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

Civilization VII's Early Access Launch Met with Negative Steam Reviews

Civilization VII (Civ 7), released five days early via Steam's Advanced Access, has received overwhelmingly negative player feedback, resulting in a "mostly negative" rating on the platform. This comes despite high anticipation for the game, the first main installment since Civ VI in 2016.

The primary criticisms center around three key areas:

User Interface (UI): Many players find the UI significantly inferior to Civ VI's, describing it as "janky," "ugly," and even comparing it to a free mobile game. Concerns have been raised that Firaxis Games prioritized console development, leading to a limited and unpolished UI experience on PC.

Maps and Map Customization: Players are unhappy with the limited map options. Civ 7 offers only three map sizes (Small, Medium, Large) compared to Civ VI's five, and customization options are severely lacking. Navigation and information about map types are also criticized as insufficient.

Resource Mechanics: The shift from Civ VI's map-based resource system to a city/empire-based strategic resource management system has been met with disapproval. Players argue the older system offered greater replayability.

Firaxis Games has acknowledged the negative feedback, specifically addressing UI concerns and promising ongoing improvements through updates and expansions. They have also encouraged players to provide further feedback on desired map features. The future of Civ 7's reception remains to be seen, contingent on the developer's ability to address these significant player concerns before the official release.