Civilization 7 review roundup: 'Say goodbye to your free time'
Civilization VII has received fairly strong reviews, but it's divided some critics
π Civilization 7 has a Metacritic score of 80 after 52 critic reviews
π€© The game has 81% positive reviews, 15% mixed and 1% negative
β Itβs the seventh entry in the popular strategy series
π The game is out on February 11 for PC and consoles
Sid Meierβs Civilization 7 releases next week, and the reviews for the latest entry in the popular strategy game series are in.
It sounds like the seventh entry mixes things up in a significant way, but some reviewers have lamented some of the changes. That hasnβt stopped the game from achieving a Metacritic score of 80 after 52 critic reviews, but there are some lower scores than expected. Hereβs what critics made of Sid Meierβs Civilization VII.
VGC gave Civilization 7 a perfect score and said:
βCivilization 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.β
The Guardian felt the same as VGC, awarding Civ 7 a maximum score:
βCivilization VII is very much the Civilization for now β deep and complex, but with an emphasis on human drama and achievement rather than the sweep of faceless units across a mathematical matrix. 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.β
Other outlets werenβt quite as enamoured with Civilization 7, but still awarded the game a solid 8/10. Both GameSpot and GamesRadar+ awarded the game an 8, with GamesRadar+ saying:
βCivilization 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 β along with Firaxis' biggest gamble in tackling the tedium of long-running campaigns β pays off superbly.β
However, IGN felt the game was only worthy of 7/10, and said:
βWith 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. Itβs frustratingly inadequate at providing me with the information I need to play well, or even understand what's going on sometimes.
Even so, it does have improved warfare and diplomacy, a bit of added narrative flair, as well as mostly gorgeous graphics and sound, so it can still give me reasons to keep clicking one more turn late into the night. Thereβs good reason to believe that with Firaxisβs usual pace of patches and expansions it can refine its new ideas and become everything it ought to be, and while whatβs here right now is at least still a fun time, itβs also a bigger step backward for the series than weβre accustomed to when a new age dawns.β
PCGamesN were also more reserved with its praise, and said in its 7/10 review:
βFiraxis 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.β
It sounds like existing fans of the Civilization series will find plenty to enjoy with Civ 7, and the new changes could even be what some players have been crying out for. However, thereβs a risk that some may be turned off by the gameβs new direction.
Check out the upcoming PS5 games and upcoming Xbox games lists to see whatβs up next for Sony and Microsoftβs consoles.
Up next: Donkey Kong Country Returns HD review roundup: 'a fine remaster'
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcutβs Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadarβs Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.