The day all of you Civvers have been hoping for has arrived. Firaxis has been promising Civilization 7’s Test of Time update for a while now, and as I write this, that same update is available for you to download, with the most requested feature, the ability to play as a single civilization for an entire campaign.
This poses a particularly notable thorn in the side of anyone who has been playing the Civilization series for a while now. With this update, as detailed in a blog post, everything changes. Now any civilization you decide to play as can be guided “outside its historical peak age”, the time when a civilization is at its peak, essentially. At times when you would normally make an age transition, you can choose to continue with it, although the option to swap is still there as well.
Civilizations that play outside of their peak age are now called Time-Tested, comprised of a dual framework, civics and syncretism. Proven civilizations have their own tree that includes a “truly unique” civilization that is “designed specifically for this civilization at this proven age, which provides traditions and other effects that enhance some of the sensations of civilization in a way appropriate for that age”, a civilization based on the attributes of civilization, and then a new type of civilization that allows syncretism. It’s apparently “the borrowing, assertion, or integration of concepts, symbols, or practices from one tradition into another,” which essentially allows you to take ideas from other civilizations to use in your own.
Beyond that, this update contains two other major additions. There are Triumphs, which replace Legacy Paths. “Triumphs offer a wide range of optional challenges tied to Civ 7’s six core attributes,” the blog post explains, noting that there are minor triumphs that can provide instant benefits, and major triumphs that “require more focused investment in their associated systems and grant dedications for your next age.” And then there’s an overhaul of victories, each having its own score that you can accumulate to complete them.
This is a big update with many more changes besides those mentioned above, all of which you can read here.
