With eachSid Meier’s Civilizationgame, Firaxis aims to shake up the experience considerably with new gameplay mechanics, a new style, and brand-new civilizations to control. As the release date forSid Meier’s Civilization 7nears, players are slowly getting to see just how this entry will do that. From a brand-new Age feature to an overhaul of the core civilization feature, fans may be in for an exciting treat. Perhaps one ofSid Meier’s Civilization 7’sbiggest changes comes with its approach to city districts.
Introduced inSid Meier’s Civilization 6, city districts helped make the game’s many cities far more than simply production sites. Through districts, cities spanned multiple tiles, with each district devoted to serving the civilization in special ways. While that did greatly expand how players interacted with their cities, it also felt very limited, especially when compared to reality. So, instead of forging ahead with that model, Firaxis is shaking it up considerably withSid Meier’s Civilization 7. Although it remains to be seen if it works, so far, things are looking bright.
Civilization 7’s Districts Seem to Be Changing Things for the Better
Civilization 6’s Districts Were A Nice Change of Pace
Up until the release ofCivilization 6, the franchise’s cities were nothing more than one-tile hubs. These hubs served as the center of power, with players using them to construct everything they could ever need. However, because they only occupied one tile, there was only so much that players could do with this feature. Luckily, Firaxis seemed to understand this problem, so it completelyoverhauled the way cities work inCivilization 6.
Now, cities are far more than one simple tile.Civlization 6players actually have to construct specialized districtsthat service different purposes, like providing science or religious gains. Each district takes up a neighboring tile, with some tiles offering special bonuses to certain districts. Once they are placed, players can then expand them with special buildings exclusive to said district. Additionally, cities can only have a certain number of these districts, which depends upon their population size and available space. So, it is up to players to pick-and-choose to ensure that they have the correct districts for the victories they are aiming for.
Civilization 7 is Seemingly Making This System Even Better
Even thoughCivilization 6’s districts were nice, they were also fairly limited. Unlike in real life, these districts could only have buildings associated with whatever specialization they had. So, religious districts could only support church-like buildings, science districts' sole purpose was to provide science gains, and commercial districts only helped to build up the civilization’s treasury. This meant that players have very little flexibility in how these districts operated, which held them back from creating the civilization they wanted to build.
Civilization 7will be overhauling a lot of features, includingCivilization 6’s districts. Now, there will only be two types of districts for players to choose from: Urban and Rural. Urban districts can hold two buildings at the start, with more slots being unlocked as the game goes on. It is up to the player what buildings they choose to build within, which gives them full control to specialize them how they wish. Rural districts essentially replace tile improvements, without the need forCivilization’sBuilders.
While it remains to be seen if this new approach succeeds, the changes do sound extremely promising. Players will no longer be locked out of building certain buildings in these districts, and instead, they will have virtually free rein to construct their cities how they wish. Of course, there will always be a meta that players will likely strive for, but even with that, it will be nice to have a bit more flexibility in how they go about that.
Sid Meier’s Civilization VII
WHERE TO PLAY
The award-winning strategy game franchise returns with a revolutionary new chapter.Sid Meier’s Civilization® VIIempowers you to build the greatest empire the world has ever known!InCivilization VII, your strategic decisions shape the unique cultural lineage of your evolving empire. Rule as one of many legendary leaders from throughout history and steer the course of your story by choosing a new civilization to represent your empire in each Age of human advancement.Construct cities and architectural wonders to expand your territory, improve your civilization with technological breakthroughs, and conquer or cooperate with rival civilizations as you explore the far reaches of the unknown world. Pursue prosperity in an immersive solo experience or play with others in online multiplayer.Whether you choose to follow a path rooted in history or reimagine possibilities to chart your own way forward, build something you believe in and create a legacy that echoes through the Ages inCivilization VII.
