Roundup: Here’s What The Early Reviews Are Saying About Civilization VII
The latest in 2K’s Civilization series comes to Xbox next week in the form of Civ 7, and some early reviews are now hitting the web for Firaxis Games’ new strategy title. We’re happy to say that things are looking pretty good so far!
How good? Well, down below are summaries of some of the early reviews for Sid Meier’s Civilization VII, and you can jump into this one when it launches for Xbox Series X|S next week.
“Civilization VII is bold enough to add big changes to its formula, without getting rid of everything that has made the series iconic. Say goodbye to your free time, as from PC to handheld, every waking moment will be consumed by One More Turn.”
“There are still few moments in video games as pleasing as building the Hanging Gardens, or discovering a bountiful new location for a town, or marching a phalanx of troops into a battered enemy capital. This game, which once almost cost me my job, will gracefully sneak away with hours, days and possibly months of your life. But then, nobody ever conquered the world in an afternoon.”
“Civilization 7’s biggest changes fix mid- and end-game pacing, clean up clutter on the map, and open up more strategic avenues than ever before. Victory and unit balancing will no doubt be tweaked as developers receive feedback and data, but otherwise, the game is in a great state (something that’s becoming increasingly rare in AAA games). Pricing and DLC gripes aside, Civilization 7 should prove to be the best playground for world domination for years to come.”
“Midway through my fourth game of Civ 7, I forced myself to go to bed to squeeze in a minimally appropriate amount of sleep before work. When I woke up in the morning, my first thought was that I wanted to keep building my empire, and that’s when I finally knew how I felt about the game. Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 is streamlined, strange, and bound to be divisive. It’s also, undeniably, Sid Meier’s Civilization. As ever, the series stands apart.”
“Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 successfully evolves the long-running strategy series with a wealth of engaging new systems. Swapping Civs is smartly implemented and the focus on distinct ages prevents matches from dragging on, though the samey Legacy Path system and basic diplomacy mean that it’s not quite the best entry yet.”
“Civilization 7 is a revolutionary strategy game for newcomers and long-time fans alike. Though some tweaks around diplomacy and Ages fall short, a host of small reinventions – along with Firaxis’ biggest gamble in tackling the tedium of long-running campaigns – pays off superbly.”
IGN (7/10)
“With Civilization 7, the desire to streamline and simplify this legendary 4X series feels like it has gone a bit too far, particularly when it comes to the interface. It’s frustratingly inadequate at providing me with the information I need to play well, or even understand what’s going on sometimes.”
“Firaxis combats the inherent bloat of the 4X genre with partial success. All of the big new ideas in Civilization 7 work well and it’s tighter and more engaging than any of its predecessors. Nevertheless, your sense of connection still begins to wane by the midgame.”
“Its design broadly works, and a certain kind of city-optimising fan may even love it. But its lack of character is endemic, the extent of its annoying habits and oversights shocking for a series of such pedigree. It’s a dull, contradictory game, and instead of showing everyone how it’s done, it’s felt since hour one like a game that leaves the 4X throne empty.”
It’s worth keeping in mind that these early reviews are based on the PC version of Civilization 7, so we’ll have to see how the console versions fare in the coming days and weeks. At the time of posting, Civilization VII has a Metacritic score of 81 and an OpenCritic rating of 88, with the game launching for Xbox Series X|S on February 11th, 2025.
