PaigeFTW: ‘Civilization VI’ is My Addiction
Back in those dark days before I had my gaming PC, the only things I could really play on my creaking laptop were in 2D. Civilization V was only barely workable if I played it on the lowest quality — which I did, for more than 100 hours (and a lot of freezing).
Civilization VI came out several weeks ago, and I pretended I didn’t care and that I was going to wait for the inevitable Steam sale, but, well … here’s my review after a madcap weekend with it.
Things are, for the most part, the same. As always, your budding empire starts with nothing but stone clubs before whirling outwards and, you know, going Gandhi with nukes. Your oversight in research, expansion and policy determines whether you flourish or fall.
Much of what was introduced in Civ V remains, including religion and spying. Aside from the cosmetic overhaul and leader swaps, the biggest change (in my opinion) is city management. Rather than all improvements, world wonders and buildings being crammed into a single tile, you’ll now have to spread them around the city limits. Is it smart to demolish all your farms for military barracks? Now it’s something you have to think about.
I spent my first full game patiently trying out the new features, and then I was destroyed by, of all things, Norway spreading Protestantism to the world (I never even got a Great Prophet to found a religion…). And I was leading in all the other victory categories at the time!
There’s just a ton to think about now. To win, you’ve got to have a finger in every pie (I am not good at this, being as every Civ victory I have ever had revolves around science). It’s complex, pushing you to think harder — in short, Civilization VI remains as vigorous as ever. Rome, after all, wasn’t built in a day, and nor will my empire.
