Summary
There’s no denying thatCivilization 7has gotten off to a bit of a rocky start with a list of changes needed before it can compete with pre-existing entries. That doesn’t help gamers who want to scratch the strategy itch right now, but worry not; there are plenty of great strategy games out there that are great alternatives toCivilization 7.
Whether it’s the work of the grand strategy publishing maestros at Paradox or different entries into theCivilizationfranchise itself, there are a lot of strategy games for the intrepid gamer to choose from.
In the world of 4X gaming, theAge of Wondersseries, despite being one of its elder statesmen, has rarely found the audience it so rightfully deserves, and the newest entry,Age of Wonders 4is possibly the best it’s ever been with engaging strategy gameplay on every level with a bit of high fantasy thrown in for good measure.
One of the best features ofAge of Wonders 4is the ability to create a custom faction and species that can show up as an AI player in subsequent battles, meaning players can build out their grimoire of factions full ofunique culture units. It’s a lot of fun and a great alternative to theCivilizationfranchise.
Humankindwas a bold move.Civilizationhas long reigned as the 4X game of choice for gamers worldwide, but some feel that a lack of strong competition keeps Sid Meier’s popular series from evolving.Humankindtook up the mantle and decided to try and directly compete with theCivilizationgames on its merit.
While the results are mixed in the long term,Humankindhas clear and cogent game design decisions that have directly influencedCivilization 7, particularly with the flexible ages and evolving factions. With a couple of years of patches and tweaks,Humankindis the best it’s ever been and deserves a shot from jadedCivilizationfans.
While theCivilizationgames are great, they are usually the first step gamers take into the world of strategy gaming. The next step tends to be into Paradox games that ramp up the complexity, but also the richness of game design choices, resulting in games that can have thousands of hours of content.
Though it’s quite different fromCivilization 7in a lot of ways,Crusader Kings 3is a great place to start as the mostbeginner-friendly Paradox gamethat sees the player forge a dynasty over hundreds of years across Medieval Europe with all its warfare, intrigue, diplomacy, and generational wars. It’s a lot of fun for roleplayers and history fans alike.
Where games likeCrusader Kings 3are an easy way into the world of Paradox strategy games, venerable WW2 simulatorHearts of Iron 4is for the more hardcore contingent who want a war simulation game that doesn’t skimp on the game design details, making it mind-boggling complicated to newcomers, but infinitely rewarding for the players willing to put in the time to figure out how it works.
That’s to say nothing of the immense mod scene ofHearts of Iron 4that introduces a lot of alternate history scenarios andtotal conversion mods. IfCivilization 7feels too shallow and the player wants to be challenged further, thenHearts of Iron 4is the best place to go.
TheTotal Warfranchise has seen its fair share of ups and downs over its decades-long lifespan, but it’s perhaps never reached greater popularity thanTotal War: Warhammer 3, the culmination of theWarhammertrilogy that melds together everything learned from the previous two games, making one of the most infinite, vast, and replayable grand strategy games ever madefull of unique factions.
For fans ofCivilization,the city-building macro-economic game design is very present here, but it’s infused with a robust war gaming side where units of armies must be individually managed, providing far more control to the player than the abstracted units ofCivilization.
IfHearts of Iron 4is a little too intimidating, thenCivilizationplayers may prefer looking intoEuropa Universalis 4, one of the older Paradox Games still actively supported, but for good reason. Set during the Age of Discovery and going right through to the Napoleonic wars,Europa Universalis 4lets players forge vast colonial empires, manage economies, and go down great mission trees to some compelling alternate history scenarios.
Despite being a little hostile to new players, the game loop ofEuropa Universalis 4comes the closest to mimicking that “just one more turn” mentality ofCivilizationgames, resulting in play sessions that can go well into the night.
While Paradox games are genuinely fantastic, few of them directly compete with theCivilizationfranchise in the 4X space, exceptStellaris. Set in the sci-fi future where galactic empires need to be spun out of nothing,Stellariscomes the closest to meeting the core tenets of 4X game design, mimicking many of the common systems found inCivilizationgames.
Though it’s more complex thanCivilizationgames, it’s still well worth picking up, particularly if the player is a big fan of the sci-fi world but was left a little cold byCivilization: Beyond Earth.Stellarisis welcoming and provides a whole new frontier for 4X gaming.
Sometimes, it’s best to go back to what the player knows best. There are a lot of alternate franchises out there for aCivilizationfan to go to, but frankly, ifCivilization 7isn’t hitting the right buttons, there’s a wealth of great games in the very same franchise.
Choosing just one is difficult, butCivilization 5,with all its DLCs and expansions that build outits roster of iconic leaders, is the platonic ideal of theCivilizationfranchise, retaining the core ideas of the franchise’s DNA while also bringing in modern graphics and UI enhancements. There’s a reason why people still love playingCivilization 5to this day, and it’s well worth returning to ifCivilization 7was a good time.
