Every franchise game developer faces a certain challenge where they must strike a balance between catering to their loyal player base while also trying to bring new players into the franchise to help it grow. A sort of Food versus Production conversation, if you will. For Firaxis and Civ 7, I feel like the scale has been tipped a bit too far in the direction of the newer player, even if I have been enjoying the game as a long-time Civilization fan. So, this begs the question – is Civ 7 the best entry point in the franchise for new players, and is that something that Firaxis should be focused on to this degree?
Civ fans have long been used to mostly the same experience within the franchise, even with slight deviations coming along the way. Graphics change, gameplay features come and go, but the core of the series has remained the same for years. And, to an extent, Civ 7 is no different from the rest. You pursue victory paths on a hexagonal board against other empires, same as always.
However, Civ 7 has introduced some of the most massive gameplay disruptions in the series’ history with Ages and the ability to pair Leaders with different Civilizations. These have changed the core Civilization experience to what I believe to be the most dramatic degree that the franchise has ever seen. This begs the question, “Is this dramatic shift more appealing for new players or long-time veterans? Or can it appeal equally to both?”
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With this sort of change that breaks down Civ games into three kinds of mini-games, it feels like Civ 7 is one of the most palatable Civ games yet, if not the most. It feels like a new player can come in and be able to enjoy the game just like a veteran would, with far fewer questions than a previous iteration would present. Sure, their yields would be less optimized and a lower difficulty may be better suited, but it feels like there is a lot of refreshing simplicity and a focus on being streamlined in Civ 7. This extends past the addition of Ages as well.
Army Commanders reduce unit maintenance and tediousness (or at least that is some of their intent), Towns create passive income, Legacy Paths give you a clear objective at each stage of the game, Leader and Civ combinations allow for specific and tailored strategies, and Ages make games less daunting. Even as someone who has played hundreds of hours of previous Civ iterations, Civ 7’s changes have me enjoying the game in a completely different way than previous games. I play more games of a single Age, am excited to try different off-meta combinations and playstyles, and don’t feel like I’m quitting on a game when I decide to end a run after the Antiquity Age. It’s been a refreshing change.
Overall, with any major changes like these, there are going to be those who love and hate the new system. But, with a game as technical and savvy as Civilization, I find the changes to be extremely exciting for how it will help the series grow and scale into the future. Younger generations need to find this franchise for it to survive long-term, and these core changes seem aimed at that goal.
For any veteran players, there are ways to dig into this game and discover all of the hidden layers of optimization that we’re always on the hunt for. It’s still an incredibly complex game at its core, even if some of the systems have been optimized and simplified. It’s not that Civ 7 isn’t for the tenured and loyal fans, but it is far more for the newer player as I see it.
Either way, I’m having a ton of fun playing even months after release and see no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
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