![]() I spent some time trying to establish if I was looking at FMV instead of a 3D model - that's how great they look. The character models for the leaders are spectacular, with excellent animations too. It's worth remembering that the fan-favourite Civ IV went for exaggerated too, albeit more constrained by the technology of its time, long before Civ V revisited the series' more austere roots. I've already seen a few people objecting to the exaggerated look of Civ VI, but I think it looks perfectly delightful (a word you're going to see me use repeatedly in this feature): almost like a miniatures tabletop game. These were much-maligned by some fans for cutting Civ strategy down to the bone, though I had a great time with them, embracing them for what they were meant to be - a speedy spin-off designed to completed in an evening rather than a week. It puts me in mind of the pop and fizz of the console and mobile Civilization: Revolution games, designed to be far more accessible and quick to play than the main line titles. The art style is extremely, almost uncharacteristically cheerful and cartoonish. ![]() It makes the act of completing a construction a decision rather than just another button clicked on the tech tree. Visually, you get a sense of sprawl, a map that looks increasingly civilized as a campaign wears on strategically, you need to make difficult judgements about what tiles and therefore resources you sacrifice for your new structure. I'm a big fan of how many building upgrades now take up a hex of their own, rather than are just placed within a city's centre. ![]() If you’ve not used one of our galleries before, these are the ropes: click the arrows below each image (or on top, in the case of the first one) to progress back and forth, or use your cursor keys. I'm going to present this is a gallery sorta thing, as it's easier to show off what I'm talking about this way. There are reasons why I'm massively charmed by it, and there are reasons why it's been frustrating me. I'm genuinely surprised by how different it feels. I've spent a big chunk of today with Firaxis' latest historical turn-based strategy epic though, and already it's filled me up with things to say about it. Unlike Adam, I've not been lucky enough to spend the last month soaking in a deep Civilization VI bath, so I leave it to him to give you the complete picture.
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