War. Colonization. Atomic bombs. I know these things are bad. But if there's one thing I hate more than nuclear hellfire, it's losing in games – so when Firaxis' latest turn-based strategy Civilization 7 dangles these options in front of me as a means of beating slimy Ben Franklin and his diplomacy-loving ways, I gobble up its sinful platter like the greedy little war criminal I am.
Civilization 7 brings a lot to the table, and not all of it requires abandoning your morality to play with. Fans of the series will find a map that's livelier than ever, city management that won't overload your brain, and one of the most engaging endgames ever devised. While predecessor Civilization 6 crammed in similar depth without quite managing to convey all of it clearly, Civilization 7 feels like a cohesive next step for the franchise – and when a few quirks are ironed out, this will be the series' best modern iteration to date.
