Highlights

  • Eurekas and Inspirations greatly aid research in Civilization 6, cutting down on the time required for technology and civic advancements in the game. Civilization 7 could benefit from implementing similar boosts to enhance gameplay strategy.
  • Barbarian Clans mode in Civilization 6 gives barbarians more depth and interaction in the game. Civilization 7 could greatly benefit from the improved mechanics of barbarians, adding unpredictability and excitement to gameplay.
  • Suzerain bonuses in Civilization 6 make city-states more distinct and valuable in the game. Civilization 7 should consider incorporating similar bonuses to encourage diplomacy and make city-states more engaging.

There are several features from Civilization 6 that could prove to be equally excellent choices if carried over to Civilization 7. Considering the amount of changes that were made after Civilization 5, one can easily imagine Civilization 7 making a lot of rule changes as well. However, Civilization 6 had plenty of ideas that would be disappointing to see face away after only one appearance in the series. In fact, many of the new ideas presented could easily be added to the next game with little issue, and Civilization 6's changes to the formula could be a positive influence on Civilization 7.

There are many ways that Civilization 7 can improve on Civ 6, but that starts with acknowledging what worked in the previous game. One thing that immediately springs to mind is new civs and leaders that made a powerful impression in said game. While they may be what sticks out the most, the mechanics and rules of the game itself are equally important. A lot of elements of the game were significantly overhauled for Civilization 6, making it feel vastly different from its predecessor. When it comes to Civilization 7's take on the game, a complete overhaul of the system may not be necessary.

Civilization 6 and Stellaris box art
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Eurekas and Inspirations Greatly Aided Civilization 6's Research

civ 6 how to get better

A major perk that helps players research the useful technologies of Civilization 6 is Eurekas and Inspirations. In Civilization 6, each entry on the tech and civic trees aside from the initial choices, has a certain task tied to them. If that task is completed, it triggers an Eureka for the tech, or Inspiration for a civic, immediately cutting a large amount of the time required to research it. These boosts are remarkably useful tools, and if players plan properly, they can greatly accelerate their civilization's progress. They are a convenient addition that would add more nuance to the strategy of Civilization 7.

Barbarian Clans Evolved Civilization's Ever-Present Barbarians

civ 6 tips tricks

Barbarians are a mainstay of the series, and they got a major upgrade with Civilization 6's Barbarian Clans mode. With Barbarian Clans active, the barbarians become far more than faceless foes. Each clan of barbarians receives a name, and the player can interact with them, paying them to leave them alone, hire a unit, or attack rival civs. They can even create new city-states once they reach a certain point, adding an extra element of unpredictability to the game. The improvements of Barbarian Clans made barbarians far more interesting, and Civilization 7 could greatly benefit from the mechanic.

Suzerain Bonuses Made City-States More Distinct

Civilization 6 screenshot of the city-state of Singapore while highlighting the Amber Luxury Resource node

Civilization 6 gave city-states a fresh new idea with Suzerain bonuses. Whichever civ has the most envoys in a city-state becomes the city-state's Suzerain in Civilization 6. Aside from the appropriate bonus for that city-state's type, each city-state also grants a unique bonus to its Suzerain. For example, Geneva grants science bonuses when the player isn't at war, and Cahokia unlocks the ability to build the unique Cahokia Mounds improvement. Suzerain bonuses make city-states even more useful than before, and their bonuses encourage players to be very diplomatic. Civilization 7's city-states would do well to follow the example of Civilization 6's Suzerain bonuses.

Civilization 6's Agendas Add More Character to AI Leaders

Civilization 6 screenshot Persian leader Cyrus gesturing angrily

Agendas were a new quirk of the AI leaders in Civilization 6. Every leader in the game has an agenda that affects their opinion of the player. For example, Civilization 6's Konge Harald Hardrada likes civs with strong navies, and dislikes those with weak navies, while Mansa Musa is fond of civs who generate lots of gold. Agendas are an asset to the game in two notable ways. They apply more personality to each leader, while also adding an extra layer of strategy. Keeping agendas in Civilization 7 would add an extra touch of flavor to the competition with the AI.

In addition to leader-specific agendas, AI leaders also have hidden agendas in each individual match that players must uncover through espionage, adding more unpredictability to the game.

Promo art of a massive Thinker statue from Civilization 6
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Great People in Civilization 6 Are Much More Unique

Portraits of Great People over a map from Civilization 6

Civilization 6 reworked Great People in a way that makes them even more useful than before. Great Prophets, Writers, Artists, and Musicians have their usual effects of founding religions and great works, but where Civilization 6's Great People truly shine is in their other categories. Great Admirals, Engineers, Generals, Merchants, and Scientists all have unique effects when expended rather than uniform bonuses. These can range from instantly triggering Eurekas, to buffing their respective districts, to several other useful abilities. This change made recruiting Great People much more exciting, and Civilization 7 could benefit from keeping the idea intact.

Civilization 6's Districts Add Challenge to Building Cities

civ 6 first district

The introduction of districts in Civilization 6 made the game harder, but more strategic. Rather than being able to build everything from the City Center, Civilization 6 requires certain districts to be built for specific types of projects. For example, players aiming for a science victory in Civilization 6 will need to build a Campus district in order to build schools and other science-boosting projects. This change forces players to be more careful about planning out their cities, especially since new districts require a certain population threshold. With Civilization being such a strategic series, districts feel like a perfect complement to city planning.

Civilization 6 's World Wonders work similarly to districts, needing to be built in a certain spot in the player's territory, furthering the importance of positioning and planning in-game.

Distinct Leader Abilities Deserve a Return in Civilization 7

Gorgo and Pericles of Greece from Civilization 6

Civilization 6 brought back the civ-exclusive abilities from Civilization 5, while also introducing leader-specific abilities as well. This, combined with the way that some abilities have multiple leaders, including multiple variants of the same leader, opens the door to several play styles for the same civ. For instance, Greece under Gorgo in Civilization 6 gains bonus culture through combat, while under Pericles, it gains culture through city-states. Continuing this trend in Civilization 7 could make that game's civs more versatile than ever before. Among all of Civilization 6's changes, separate leader and civ abilities could be one of the best to bring into Civilization 7.