Summary
Strategy is everything inSid Meier’s Civilization, and players are constantly scheming for the most efficient ways to reach their preferred victory conditions. Winning doesn’t always have to consist of players marching armies around the world in an imitation of Alexander the Great, since Firaxis provides a myriad ofpaths to victory inCivilization 6. While none of these victory conditions are significantly simpler to achieve than the other, as each comes with unique hurdles for players to overcome, a few near-failproof strategies have emerged to get gamers consistent success. The historical patterns ofCivilization’s gameplay have become predictable over the years, andCivilization 7can send players back to the drawing board with a few tweaks to counter their go-to moves.
Civilization 6’s playthroughs often demanded players to go through a sequence of mental checklists to ensure they were on the path to victory from the start of a match, such as choosing favorable terrain to start their nation and founding cities rapidly. Quick construction came at the cost of planning for many players, but the general idea was the more cities a player had, the more resources for cultivation. Along withbuildingCivilizationfarmsacross each city and maximizing output, there were some well-known methods to get ahead of the AI competition en route to a victory condition. Firaxis could shake up the status quo with a few improvements that force gamers to think outside the box in Civilization, enhancing its strategy component.
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New Policy Penalties and Weaknesses Could Add a Fresh Layer of Paint to Civilization
Eachleader in theCivilizationfranchisecomes equipped with Unique Abilities, and players pattern their gameplay around the strengths of their chosen rulers. Combined with the nation’s unique abilities, establishing an advantage in an area ofCivilization’s gameplay becomes easy due to the bonuses. The Russians, for instance, give an extra territory tile for each newly created city due to their Mother Russia ability, and as players expand their borders on the map, these boons come in handy. Peter’s Grand Embassy ability gives Russian players science or culture points from trade routes, adding to their territorial prowess.
To spice things up, Firaxis could introduce a bane to the boons of its nations and leaders. Throughout history, countries have had their defining strengths, such as Russia’s sheer size and the United States' enormous production potential. However, strength in one area usually comes with deficiencies in another, andCivilization 7should consider making its leaders susceptible to certain conditions like weather, productivity, and terrain. A battle in open fields against a nomadic nation like the Mongols should spell disaster for other nations and force gamers to work on their warfare mechanics.
Strategies start to shine through aroundCivilization’s mid-game, and there are specialized government types like Monarchy and Theocracy that players can bolster by progressing through policies. AlthoughCivilization 6gives a government legacy bonus for sticking with one style of governance, gamers can switch policies according to their most pressing needs. This dynamic admittedly lends fluidity toCivilization 6, but there should be penalties for straying away from a previously adopted style of governance. A minor deduction in Gold that stacks up over time as players change policy repeatedly could do the trick.
Another path Firaxis could explore to keep its gameplay fresh is anew victory condition forCivilization 7. SinceCivilization 6first hit the market, players have studied every criterion for winning extensively, and while the developer can change a few things to make life a bit more difficult, a new victory condition would scatter residual knowledge into the wind. Strategies would have to be redefined to counter AI moves in this regard, making for an exciting sequel to one of the most popular strategy mainline editions.
