltips and sparse Civilopedia entries, I often found myself randomly clicking in hopes of accessing the information I needed. For example, encountering a small figure called a Kahuna during my campaign raised questions—what is he exactly? Is he a military threat, or just wandering around? Such ambiguities are prevalent in Civ 7, as I can’t even recall where my specialists are stationed unless prompted to place a new one. Moreover, the game’s minimalist approach extends even to the setup screen, which presents a limited number of options compared to its predecessors. It feels like Firaxis aimed for a very specific experience with reduced customization opportunities. However, despite these frustrations, I still found reasons to enjoy the gameplay. The sound design is commendable, with Christopher Tin’s music setting an engaging tone, and the narrative events add character to the gameplay. Yet, Civ 7's treatment of historical ages is perplexing; while the game creatively develops a system of civilization switching, it also restricts the timeline up to 1950, leaving puzzling inclusions like the Mughal Empire in an era where it was politically stagnant. In summary, Civilization 7 strives for streamlined gameplay but falters in providing the necessary depth and information. With solid framework in warfare and diplomacy, intriguing graphics, and sound, it still offers compelling reasons to keep playing. However, areas like the interface need significant improvement before it can truly deliver the experience fans expect.
