Sid Meier's Civilization VII: A Disappointing Debut
Many Firaxis fans eagerly awaited the next installment in the Civilization franchise. However, Civilization VII's Steam launch has been met with overwhelmingly negative feedback. Players are expressing significant dissatisfaction with the game's numerous flaws.
At the time of writing, over 1,000 reviews have been submitted, resulting in a dismal 37% score. Common complaints center around a clunky and outdated user interface, graphically underwhelming visuals, and a pervasive sense of incompletion.
One user, Cool CGI Dog, after a mere 1.5 hours of gameplay, described the experience as "blatantly incomplete," citing "resource icons from 1998," a "terrible interface," and an overall "sloppy" presentation. They expressed disappointment in Firaxis's apparent lack of attention to detail, contrasting the current state of Civ VII with the polished release of its predecessor, Civ VI. The $70 price point was deemed unjustified, stating that the game requires a complete UI overhaul to even partially warrant the cost.
Another player, WillNever, echoed these sentiments after 2.5 hours of play. They characterized the interface as an "alpha-phase design" that hasn't been improved since. While acknowledging the potential of the new mechanics, they emphasized the significant effort required to navigate the poor interface, suggesting months of work are needed to make the game enjoyable.
The prevailing opinion among reviewers is that Civ VII was released prematurely and is in dire need of substantial improvements. The $70 price tag is particularly contentious, with many players believing it doesn't reflect the game's current quality.
The Civilization series has a long-standing reputation for excellence, and fans are hopeful that Firaxis will address the criticism through future updates. While the potential is there, the current state of Civilization VII falls far short of expectations.
