Civ 7 Steam Launch Drenched in Negative Reviews

Civilization VII's Early Access Launch Receives Overwhelmingly Negative Steam Reviews

Civilization VII (Civ 7) launched its Advanced Access five days ahead of its February 11th official release, but the early reception on Steam has been overwhelmingly negative, resulting in a "Mostly Negative" user review rating. This is a significant disappointment given the high anticipation surrounding the game, the first mainline entry since Civ VI in 2016.

The criticism centers on several key areas:

User Interface (UI): Many players find the UI clunky, unattractive, and inferior to Civ VI's polished interface. Some even describe it as resembling a "free mobile knockoff." Concerns have been raised that Firaxis Games prioritized console development, resulting in a simplified and less customizable UI for the PC version.

Maps and Map Customization: Players are unhappy with the limited map options. Civ 7 offers only three map sizes (Small, Medium, Large), a reduction from Civ VI's five sizes. Furthermore, map selection and customization options are deemed insufficient, with a lack of detailed information provided when browsing map types.

Resource Mechanics: The new resource system, which assigns resources to cities or empires through strategic management rather than direct collection from map tiles, has also drawn considerable criticism. Players argue that the previous system offered greater replayability.

Firaxis Games acknowledged the negative feedback, particularly regarding the UI, stating they are actively investigating player concerns and committed to ongoing improvements through updates and expansions. They also encouraged players to provide specific suggestions for future development. The future of Civ 7's reception remains uncertain, heavily dependent on the developer's response to this significant wave of criticism.