But these struggle to make themselves known among clunky changes that simplify its trademark complex gameplay for the worse.
And the newest chapter, Civilization VII, at first seems to be no different.
Once you start playing, good luck stopping.
For all its creativity and technical polish, Civilization VII is oddly empty.
Fail, and you become a footnote to history.
This particular blend of domestic management, international intrigue, and cutthroat competition works from every angle.
Its not a bad idea.
But this ultimately makes the usually satiny gameplay disjointed by preventing anything from building organically.
Such questions are left unanswered, but Civilization has always thrived on this kind of freedom.
World at war
This control also manifests itself in other ways.
(Wars also invariably started allying with any computer player, which taught me quickly to not bother.)
Want to take a stab at end a war?
But its not quite so grand anymore.
The selection of leaders is narrow and uninspiring (rest assured, forthcoming DLC will let you buy more!
), in part because so many choices fell short of reaching legendary status.
Again, a fine concept that reinforces how societies evolve over time.
Whats worse is that this choice, for all its fanfare, doesnt make an earth-moving difference.
Aside from some architectural and unit changes, direct impact is minimal.
Mass effect
Plenty of other frustrations have a distinct first draft air too.
Tech and civic trees have been pruned heavily, leaving less complex relationships and boring, linear dependencies.
As much as I hate to say it, a lot just seems dumbed down.
City specialists are now one-size-fits-all district additions, not a critical component of city success.
Its odd, but your civilization never registers as completely yours.
Golden age
Despite all this, there are also a lot of genuine improvements and smart additions.
Resources are more dynamic now, bringing bonuses to the settlements where theyre assigned.
And ship movement has been significantly improved.
Civilization VII: Verdict
Finally, it cant be overstated: Civilization VII is still Civilization.
The series that made One More Turn not just a motto but an ethos that remains highly compelling.
It almost doesnt matter if a few things (or a few dozen things) dont work.
Because thats just as true of real-world civilizations, its tempting to want to give Civilization VII a break.
And theres a lot it gets right.
