The Civilization franchise started in 1991 and has since become a powerhouse franchise. Sid Meier and Microprose were responsible for the initial entries, but the games hit their stride under Sid Meier moved production to his new company, Firaxis. Under Firaxis, Civilization has given us the best game in the series so far, Civilization VI.
Civilization is a PC oriented strategy game where players command nations as different real-world leaders from all different periods in time. Time has seen leaders and civilizations in-game change and evolve throughout the many iterations and side series, such as Civilization Revolution. None have been quite so vast an offering as what Firaxis has laid out in the latest main game, though, even topping improvements made by Civilization V.
While many consider Civilization V to be the high point, others are quick to point out how similar everything felt by the end of its life. Firaxis took criticisms of Civ V to heart when it came time to develop the sequel, such as raising the number of playable civilizations 43 to 50 overall. The entire game is an overhaul of things that were problems last game because developers wanted this to be a much more proactive, interactive experience, according to the game's lead designer.
In the previous game, many actions, like building new districts or accruing new resources, felt slow and left players just waiting around for things to finish. In the current entry, things are constantly moving. It is a much more proactive game, and everything needs to be taken into account, even what you can see on the map. This is a strategy game that requires you to stop and think about what you're doing. Everything, from the resources near you to just who your neighbors are and what they like, factors in.
The map overhauls are one of the most significant factors in a game. Where the last game and Civilization IV turned the map mostly into just resource spaces to claim, the latest game makes maps one of the most important things you can consider. Resources help you build and can be bargaining chips in trading, but now they matter even more. Where you settle has an impact on your civilization and how you'll play, on what resources you can work with, your defenses via the terrain and even what kind of army might be best to have.
Civilization VI also outdoes its predecessors by doing one thing never done before with playable civilizations: adding multiple leaders for some civilizations. Previous games would give one leader to represent an entire civilization, such as Abraham Lincoln for America in the fourth game. This game adds to that by, for example, having both Queen Gorgo of Sparta and Pericles of Athens leading Greece. This gives players an even bigger view of places being represented, showing different styles and history for them. It's a bigger scale than the series has ever done, and with so many represented leaders and places, it's very impressive.
Speaking of representation, that's another place where the game gets even better. Not only have the horizons been broadened to include never before used cultures like the Maori or Scotland, but everything is made to fit the era the leader was important to. Playing as America, you get access to National Parks and Rough Riders. Playing as Arabia, you get Camel Archers and the ability to build the Madrasa. This contributes to a larger upgrade where, as AI opponents, other civilizations will act very much like their real-world counterparts did when planning for victory, which contributes to an always evolving and involved game.
With all these improvements and changes, it's easy to see why Civilization VI is the best game in the series. It takes what was already established in previous entries and not only upgrades them but overhauls them and makes them more useful than ever. From the maps to playable civilizations, to building mechanics in cities, everything has been so improved that the experience will always give players a ton to consider and make use of. It's bigger and more proactive than previous games, and this shows exactly why fans love it so much.