Sid Meier's Civilization 7 shakes up a well-worn formula with its new Ages system, and I'm now desperate to play more read our full preview below to find out whyTech14:01, 16 Jan 2025Civ 7 is shaping up to be a very beautiful gameHow do you shakeup a series thats been around since 1991? Aside from getting better with age like a fine wine (and this writer that was born less than two years prior), Civilization is the epitome of you know what youre getting.Thats a little bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, there are thousands of games that would love to so consistently hit that quality threshold, decade after decade. On the other, can you remember the last time you finished a match of Civilization?This years entry, Civilization 7, is looking to change that but making every turn just a little more engaging than they have been in the past.Civ 7's 'Ages' system should help you actually finish the match you started months agoIve been playing Civilization since I was around ten years old, and I like to think Ive got the first few dozen turns down to a fine art.I build a city, create some scouts and warriors, rinse, and repeat. Its an early-game rhythm thats served me well for twenty years in the series, but Civilization 7 is the first time Ive needed to deviate significantly.Thats mainly because the latest entry in the 4X mega-franchise simply has much, much more to do in the early game. As the map unfolds, there are regular options that often feel close to binary but actually help lay the groundwork for your initial policies.Finding a small settlement while exploring and opting to help them go through traditional rites is one thing, but you can also steal ceremonial dressings instead. Theyre all small decisions that can be made quickly, but they soon stack up.Sid Meier's Civilization 7 is sure to eat up a lot of hours next monthAnother big change is that rulers and nations are no longer joined at the hip, meaning you can pick Benjamin Franklin independently of the United States, leveraging his Diplomatic and Scientific perks and pairing them with another civilization entirely.The natural extension of that is that your civilization is no longer fixed, and you can pivot at the end of each Age, a new system that ensures sections of the game feel more bookended by big decisions.These Acts are the headline addition in Civilization 7, and should stop the mid-game from feeling too rote or staid. Starting as Egypt but focusing more on conquering the plains rather than the rivers? You can adjust to Mongolia when the time comes, switching your perks and letting you play to your strengths.Civilization has never been a bad-looking game, but with nine years passing since the sixth entry, its worth mentioning just how beautiful this years game is. Im playing with an RTX 4070 TI, so your mileage will vary, but buildings are detailed, mountains look more realistic, and landmarks look really impressive.Article continues belowI got my code a little later than some outlets for Civ 7, but Ill have a review up when the time comes.For now though, I can say that Im playing a LOT of Civilization 7 to catch up, and when Im not, Im thinking about how best to lead my fledgeling nation.For more on Civilization 7, be sure to check out my chat with the series Creative Director Ed Beach about developing for the Nintendo Switch , the potential for Ages to be added in DLC , and a deep dive on how the system shakes things up .RECOMMENDED