Civilization 7: The First Preview

ign.com:

There's nothing quite like the moment right before sitting down to see a new Civilization game for the first time – particularly since this is the longest we've ever had to wait for a new one – and I'm happy to say I came away with a pretty positive outlook on Civilization VII. It's a more daring, risky take on the formula than any of the past few iterations have been, and I think that's definitely the way to go, considering those older games aren't going anywhere and are still quite playable. From Ages that completely transform your chosen civ, to a bold, readable, but grounded new art style, Firaxis is already putting their best foot forward.

The historical 4X space has gotten a lot more crowded since Civ 6, and it seems apparent Firaxis has been paying attention to what others dipping a toe into the genre have been doing. That leads us to the biggest single change Civ 7 is introducing: like in 2020's Humankind, you won't be playing a single civilization for your entire campaign.

There are three distinct Ages: Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern. The devs were quick to point out that Ages aren't exactly equivalent to Eras in past Civ games, since they're quite a bit longer and more distinct. By turn 125 on Standard speed, I was still in 1150 BCE according to the RP clock, for instance. A campaign should take about the same amount of time as in past Civ games. You'll pick a new civ to play for each Age, with its own bonuses, units, and map graphics. The thing that will stay with you is your initial choice of leader, a 3D avatar for your entire campaign that comes with their own set of permanent bonuses.

The leaders themselves remain visually consistent through the ages – you won't see Hatshepsut in a pant suit in modern times, for instance. And they're all civilization agnostic. Hatshepsut's bonuses synergize well with those of the ancient Egyptian civ, so you'll have some incentive to match a leader to their historical people if you're min-maxing. But you can play her