AS SOMEONE who enjoys studying history and reflecting on the lives of the most iconic historical figures, spending hours playing Sid Meier's Civilization VII felt like warping into a universe where various timelines would merge.
It felt great playing the role of these prominent historical figures with the aim of spreading one's influence to other factions and civilizations.
And in the recent installments, the game manages to innovate thanks to its recent gameplay changes. Just how does Civilization VII fare compare to its predecessors?
Democracy at its finest
The newest feature in Civ VII encourages players to choose a leader and civilization independently and this offers a breath of fresh air for the series.
Previous installments would focus more on emperors, presidents, prime ministers, kings and queens to take control of their respective civs, but this time around the game incorporates nationalist writers (Jose Rizal), scientists (Benjamin Franklin), philosophers (Confucius), and other prominent figures as leaders instead of the usual heads of states.
This sheds more light on history, going beyond political and military narratives to further explore the intellectual, cultural, and scientific contributions that shaped civilizations.
In addition players are given more freedom as they can also choose their own civilization, that's not historically tied to their chosen leader.
So imagine Jose Rizal, a Filipino Nationalist, taking charge of Ancient Rome and even the French Empire.
Personally I love the touch they've done to diversify the game from a historical standpoint, but are these changes enough?
A revolution begins?
Generally speaking, Civilization VII's gameplay remains true to its roots as the same elements from previous installement remain, to the point that veteran players may not feel inclined to play the latest version of the game and they can remain loyal to playing Civ V or VI.
However when looking at some of the other changes into the game, there have been some notable improvements that offer a smooth experience.
The gameplay has been more simplified as there were complex features that were taken away making it a welcome addition for newcomers of the series. The level of detail in managing armies and cities isn't as daunting as in the previous Civ games.
However ironically it can be argued that the game can also be confusing for newcomers. While the gameplay elements have been simplified, the overall information being dumped into players could be overwhelming.
Then when looking at the gameplay features for veteran Civ players, there have been some key features from previous Civs that were taken away, making Civ VII feel like a unique experience.
This is evident when discussing the game's decision to introduce a unique 'Age' level up mechanic where players will need to accomplish certain milestones en route to reaching a new historical age. When reaching a new stage, players will be required to choose another civilization.
Personally I prefer to keep my civilization from the beginning all the way to the end as I would rather see the progress of my civilization grow to the point where I can forge my own historical narrative. Switching to another civilization feels like erasing the identity of the previous civ and starting a new nation from scratch.
At the end of the day, the changes introduced could be a welcome sight or a turnoff, plus there are some notable concerns that players need to look out for. For one, the UI (user interface) can be confusing and overwhelming, though Firaxis just recently unveiled an update to address this issue.
A remarkable biographical epic
Then when looking at the overall visualization and design, Civilization VII manages to stand the test of time. The character movements and appearances looked very polished, plus the sound design has been cinematic as expected of a Civ game.
As usual, the voice-acting has been brilliantly done as players will feel the aura of their chosen leaders when they deliver their speeches at the start of the game, all the way to their interactions to their rivals.
This even translates to the other aspects of the game, from the discovery of wonders, the declaration of war, the combat units moving and attacking, and so on.
Meanwhile the music of the game composed by Geoff Knorr, Roland Rizzo, and Christopher Tin have been a massive blessing as this has kept me engaged.
Each age will have a set of musical scores that will heighten the overall experience. Some scores will make you feel like you're commanding a military army to glory, while others will make you feel as if you're basking in your own greatness.
CONCLUSION
Is it a must buy? For now, Civilization VII is a solid game but far from a masterpiece as there could be added features that will be included to further enhance the spectacle, though be warned as this could be used as a magnet to entice players to spend more to acquire DLCs.
While there could be question marks with the developers' decision to go for a massive gaemplay shift, especially for veteran Civ players, the changes introduced doesn't seem to pull the game further downhill as it can be argued that they offer a unique twist that could enhance the overall experience.
As Mahatma Gandhi once said: "Be the change you want to see in this world," and it remains unclear if Firaxis' bold tweaks would set a new standard for the franchise.
Will the community gradually accept these changes? Will Firaxis proceed with this approach or will they revert back to their previous formulas in the upcoming installments?
Only the passage of time will tell, but overall Civ VII is still a fun game that's worth a millennium of historical narratives.
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