Civilization 7 Hit by Heavy Steam User Criticism

Fans of Firaxis were expecting another smash hit following the launch of Sid Meier's Civilization VII. However, the early Steam reviews are overwhelmingly negative. Players are complaining about the clunky user interface, dated graphics, and an overall feeling that the game is unfinished.

At the time of writing, the game has amassed over 1,000 reviews, with only 37% of them being positive.

User Cool CGI Dog, with roughly 1.5 hours of playtime, commented:

After just a short while, the game feels shockingly incomplete, especially for a Civilization title. The resource icons look like they're from the late 90s, the interface is a mess, and the overall presentation is extremely unpolished.

There's a noticeable lack of polish, which is unexpected from Firaxis. This is a far cry from the launch state of Civ VI. At a minimum, Civilization VII's interface needs a complete visual overhaul to even begin to justify its steep $70 price. Playing this game felt like a personal insult from Sid Meier himself, one I did not consent to.

Another player, WillNever, who played for about 2.5 hours, added:

The interface looks and feels like an alpha version that was never improved upon. While some of the new game mechanics are interesting, they aren't worth struggling with this terrible UI. It will take months of patching to make the game enjoyable.

Many reviewers share the sentiment that the game was rushed out and needs substantial work. The $70 price tag is a particular point of criticism, with players stating it's unjustified given the product's current state.

Series fans are hopeful that the developers will listen to the feedback and release updates to address the issues and restore the game's reputation.

The Civilization series is renowned for its quality and meticulous detail, and fans hope the seventh installment will eventually live up to that legacy—but not in its present condition.