For many years, it was widely perceived that expansive grand strategy games could not be successfully adapted for home consoles due to their intricate nature. This perception led to a lack of significant titles within the genre being developed for console platforms, resulting in the mainline Civilization series being absent from consoles for two decades.
The release of Civilization VI marked a pivotal moment, as it became the first mainline game since 1999’s Civilization II to be ported to consoles. While the control scheme was not as seamless as the traditional mouse and keyboard configuration, it managed to deliver an adequate experience. Now, with Civilization VII, the franchise is breaking new ground by launching on all platforms simultaneously. This strategic move has proven to be effective, offering console players a robust gaming experience at launch, courtesy of significant enhancements in controller support.
Civilization 7: The Best Console Experience Yet for the Franchise
Enhanced Gameplay: The Action-Cycling Mechanic in Civilization 7
Players who are new to large-scale strategy games on consoles may need some time to adjust, but the control scheme in Civilization VII proves to be user-friendly, thanks to thoughtful refinements from Civilization VI. One standout feature is the innovative action-cycling mechanic. This feature allows players to easily cycle through all available actions during their turn—be it commanding units, selecting Civics, addressing crises, or expanding cities—using a prompt displayed at the bottom-right corner of the screen.
By simply pressing “Y”or the triangle button, players can navigate through actions sequentially, utilize the left stick for selection, and confirm choices with “A”or the cross button. This streamlined process not only improves the pacing of gameplay but also enhances the overall fluidity of the experience. Although experienced players may still favor mouse and keyboard setups for their natural control, console gamers are treated to a surprisingly comparable experience.
A Subtle Yet Impactful Enhancement: The Radial Menu in Civilization 7
Another significant improvement in Civilization VII is the introduction of a radial menu. By pressing the LB button, players can access a dual-function radial menu: one side contains crucial game menus such as policy screens and technology trees, while the other facilitates quick diplomacy interactions with opposing leaders. This intuitive addition not only enhances gameplay efficiency but is particularly beneficial for newcomers to the 4X strategy genre.
However, it’s worth noting that Civilization VII does not include certain console features from its predecessor, Civilization VI. One notable omission is the ability to quickly summon the cursor to a specific tile, which was achieved by clicking the right stick in Civilization VI. Instead, pressing the right stick in Civilization VII simply recenters the camera, a change that could benefit from further refinement.
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