For over three decades now,Civilizationhas been one of the leading names of the 4X strategy genre, and for a long stretch in the middle, it managed to maintain that mantle without touching a home console. While the first twoCivilizationgames were ported to consoles like theSNES and PlayStation, 2001’sCivilization 3began a PC-only release trend for the series. Aside from 2008’sCivilization Revolution– a streamlined spinoff designed to teach newcomers the basics – theCivilizationseries didn’t return to consoles until 2017.
According to publisher Take-Two,Civilization 6’s Nintendo Switch port “significantly exceeded expectations,” so it’s no surprise thatCivilization 7has launched on multiple platforms simultaneously, the first in the franchise to do so.Civilization 7is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and the Switch, and in Spring, it’s even coming to VR. There’s no shortage of ways to playCiv 7, but one of the best might be via Steam Deck.
Civilization 7 Feels Right At Home on The Steam Deck
Civilization 7 Runs Very Well on The Steam Deck
Developer Firaxisannounced thatCivilization 7was Steam Deck Verified over a month before the game’s full launch, and that rating is apt.Civilization 7runs on the Steam Deck right out of the box, meaning that players don’t need to tinker with any settings to get a good performance from it on the handheld.
That being said, if players want a few extra frames, they can easily do that by heading to the in-game graphical settings and turning on AMD FSR 3. Occasionally, players might experience some framerate dips when zooming in on highly populated cities or towns, but that shouldn’t detract from the experience too much.
Civilization 7also has a dedicated Steam Deck controller layout, which works surprisingly well given the game’s complex systems. A simple radial menu allows players to accessCivilization 7’s diplomacy options, while the “A” and “Y” buttons do the rest of the heavy lifting, with the latter being used to cycle through every possible choice the player can make during their turn, such as commanding units and selecting new technologies to research. Players can also use the Steam Deck’s touch screen and trackpads if they’d prefer to use more precise controls.
Civilization 7’s Gameplay Loop Fits Perfectly With The Steam Deck
For years now,theCivilizationfranchise’s mantra has been “one more turn,” and the Steam Deck goes hand in hand with that mentality. While a full game ofCivilization 7can take hours to complete, the Steam Deck’s pick-up-and-play nature means that players with a spare 15 minutes can hop in, play a few turns, and hop back out, breaking that huge time commitment into more manageable chunks.
The Steam Deck Flips One of Civilization 7’s Biggest Complaints On its Head
Onecommon complaint ofCivilization 7, at least among PC players, is the game’s general UI. It’s widely believed thatCiv 7’s icons, nameplates, and text boxes are far too big, often reducing the map’s portion of the screen significantly. These (valid) criticisms actually become a boon for those playingCivilization 7on the Steam Deck, as the larger icons and text boxes are a blessing for its smaller screen.
