Civilization VII currently holds a “mostly negative” rating on Steam, based on feedback from players who tested the game during its advanced access phase. Read on to discover the main sources of criticism!
Civ 7 Earns “Mostly Negative” Rating on Steam Following Early Launch
Steam Players Criticize User Interface, Map Options, and Resource Mechanics
Civilization VII (often affectionately referred to as Civ 7) launched its Advanced Access five days prior to its official February 11 release. However, several Steam players have expressed dissatisfaction with the current build included in their early access purchase, resulting in “mostly negative” review scores on the platform.
Anticipation for Civ 7 was high, marking the first entry in the series since Civilization VI launched in 2016. Yet this excitement has been tempered by the game’s current standing on Steam, with numerous users highlighting similar grievances.
A primary complaint centers on the game’s User Interface (UI). Many players describe it as “janky” and “ugly” when compared to Civilization VI. One Steam reviewer even likened the current UI to a “free mobile knockoff Civ.” Some users have accused Firaxis Games of prioritizing console development, resulting in a “barren” experience with limited UI customization options on PC.
Others raised concerns regarding map selection and management, citing difficulties in choosing map types, restricted size options, and minimal customization capabilities. One player noted that scrolling through map types fails to provide adequate descriptive information.
Civ 7 features only three map sizes—Small, Medium, and Large—as opposed to the five distinct sizes available in Civilization VI, which catered to a wider variety of gameplay styles.
The new resource mechanics also sparked debate. Resources are now assigned to cities or the empire through strategic management rather than being directly gathered from map tiles. This differs significantly from Civilization VI’s tile-based system, where resources were randomly generated on the map for players to control. The prevailing opinion is that the previous mechanic offered greater replay value.
In response to player feedback, Firaxis Games stated: “We are aware of and looking into feedback on the game's UI. We're continuing to make improvements to Civilization VII, and appreciate you taking the time to drop your feedback. For the maps, Civilization VII is going to keep growing and changing with future updates and expansions, so please let us know what you'd like to see!”
