Summary
The nextCivilizationgame already has quite a bit of pressure on its shoulders. AfterCivilization 6managed to take the franchise to new heights with its unprecedented number of leaders, modes, and mechanics, and managed to capture entirely new audiences across multiple platforms,Civilization 7has more eyes on it than any previous entry in the series.Civilization 7is going to need to go above and beyond to really impress fans.
There are countless ways in whichCivilization 7could improve upon its predecessor, from adding new units to reinventing technology trees to reworking classic victory conditions. But one area that could do with more of a subtle redesign isCivilization 7’s leaders, and in particular, the characterization of those leaders, many of whom have looked, sounded, and acted the same for years now.
How Civilization 7 Can Improve Its Leader Characterization
Civilization 7’s Leaders Should Interact With Each Other
A game centered around historical strategy,Civilization’s world leadershave always been one of the most important features in the entire franchise, being the basis for much of the game’s charm and character. ButCivilization’s leaders have stayed pretty much the same for the best part of three decades. The vast majority of the time, players will only encounter other world leaders when they talk to them directly, either via the game’s diplomacy mechanics, or by initiating an act of war. Fans never get to see world leaders actually interact with one another, and it might be time to change that.
InCivilization 7, it might be refreshing to see other world leaders talk to each other, with the player either watching the interaction passively or being able to chime in with their own thoughts. For instance, if anAI takes over another AI player’s city, these leaders could appear and start bickering, with the player then being prompted to side with one faction or the other. This could giveCivilization’s leaders some much-needed depth and personality, as they currently don’t get to express themselves all that much. It would also be interesting to see world leaders appear more frequently in general, perhaps appearing at random intervals to discuss major events taking place on their side of the map.
Of course,Civilization 7would need to balance all this very carefully. Too many instances of leaders arguing with one another could slow the game’s pace right down and could easily end up feeling more annoying than interesting. The key thing to remember here is to keep these leader encounters short and sweet, injecting them with plenty of humor to keep things fun and lighthearted.
Civilization 7 Could Experiment With More Unique Character Designs
Right up untilCivilization 6’s release in 2016,theCivilizationfranchisewas aiming for an increasingly realistic art style with each new entry, thus leading toCivilization 5’s leaders looking fairly realistic in terms of proportions and physical features. However,Civilization 6ushered in a much more cartoon-y art style. While this art style meant that maps were brighter and more colorful, it did mean that its leaders were given a much more stylized appearance across the board.
It might be fun to seeCivilization 7embrace this stylized aesthetic even further, using it to make its world leaders even more distinct. For instance, each world leader could be given a heavily stylized visual design based on their culture’s traditional artwork, such as renaissance leaders looking like portraits come to life,20th century leaderslooking like a black-and-white photograph, and ancient leaders looking as though they were drawn on the side of a cave wall.
Sid Meier’s Civilization 6
WHERE TO PLAY
Civilization VIoffers new ways to engage with your world: cities now physically expand across the map, active research in technology and culture unlocks new potential, and competing leaders will pursue their own agendas based on their historical traits as you race for one of five ways to achieve victory in the game.Expansive empiresSee the marvels of your empire spread across the map like never before. Each district, wonder, and improvement is built on its own hex, allowing you to customize your city to your heart’s content. From the Commercial Hub to the Spaceport, every district provides unique and powerful bonuses. Pick and choose which districts to build to fit your needs! Build better than your opponents, place yourself strategically for your allies, and become the best civilization on Earth.Active ResearchBoost your civilization’s progress through history to unlock powerful bonuses before anyone else! To advance more quickly, use your units to actively explore, develop your environment, and discover new cultures. Research isn’t just limited to science. Explore the Civics tree to unlock powerful new governments and cultural policies Cultivate the civilization that fits your playstyle, or switch it up every time you play!Dynamic diplomacyAs the game progresses, so do your diplomatic relationships. From primitive first interactions where conflict is a fact of life, to late game alliances and negotiations. Carry influence with nearby city states to gain its diplomatic allegiance and earn game-changing city-state bonuses. Enlist spies to gather crucial intel on rival civilizations, steal precious resources, and even topple governments.
