Unleashing the Unexpected: How Civ 7 Revolutionizes Strategy Gaming

Highlights

While there are multiple victory conditions in Civilization 6, some near-failproof strategies have emerged to achieve consistent success.

Firaxis should incorporate nation and leader weaknesses in order to make players incorporate weather, productivity, and terrain into their strategies more effectively.

In Civilization 7, penalties such as a gradual decrease in gold should be implemented when players change government policies to enhance the complexity of the gameplay.

Strategy is essential in Sid Meier's Civilization. Players are constantly strategizing to achieve their desired victory conditions. Winning does not always require players to mimic the conquests of historical figures like Alexander the Great. Civilization 6 offers various paths to victory, each with its own challenges. However, some tried-and-true strategies have emerged to consistently succeed in the game. Familiar patterns of gameplay have made Civilization predictable over the years, but Civilization 7 could introduce changes that challenge players to think differently and counter their usual moves. In Civilization 6, successful playthroughs involved following mental checklists to ensure a strong start, such as selecting advantageous terrain for starting the nation and rapidly founding cities. However, this often led to neglecting long-term planning. The general idea was that more cities meant more resources for cultivation, coupled with the construction of farms and maximizing output. There were also well-known methods to gain an edge over AI opponents on the path to victory. Firaxis could introduce improvements that disrupt the established strategies in Civilization, elevating its strategic element.

New Policy Penalties and Weaknesses Could Add a Fresh Layer of Paint to Civilization

Every leader in the Civilization franchise possesses Unique Abilities, guiding players to tailor their gameplay based on the strengths of their chosen rulers. With the nation's individual capabilities, gaining an advantage in specific aspects of Civilization's gameplay becomes effortless thanks to these bonuses. Consider the Russians, who grant an additional territory tile for every newly established city with their Mother Russia ability. As players expand their borders on the map, these advantages prove useful. Moreover, Peter's Grand Embassy ability allows Russian players to earn science or culture points from trade routes, further enhancing their territorial dominance.

To inject some excitement, Firaxis could introduce challenges that counterbalance the advantages of nations and leaders. Throughout history, countries have showcased defining strengths, like Russia's vast size or the United States' immense production capacity. However, such strengths often come with accompanying weaknesses in other areas. In Civilization 7, it would be worth considering making leaders susceptible to certain conditions such as weather, productivity, and terrain. Engaging in battle on open fields against a nomadic nation like the Mongols would spell disaster for other nations, compelling gamers to improve their warfare strategies.

In Civilization's mid-game, the strategies become more prominent. There are different specialized government types such as Monarchy and Theocracy that players can strengthen by progressing through policies. While Civilization 6 rewards players with a government legacy bonus for sticking with one style of governance, they can still switch policies according to their immediate needs. This adds fluidity to the game, but there should be penalties for deviating from a previously adopted style of governance. One possible penalty could be a gradual deduction in Gold as players repeatedly change policies.

To keep the gameplay fresh in Civilization 7, Firaxis could consider introducing a new victory condition. Since players have extensively studied all the criteria for winning in Civilization 6, a new victory condition would disrupt their existing knowledge. This would require redefining strategies to counter the AI's actions, creating an exciting sequel to one of the most popular strategy games.

Sid Meier's Civilization 7 is currently in development.