Civ 7 Steam Version Suffers Deluge of Negative Reviews as Advanced Access Releases

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

Civilization VII (Civ 7), released five days early via Steam's Advanced Access, has been met with a deluge of negative player feedback, resulting in a "mostly negative" overall rating on the platform. This contrasts sharply with the high anticipation surrounding the game's release, the first in the series since Civ VI in 2016.

The primary criticisms center around several key areas:

User Interface (UI): Many players find the UI significantly inferior to Civ VI, describing it as "janky," "ugly," and even comparing it to a "free mobile knockoff." Concerns have been raised that Firaxis Games prioritized console development, leading to a perceived lack of UI options and a generally "barren" experience.

Maps and Map Customization: Players have voiced strong dissatisfaction with the map system. Issues include difficulties in map selection, limited map size options (only small, medium, and large, compared to Civ VI's five sizes), and a lack of customization choices. The lack of detailed map type information during selection has also been criticized.

Resource Mechanics: The revised resource mechanics, which assign resources to cities or empires through strategic management instead of direct tile gathering (as in Civ VI), have been met with resistance. Players argue that the previous system offered greater replayability.

Firaxis Games has acknowledged the negative feedback, particularly regarding the UI, stating they are actively investigating the issues and committed to ongoing improvements through future updates and expansions. They encourage players to continue providing feedback. The future of Civ 7's reception remains uncertain, heavily dependent on the developer's response to these widespread concerns.