There was a time when Firaxis explored different simulation subgenres, but recent years have seen the studio focus solely onSid Meier’s Civilization. The seventh game is on the way, and it will likely introduce a slew of new features that shake up this classic strategy series. While Firaxis should focus its efforts on improvingCivilization’s core gameplay loop, the studio should also consider reviving the classicCivCity:Rome.
CivCity: Romewas Firaxis' attempt at a city building game, and it mostly paid off. It was not a particularly notable game, but it was a decent time for genre fans. With a few tweaks and changes, the concept could make its grand return. It is about time thata new era ofCivilizationspin-offsbegan, andCivCity: Romeshould lead the charge
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CivCity Deserves to Be Revisited Someday
CivCity: Romelaunched in 2006, and itbrought Firaxis' style to the Roman Empire. Players were put in charge of Rome and were tasked with building it up in classic city building style. As players constructed their city, they had to complete an assortment of missions that involved real-life historical figures. They could also embark on military excursions that saw them fight back against three other civilizations. While it was not perfect, there is a lot of fun to be had here.
Firaxis has not really done anyCivilizationspin-offs since the release ofSid Meier’s StarshipsandCivilization: Beyond Earth. Neither game made waves within their respective genres, and it seems like Firaxis has put its focus back on the main series. While that is great news for fans ofSid Meier’s Civilization, it also means that there are not as many unique experiences to enjoy. OnceSid Meier’s Civilization 7is released, the studio should consider delving back into the world ofCivilizationspin-offs.
City builders seem to have only gotten more popular with the rise of games likeCities Skylines, Tropico 6, Frostpunk, Surviving Mars,andAnno 1800.This makes it the perfect time to explore theCivCityconcept again. With modern hardware, Firaxis' city builder could really shine. It could take everything that it has learned since 2006, copy some of the genre’s best ideas, and deliver a great historical city builder for players to enjoy.
One of the easiest ways to do this would be through aCivCity: Romeremaster. It could serve asa nice adventure in betweenCivilizationgamesand be a fun way for Firaxis to honor its past. However, the game would mostly be the same as it was in 2006. It was a little rough around the edges when it first released, and its cracks would only be more prevalent now.
The best way to revisit the concept would be to make a full-fledged sequel akin to thenewAge of Empirestitles. A newCivCitycould take the city builder back to Rome, or it could take it to an entirely different historical city. Firaxis could introduce new enemies to conquer, new resources to gather, new mechanics to interact with, and loads of new historical figures to meet. There is a lot of potential for an exciting new simulator, and hopefully it happens one day.
It is unlikely that Firaxis will revisit theCivCityconcept in the foreseeable future. The studio seems to have moved away from projects like that, focusing on its central strengths instead. While there is a chance that anotherCivilizationspin-off will release at some point, it may not beCivCity. The concept deserves to live on somehow, even if it is simply as a mechanic within the mainCivilizationseries.
