Firaxis has released the 'Tides of Power' update for Sid Meier's Civilization 7, overhauling naval mechanics and adding a new pirate leader. The update, available free until the New Year, addresses player feedback amid ongoing improvements to the game six months after launch. It enhances ocean exploration, combat, and coastal gameplay.
Update Overview
The 'Tides of Power' update reworks ocean-related elements in Civilization 7, including naval combat, coastal settlements, and map generation. New resources along coastlines, terrain linking land and sea, and additional buildings and units encourage deeper ocean exploration. Broader changes include balance adjustments, AI improvements, and UI enhancements for keyboard, mouse, and controller inputs.
New Leader and Mechanics
A standout addition is Edward Teach, known as Blackbeard, a pirate leader aligned with Economic and Militaristic branches. His abilities allow naval units to enter and attack other civilizations' lands without declaring war, enabling piracy and plunder. Defeating enemy naval units results in captures rather than destruction, expanding the navy, though with higher gold maintenance costs for balance. This builds on the existing Pirate Civilization, which cannot train Settlers and relies on captures or Buccaneer units to found coastal towns.
Context and Reception
Launched six months ago, Civilization 7 initially received 'Mostly Negative' Steam reviews due to perceived boredom and foundational issues. Reviews varied, with one awarding two stars for fundamental problems and another praising it as a solid base. Firaxis' frequent patches have improved it to 'Mixed' status. The update aims to enrich the mid-game Age of Exploration, mimicking historical rushes for resources and land, while fostering diplomatic and military tensions.
Despite progress, challenges remain, such as the separation of Civilization and Leader systems and era transitions feeling disjointed with only three eras compared to past entries' nine. The cross-platform design for PC, console, and mobile influences these aspects. Firaxis continues free updates alongside smaller, frequent DLC to evolve the game.