With Civilization 7, Firaxis is trying to cut out a lot of the micromanagement and the noise of the conventional 4X game. For that, the studio deserves credit – given the series’ history, and the endless success of Civilization 6, Firaxis could have rested on its laurels and just released a new, bigger version of the same thing. Civ 7 represents a vision. Alongside the likes of Stellaris and Manor Lords, it makes the strategy genre feel more varied than perhaps ever before. But there’s a better, more original, and purer 4X game out there. If you haven’t tried Solium Infernum before, it’s now on sale for the lowest price in its history.

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