Firaxis fans eagerly awaited the release of Sid Meier's Civilization VII, expecting another masterpiece to add to the iconic series. However, the initial reviews on Steam paint a different picture, with overwhelmingly negative feedback. Players are vocal about their dissatisfaction with the game's substandard interface, outdated graphics, and a pervasive feeling of incompleteness.
At the time of this post, the game has garnered over 1,000 reviews, achieving a dismal 37% rating. User Cool CGI Dog, who played for approximately 1.5 hours, expressed their disappointment:
The game feels... so blatantly incomplete after a few minutes, especially by Civ standards. The resource icons appear to be from 1998, the interface is terrible, and everything is extremely sloppy.
There isn't any discernible care, which is something I didn't anticipate from Firaxis. The release of Civ VI is a far cry from this incomplete mess. At the very least, Civ VII's interface needs a total visual makeover to at least partially justify its outrageous $70 price tag. With this game, Sid Meyer himself slapped me around and spat in my mouth. I also didn't agree to it.
Another player, WillNever, who spent about 2.5 hours in the game, echoed these sentiments:
The interface appears and feels as though it was designed during the alpha phase of development and hasn't been altered or enhanced since. Although the new mechanics are intriguing, it is not worth the effort to navigate this awful interface. To make the game fun, months of tweaking are required.
The consensus among reviewers is that Civilization VII was released prematurely and is in dire need of substantial improvements. The $70 price tag has been a particular point of contention, as many feel it does not reflect the game's current quality.
Fans of the series are hopeful that Firaxis will heed the community's feedback and roll out updates to address these issues, ultimately restoring the game to the high standards the Civilization series is known for. While the series has always been celebrated for its meticulous attention to detail and quality, Civilization VII, in its current state, falls short of these expectations. Fans remain optimistic that future updates will bring the game up to par with its predecessors.
