The last few Civilization entries had a handful of "Eras" that were simply used as a way to define the rough time period that the player's Civilization was currently in. For instance, at the start of a Civilization 6 match, players would find themselves in the Ancient Era, and after researching a few technologies they'd progress to the Classical Era. Civilization 7 takes this era structure and completely overhauls it.
One match of Civilization 7 will take players through three consecutive Ages: the Antiquity Age, the Exploration Age, and the Modern Age. At the start of the Antiquity Age, players choose a Civ, place their first settlement, and start their long journey of expansion, gradually completing a set of Age-specific goals known as a Legacy Path. At the end of the Age, players are given attribute points based on their completed Legacy Path goals, they're prompted to choose a new Civ, and they're given a whole new set of objectives. The same occurs for the Modern Age, with it ending when one player has claimed victory. Civilization 7's new Age system has proven to be somewhat divisive, at least in its current state, but it's a system that would be perfectly suited to a Star Wars 4X strategy game.
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Civilization 7's Three-Age Structure Would Suit Star Wars Perfectly
The Antiquity Age - The Fall of the Jedi
Borrowing Civilization 7's Age system, a Star Wars 4X strategy game could take players on an epic journey through the three main eras of the Skywalker Saga. The game would begin with the era now officially dubbed "The Fall of the Jedi," which encompasses the three Star Wars prequels and the Clone Wars.
Players could choose their leader from a range of popular characters prominent during this period, such as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Mace Windu, Padme Amidala, Count Dooku, General Grievous, and Nute Gunray. The two main factions present during this period would be the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, though the Jedi could count as a third standalone faction. Each faction would receive their own set of unique units and buildings that would match the era, such as Clones for the Republic and Battle Droids for the CIS.
Each era would also come with a set of age-specific goals that put players on the path to one of the game's victory conditions, just like in Civilization 7. During the Fall of the Jedi era, for instance, players might need to capture as many settlements/planets as possible, imitating the Republic and CIS' war over the control of systems.
The Exploration Age - The Reign of the Empire
As the Fall of the Jedi era comes to an end, the "Reign of the Empire" would begin. It would make complete sense for players to change factions during the era transition, echoing the rise of new factions at this point in the Star Wars timeline. Those who chose the Republic during the first age would get to change into the Empire or Rebellion, while those who chose the CIS would get to choose from a handful of criminal syndicates, such as the Hutts or Pykes.
The Modern Age - The Rise of the First Order
The final age in a theoretical Civilization 7-inspired Star Wars 4X strategy game would follow "The Rise of the First Order," the era the Star Wars sequel trilogy belongs to. In this era, players could choose to control the First Order, the New Republic, the Resistance, and maybe even the Imperial Remnant, led by the likes of Moff Gideon and Grand Admiral Thrawn.
There's More Than Enough Room for a Fourth Age
Since the game's release, it's been heavily rumored that Civilization 7 will eventually receive a fourth, "Atomic" Age. There would be plenty of eras for a Star Wars strategy game to draw from for its own fourth age, with the best options being the Old Republic or High Republic eras, which would come before the Fall of the Jedi.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 79 /100 Critics Rec: 77%
- Released
- February 11, 2025
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ // Alcohol and Tobacco Reference, Mild Language, Mild Violence, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Firaxis Games
- Publisher(s)
- 2K
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Grand Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy, 4X
