Fans are smashing Civilization 7 on Steam: The game is being heavily criticized

Sid Meier's Civilization VII: A Disappointing Launch

High expectations surrounded the release of Sid Meier's Civilization VII, but early Steam reviews paint a concerning picture. The game is currently suffering from overwhelmingly negative feedback, scoring a mere 37% based on over 1,000 reviews at the time of writing.

Key criticisms center around a poorly-executed interface, outdated graphics, and a pervasive sense of incompletion. One player, Cool CGI Dog, after 1.5 hours of gameplay, described the experience as "blatantly incomplete," citing "resource icons from 1998," a "terrible interface," and an overall lack of polish. They expressed disappointment with Firaxis, contrasting Civ VII's state with the superior quality of Civ VI, and deemed the $70 price tag unjustified. The player felt personally let down by the game's quality.

Another user, WillNever, echoed these sentiments after 2.5 hours of play, characterizing the interface as an "alpha-phase" design that remains unchanged. While acknowledging interesting new mechanics, they emphasized the interface's significant detriment to gameplay, stating that "months of tweaking" are needed to make the game enjoyable.

The consensus among many reviewers is that Civilization VII launched prematurely and requires substantial improvements. The $70 price point is a particular point of contention, deemed disproportionate to the game's current state.

The Civilization franchise's legacy is built on quality and meticulous detail. Fans remain hopeful that Firaxis will address the substantial criticisms through updates, restoring the game to the standard expected of the series. However, in its current form, Civilization VII falls far short of expectations.