Verdict № 11 · Strategy
Sid Meier's Civilization VII review
A bold redesign that split the series' fans, much improved by free updates. The base game is £59.99; the add-ons so far cost another £140.
A terraced city on a hillside above a winding river. Official image: 2K.
Civilization VII rebuilds the series around three ages, Antiquity, Exploration and the Modern age, each ending in a crisis and a transition that reshapes your empire. At launch in February 2025 the redesign divided players: critics scored it 79 on Metacritic, while Steam user reviews are Mixed at 47% positive, with complaints about the interface and the original rule that forced you to change civilisation between ages.
Firaxis has listened. The free Test of Time update in May 2026 lets you keep one civilisation all game and reworked the victory conditions, and a further update followed in September. The cost side is a steady stream of paid collections: £140.10 for every add-on on Steam at list price, with a first full expansion due in 2027.
Better than its launch reputation, and sold in more pieces than it should be.The verdict in one line
The review, milestone by milestone
- mark 6.5
Hours 1 to 5
Antiquity and a crowded interface
You found a capital, expand with settlements and choose a leader and a civilisation separately, which is new for the series.
The redesigned interface was widely criticised for hiding information at launch, and the first hours remain harder to read than Civilization VI's.
- mark 7.5
The middle stretch
Ages and crises
Moving from Antiquity to Exploration to the Modern age, each with its own crisis, gives a campaign a clearer shape than past games and stops the late game dragging.
Since May 2026 you can keep one civilisation through every age if you prefer the traditional approach.
- mark 8.0
The long tail
One more turn, again
Leader and civilisation combinations, multiplayer for up to eight with cross-play, and mods on PC give it the series' usual staying power. A free Atomic Age and a paid expansion, Earthrise, are both announced for 2027.
A campaign takes about 19 hours; completionists report more than 100.
- mark 7.5
Craft and access
Broad reach, a few catches
It runs on almost everything, from Switch to Mac, with an Apple Arcade edition on iPhone and iPad. Accessibility options are extensive, from adjustable text to play without timed inputs.
The Steam version uses Denuvo anti-tamper, which limits how many times it can be activated in a day.
The bill: what it really costs in the UK
The base game is complete, but 2K sells three editions and a long list of add-ons.
The bill · Civilization VII
The Settler's Edition bundles the base game with two collections and a leader pack for £104.99 on console (£105.86 on Steam). Earthrise, the first full expansion, will be priced when it launches in 2027.
Where to buy it and how you can pay
Civilization VII is sold on more storefronts than any other game here, including the Nintendo eShop and Apple Arcade, but it is not in Game Pass or the PlayStation Plus Extra catalogue.
Steam
Deluxe £89.99; Settler's £105.86.
- Card
- PayPal
- Steam Wallet codes
PlayStation Store
Settler's Edition £104.99.
- Card
- PayPal
- Apple Pay
- paysafecard
- Mobile billing
- PS gift cards
Xbox and Microsoft Store
- Card
- Mobile billing
- Xbox gift cards
Nintendo eShop
£24.99 until 29 September.
- Visa or Mastercard
- PayPal (18+)
- eShop cards
Nintendo eShop
£29.99 until 29 September; upgrade from Switch £10.
- Visa or Mastercard
- PayPal (18+)
- eShop cards
Before you pay: the Nintendo sale ending 29 September halves the price on Switch and Switch 2, the cheapest way into the game we found. PlayStation Plus Premium offers only a two-hour trial, and Steam's two-hour refund rule gives PC players a similar window.
How the scores add up
| How it plays | Weight | Mark |
|---|---|---|
| First hours | 15% | 6.5 |
| The middle stretch | 30% | 7.5 |
| The long tail | 20% | 8.0 |
| Craft | 20% | 7.0 |
| Access | 15% | 8.0 |
| What it costs | Weight | Mark |
|---|---|---|
| Price against play | 35% | 7.0 |
| Honest pricing | 25% | 5.0 |
| Ways to pay | 20% | 7.5 |
| Protection | 20% | 6.5 |
What we rate
- Ages and crises give each campaign a clear shape
- Free updates have fixed its biggest complaints
- Cross-play and a huge range of platforms
- Extensive accessibility options
What costs it
- A crowded, hard-to-read interface
- £140 of add-ons at list price, with more coming
- Not in any subscription catalogue
- Denuvo activation limits on Steam
Buy it if
you are a strategy player who gave up at launch; the 2026 updates make this a better game than its reviews suggest.
Think twice if
you want everything at once; the add-on stack will keep growing through 2027.
Final verdict
Civilization VII has had the reverse of most launches: it is a better game now than the one critics reviewed in 2025, thanks to free updates. Its Value score reflects a full-price base game surrounded by paid collections and no subscription route.
Buy the standard edition, ideally in a sale like the one running on Switch until 29 September, and add collections only when you know you want them.
Weigh it against
Sources
This review is an editorial analysis of published evidence; see how we judge. Prices checked 25 September 2026.