Civilization VII's Advanced Access Launch Met with Negative Steam Reviews
Civilization VII (Civ 7), released five days early via Steam's Advanced Access, has garnered overwhelmingly negative player reviews, resulting in a "mostly negative" rating on the platform. This is despite high anticipation for the game, the first major installment since Civ VI in 2016.
The primary criticisms center around several key areas:
User Interface (UI): Many players find the UI inferior to Civ VI's, describing it as "janky," "ugly," and even comparing it to a free mobile game. Some speculate that Firaxis Games prioritized console development, resulting in a limited and visually unappealing UI for the PC version.
Maps and Map Customization: Concerns have been raised regarding map selection, limited map size options (only small, medium, and large, compared to Civ VI's five), and a lack of customization. Players report insufficient information provided when browsing map types.
Resource Mechanics: The shift from map-based resource gathering (as in Civ VI) to a city/empire-based strategic resource management system has been met with criticism. Players argue the older system offered greater replayability.
Firaxis Games acknowledged the negative feedback, particularly concerning the UI, stating they are actively investigating player concerns and committed to ongoing improvements through updates and expansions. They also encouraged players to provide further feedback on desired map features. The future development of Civ 7 will depend heavily on this player feedback.
