This game is awful. (I've played since 1st civ)

[Tolgarn]

Ok, I'm an old man, played civ since the beginning. I was excited to sit down and enjoy the latest installment. The Civilization series has always brought me great joy and entertainment. That being said, there is my honest review.

Currently I'm asking for a refund, the game is utterly incomplete and an embarrassment to the franchise.

Graphics: 8/10 - Decent graphics, however the terrain feels like a board game and not alive and vibrant.

Gameplay: 2/10 - Here is the nail in the coffin. The game attempted to adopted Humankind's era strategy with their own flare. It failed miserably, and it was a hindrance to enjoying an era. Civilization's strength had always been the smooth transition from era to era. Feeling like a story, yet making you realize that you had to have a balanced approach to your opponents (AI or player). I happened to notice they ripped off Ara: History untold with their "expert" placement in cities. Civilization was once the benchmark for other grand strategy games, now they just copy their competitors. It's rather disappointing.

Sound/Voice-overs: 9/10 - Music is decent, voice-overs good. This aspect I'm not going to criticize .

Overall recommendation: 4/10 As I stated previously, I'm asking for a refund. In its current its by far and away the worst installment to the franchise. The product feels unfinished and rushed and a collection of other games in the genre. It's heartbreaking, but being a lifelong fan I will follow its progress and hope that the game makes a turn-around. Both for the future of the game and its fans, and the future of grand strategy games as a whole.

[killllljoy]

Remember when the keyboard inputted commands to your units? Good times...

[dcbobo]

Remember when spearmen took out tanks, ahh that incredible smooth era transitions, those were the day....

[Tolgarn]

Oh trust me, I remember some of the goofy times playing all the civ's, however I always enjoyed the games. This is just an abomination.

[Larkis]

So you have never informed about the game, has never read a preview, watched a video or at least, read the storepage. But give a 100€ preorder?

I dont think the game is a problem here.

So just an advice for the future, inform yourself,before you soebd so much money. You would be an easy target for a scam.

[Tolgarn]

Larkis, I have always been dedicated to the series and a lifelong fan. I remember people hating civ 6 compared to civ 5. I, however, enjoyed civ 6 a ton. I thought it was a well done game that showed amazing promise. When the expansions for the game were released it improved the game.

I perfer to form my own opinion, modern day reviewers are often people my childrens age and don't have the experience in gaming that I have. The money was not an issue, however buying an unfinished product is.

[Gumpo]

I too have played the whole franchise from the begining... and this is the first of the games I havn't bought on day one since Civ 2.

I might have risked it, because I liked Humankind... but the combination of the questionable list of leaders and the choice to use Denuvo on top of the Era mechanic feeling off to me for the franchise, added up to make my choice "wait and see". It feels odd, but I'll be watching to see if they drop Denuvo and tidy up the gameplay via Expansions. Hopefully they can fix it up. (Both 5 and 6 felt a bit incomplete on launch, and needed the expansions before the games felt as complete as 4 was, so, I can always hold out hope, right?)

[Tolgarn]

Gumpo, agree with everything you said. I loved humankind, great game and very fresh. That being said, I've loved Civilization, and couldn't wait to get my hands on the next installment. So as you can imagine, after a few hours of playing this, I was mortified. I honestly couldn't believe what I was playing.

I actually didn't want to click "Next turn" but I forced myself to try and love the game and look for the positive. After completing one Era, and being thrust into the next I was like....ok some of my cities are back to towns, my army looks completely different. No gradual advancement that felt like I accomplished something.

That was the moment I stepped away.

[Surge]

Remember when they made a game you play on your PC with a UI designed for a mouse...

What a joke.

[dcbobo]

Originally posted by Tolgarn:

Larkis, I have always been dedicated to the series and a lifelong fan. I remember people hating civ 6 compared to civ 5. I, however, enjoyed civ 6 a ton. I thought it was a well done game that showed amazing promise. When the expansions for the game were released it improved the game.

I perfer to form my own opinion, modern day reviewers are often people my childrens age and don't have the experience in gaming that I have. The money was not an issue, however buying an unfinished product is.

And there is the problem. Every Civ since 2 has been an unfinished product. You are literally one of the haters you're talking about for 6 now. Instead of accepting it's not gonna be your favorite. You come telling us how awful and unfinished it is... I mean it's clearly not awful, and it's just as unfinished as all of em since 3 have been. For you to be experienced, this same stuff has been going on since 3. Only difference, you joined the hater crowd heh

[Deezlar]

I played Civ1 for 36 hours non stop when it launched. I suffered hallucinations but still didn't want to sleep until I absolutely had to, and when I woke up I carried on playing

Civ7, I can't play for more than 20 minutes before something REALLY annoys me and have to put it down.
As a fellow old man, I agree with you.. it's just not finished

I hope it can be redeemed, because the Civ games (including hundreds of hours on the original Colonization on my Amiga 1200) have been the most consistent series of my gaming life

[killllljoy]

Originally posted by Surge:

Remember when they made a game you play on your PC with a UI designed for a mouse...

What a joke.

Agreed, How do you mess up mouse and keyboard on a PC game? HOW?!?

[schmonz]

I agree. I still hope they manage to solve the problems.

[AdahnGorion]

Civ series have been in a downspiral since they casualized for the casual mainstream in Civ4.

[bshock]

This one is highly divisive, much like Civ 5 and 6 at launch. Always interesting to see if Firaxis can turn it around and make it something most people enjoy. I highly doubt it this time with the age mechanic. A lot seem like they refuse to accept it.

[Danny]

Originally posted by Tolgarn:

Gumpo, agree with everything you said. I loved humankind, great game and very fresh. That being said, I've loved Civilization, and couldn't wait to get my hands on the next installment. So as you can imagine, after a few hours of playing this, I was mortified. I honestly couldn't believe what I was playing.

I actually didn't want to click "Next turn" but I forced myself to try and love the game and look for the positive. After completing one Era, and being thrust into the next I was like....ok some of my cities are back to towns, my army looks completely different. No gradual advancement that felt like I accomplished something.

That was the moment I stepped away.

Don't feel you have to defend yourself. Those of us old timers, like myself, that fell in love with Civ 1 get exactly what you're saying. I just closed, and opened the game 4 times, forcing myself to go back, hoping I'm just being moody. But each time I close the game in annoyance. Start again, and repeat.

The UI is rushed. I'm not sure what they were going for. Realism? It is in many ways, but like you said, it falls flat and looks cheap. I would rather cartoons than whatever this is. The UI is VERY glitchy. Maybe this is a generational thing. Kids buying Civ 7 for consoles probably aren't used to 100% responsive perfect UIs lol. Consoles by their nature aren't PC's with a 101 key keyboard. Maybe they don't mind @#$%!ing clicking on a unit 3 times trying to get it to complete the action you want, but I'm used to hitting C on my keyboard, and instantly performing an action.

Maybe this is just how it has to be to sell to the "console" crowd. I have no doubt compromises have to be made to make it playable across platforms. So all that I would be willing to forgive. I mean, I play Civ 5 exclusively and its graphics are obviously very dated.

But the game play. Holy crap. It is so bloated from the beginning with so many minor choices and constant pop ups. WTF do I care if they army needs to be told to settle down. Honestly these incessant irritants are the biggest ruin factor for me. I'm trying to build a civilisation - I don't care if some folks out over in town A want to throw a party. I really can't stress how much I hate the ridiculous distracting bloat from what the game was originally about. It is just so tedious and boring to play. I can't stick to it. LOL.

That is what upsets me most. Sucks it was such an expensive game. I suspect they knew they could ride on their past successes. But I've learned, I won't be pre-ordering Civ 8.