When I was seven years old, I got my very first video game: Civilization III. Because I was so young, I didn’t understand how to play most effectively. Still, my lack of game sense didn’t stop me from immersing myself in an alternate history where I could pit Greek hoplites against Aztec jaguar warriors. Immersion was key.

It wasn’t until Civilization VI that I fully understood the inner workings of a Civ game. The world turned into a set of manipulable numbers to secure victory. Immersion melted away. I was, however, still hooked. Even if I couldn’t imagine myself as the leader of a nation anymore, Civilization VI remains my most played game according to Steam.

Now, Civilization VII is reinventing the wheel once again. In recreating the iconic game’s systems, Firaxis has crafted something that expertly maneuvers between immersing the player in alternate history and allowing them to master the game’s mechanics.

Three games in one

In the trailers and previews leading up to today, Civilization VII looked less like itself and more like a copy of other 4X games (which were, in turn, copying from Sid Meier’s series). Instead of the seamless transitions between eras that were characteristic of the series in the past, the new title pares everything down into three Ages. Plus, at the end of each Age, Civs can reinvent themselves into one more apt to the incoming Age. Humankind, anyone?

However, after playing the game for a day, I can safely say that calling Civilization VII a Humankind copy is terribly unfair. Each Age stands up for itself but still lets one build up from another. It’s a feat that Humankind was never able to do.

Plus, in making each Age stand out, it rekindles the epic transitions that were in Civilization III. Back then, the end of each era came with a transition screen that transformed old cities into new. Civilization VI did away with this entirely. The seventh game, on the other hand, has its own setup screen, making it an extremely big deal that the times are changing.

All their own Ages

I’ve only played through the Age of Antiquity and the Age of Exploration. However, just from those two, I can see how different each Age is.

In the Age of Antiquity, the game is about expanding throughout your entire starting continent. It’s a game that seasoned Civilization players will find familiarity with.

However, things change drastically in the Age of Exploration. In most of my games in the previous title, I almost never dabble in colonialism and exploration. I was perfectly content with turtling in my home continent. In most cases, I still won my game. In this game, however, the system forces you to engage in exploration. It is, after all, how you “win” that Age.

As such, the Age of Exploration feels like an entirely different game. However, it’s still based on the previous Age. Though it seems like a fresh start, it doesn’t make me feel that everything I did in the Age of Antiquity was for naught.

Making them feel different

Beside the systems themselves, one of the biggest reasons why each Age has its own identity is a better focus on visual and audio design. In Civilization VI, changes between the different eras were there but not pronounced. You might not have even noticed them.

In Civilization VII, it’s more apparent. Your Civ’s buildings change in a much more blatant way to follow the time period. Additionally, buildings can change depending on the tile they’re settled on. For example, tundra-settled cities are more obviously covered in snow.

Another huge win is a much more identifiable soundtrack. Never mind the epic pieces composed by Christopher Tin, the franchise’s soundtrack since the fourth game has always felt like an afterthought. Sometimes I still listen to the third game’s soundtrack on loop. I don’t do that with the fourth through the sixth’s soundtracks. I think this changes with the seventh game. The new game’s soundtrack sounds more alive, more willing to immerse you in your chosen Civ’s culture.

Randomness in immersion

Another way that immersion slowly left the series is through an air of predictability. Everything could have been boiled down to numbers and charts. The sixth game was all about optimizing yields to outclass the opponent. Don’t get me wrong; having a more gameplay-focused system worked well for the series. But if you’re looking for a mix between an RPG and a strategy game, you’re better off somewhere else.

Civilization VII changes this by adding narrative events peppered throughout the experience. There’s a new and refreshing air of randomness. Though the rewards for participating in an event are quantifiable, the flavor text makes it worthwhile. You’re actually writing your Civ’s story while helping them get a leg up on their goals.

And these events are also steeped in the leader you chose. It’s not just a single set of random occurrences. An event can sometimes reflect your leader’s characteristics.

Bringing back the charm of the series

Civilization III remains one of my favorite games because of the nostalgia it brings from the countless hours I played it as a kid. Over time, the game matured, albeit still keeping its addictive nature. Today, Civilization VII feels like returning to an old toy where I can get lost for hours and hours roleplaying as an iconic figure or civilization from history.