Tag: Civ 7

Phone it in Friday C: YouTube Roundup CLX: Civilization VII is Gorgeous

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Folks are probably tired of me writing about Civilization VII, which is shaping up to be one of the least popular Civ releases ever.  That’s a shame, because the game is getting better and better with each update.

For awhile I thought that I was lying to myself about liking the game.  Something felt off about it for awhile.  But I realized that my main complaints—the dragging late game, the lack of visual information—were ultimately fairly minor.  Every game in the series drags in the late game.  If anything, Civ VII has a more robust late game than Civ VI, although it’s still pretty lackluster in the Modern Era.

Ultimately, though, I feel like the time I have put into the game has reaped dividends.  There are times when it’s not always fun, but those are rare; mostly, I can’t help but keep playing (often to the detriment of my sleep schedule).  That’s the mark of a good game in my book.  Even when it’s a slog, there is some objective towards which I am working.

One thing about the game is that, in spite of its poor visual information (which has improved since launch, but I still can’t figure out which buildings I’ve built where in a city), the visuals themselves are stunning.  It is a gorgeous game.  The same quality that makes the visual information obscure is also what makes the game look great.

As such, I shot a YouTube short last week while playing a game with a buddy of mine.  My World Wonders-encrusted former capital was just too sumptuous not to share.

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SubscribeStar Saturday: Civilization VII: More Initial Reactions

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At the time of writing, I have two full playthroughs of Civilization VII under my belt, albeit on the relatively easy “Governor” difficulty.  I’ve finished one age at the “Viceroy” difficulty, which feels like it might be the standard difficulty.

That’s all to say that, while I am still no pro at the game, I have learned some things since writing my first “Initial Reactions” post two weeks ago.  One thing I will note is that the game has only gotten better and become more enjoyable as I have played it.  Even the notoriously clunky-yet-minimalist UI, while not improved (although that is coming in March) has gotten easier to read as I know what to look for on the map.

Part of that, I am sure, is that I am getting used to the game.  Every Civ games undergoes some visual changes, as well as changes to core systems, that can be daunting for veteran players at first, but repeated sessions breed familiarity.  In this case, that familiarity has not bred contempt, but a certain fondness.  Indeed, part of my concern with the upcoming UI patch is that it will change too much—but then I’ll get used to those changes, and so on.

It is a perennial rule of the Civ series that the games are not truly complete until a couple of expansions are released.  Then, with all the core gameplay elements finally in place two or three years after release, players have a complete game.  What makes Civ VII remarkable is that, in spite of its troubled release, it actually feels like a full game.  Yes, the game is incomplete in one sense—it needed much more polish before it hit the world—but the actual gameplay feels very satisfying.

I sometimes pine for Civ VI, but I also have zero desire to open it up now that Civ VII is out.  That’s not a knock against Civ VI, which is an incredible game, but a testament to Civ VII‘s appeal.

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Midweek Civ VII Update II

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Last week I wrote briefly about my first game of Civilization VII, which was still in process.  At the time, I was in the Exploration Age, playing as Spain with Benjamin Franklin.  My plan initially was to play as the United States of America in the Modern Age, but then I unlocked Siam.

While the USA was clearly the more fleshed-out Modern civ, the incongruity of going from ancient Rome to Middle Ages Spain to modern Siam was too tempting—and with Benjamin Franklin as the leader, it just seemed like a total blast.  Indeed, it was:  Siam was fun to play, especially their elephant-mounted ranged riflemen.

Siam’s whole conceit is to cultivate international influence, so I found myself edging towards the Economic Victory.  The idea is that you build enough railroad depots and ship enough goods to accumulate 500 railroad points, at which point the possibility of establishing the World Bank opens.  To open the World Bank, you have to establish a branch office in every foreign capital, which involves spending both money and influence (think of influence as the “currency” of diplomacy).  The cost increases in civilizations that are hostile to you.

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SubscribeStar Saturday: Civilization VII: Initial Reactions

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Today’s post is a SubscribeStar Saturday exclusive.  To read the full post, subscribe to my SubscribeStar page for $1 a month or more.  For a full rundown of everything your subscription gets, click here.

On Wednesday I noted that Dr. Girlfriend surprised me with the Founders Edition of Civilization VII.  The Founders edition granted users early access to the game starting Thursday, 6 February 2025.

I installed the game early that morning so that I could dive right into it after work.  I was slated to have a long evening of lessons, but my last student had to cancel, so I found myself that much closer to gaming goodness.  It was around 6:30 PM EST that I finally got to sit down and dig into the game.

Five hours later, I sleepily but reluctantly stepped away from the game.  It is good—really good.  It has some flaws, and feels a bit unfinished—but so does every Civ title at launch.  In some ways, it is very different from any other civilization installment.  But it still retains that addictive essence at the heart of every Civ game:  the need for “just… one… more… turn.”

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