Summary
Though it was initially announced just a little over a year ago,Civilization 7is still probably a little ways off. Thankfully, fans won’t be left completely empty-handed this year, as a number of promising 4X strategy games are set to release in the coming months. The first up to bat isMillennia, ahistorical 4X gamethat will look fairly familiar to long-timeCivfans, but one that hides a pretty unique twist.
A fairly new indie studio,Millenniais only C Prompt Games' second project, but there’s a lot more history behind C Prompt than first meets the eye. Founded by Robert Fermier and Ian M. Fischer, C Prompt is home to some veterans of the strategy gaming genre, with both Fermier and Fischer having worked onAge of Empires,Age of Mythology, andHalo Wars. Now, C Prompt is using its strategy game expertise to tackle the 4X genre, andMillenniais definitely worth keeping an eye on for those waiting forCivilization 7.
Civilization Fans Should Check Out Millennia
Millennia Is a 4X Strategy Game With a Twist
On the whole,Millenniatakes a lot of cues fromCivilizationand the rest ofthe 4X strategy genre, and its general gameplay structure will be immediately familiar to anyone who’s spent at least a few hours trying to create their own world-dominating empire. An average match ofMillenniawill see players forging their very own nation, and trying to lead it to one of several different victory conditions. Along the way, players will progress through 10 distinct Ages, and this is whereMillennia’s core gimmick comes into play.
UnlikeCivilization, which follows the general flow of real-world history quite accurately,Millenniaoffers a handful of “what if?” scenarios that drastically alter a player’s nation, unlocking new technologies, new units, and introducing new rules to the game. These scenarios are separated into two main categories called “Variant Ages” and “Crisis Ages.”
The former is encountered first and sees history altered in a fun way, such as steam being the primary source of power, thus changing the player’s nation into a steampunk one. But this alteration of history can quickly lead to chaos, paving the way for Crisis Ages, where the branching timeline has fought back by introducing some kind of threat that must be handled swiftly, such as a rogue AI that rampages through the nation.
Millenniaisn’t the only promising 4X strategy game releasing this year, withAra: History Untoldalso set to launch sometime in 2024.
While these twists on real-world history will be the main draw for many - and the primary feature thatsets the game apart fromCivilization-Millenniahas a lot of other deep systems that make its moment-to-moment gameplay intriguing.Millennia’s economy system is the perfect example of this, letting players have a direct say in how their resources are used. For instance, when harvesting wood, players can choose to turn the resource into logs for construction or use the wood to produce paper for books. It’s not anything too groundbreaking for the 4X genre, butMillenniahas more than enough unique qualities to warrant a look when it releases on Jul 20, 2025, and it could act as the perfect stopgap while waiting forCivilization 7’s eventual release.
Sid Meier’s Civilization 6
WHERE TO PLAY
Civilization VIoffers new ways to engage with your world: cities now physically expand across the map, active research in technology and culture unlocks new potential, and competing leaders will pursue their own agendas based on their historical traits as you race for one of five ways to achieve victory in the game.Expansive empiresSee the marvels of your empire spread across the map like never before. Each district, wonder, and improvement is built on its own hex, allowing you to customize your city to your heart’s content. From the Commercial Hub to the Spaceport, every district provides unique and powerful bonuses. Pick and choose which districts to build to fit your needs! Build better than your opponents, place yourself strategically for your allies, and become the best civilization on Earth.Active ResearchBoost your civilization’s progress through history to unlock powerful bonuses before anyone else! To advance more quickly, use your units to actively explore, develop your environment, and discover new cultures. Research isn’t just limited to science. Explore the Civics tree to unlock powerful new governments and cultural policies Cultivate the civilization that fits your playstyle, or switch it up every time you play!Dynamic diplomacyAs the game progresses, so do your diplomatic relationships. From primitive first interactions where conflict is a fact of life, to late game alliances and negotiations. Carry influence with nearby city states to gain its diplomatic allegiance and earn game-changing city-state bonuses. Enlist spies to gather crucial intel on rival civilizations, steal precious resources, and even topple governments.
