Civilization 5 Reviews PS5 PS4

Set to launch next week (11th February 2025) on PS5 and PS4, the first wave of reviews for Civilization 7 are starting to appear online. The game is also releasing for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC, and given the series' ties to the latter, all the verdicts so far are based on PC review code. Here at Push Square, we don't have access to a PS5 key yet.

Still, we can get a good idea for the game's general quality based on the scores for the PC version. Following just under 30 critic reviews, the Metacritic average stands at an 82. Below you'll find a selection of media conclusions, so let us know in the comments below if this is enough to convince you of a PS5 purchase.

VGC - 5/5

Civilization VII is bold enough to add big changes to its formula, without getting rid of everything that has made the series iconic. Say goodbye to your free time, as from PC to handheld, every waking moment will be consumed by One More Turn.

TheGamer - 4.5/5

This game will devour your hours, chew up your days and spit you out in a hungry, sleep-deprived blob. I can’t wait to play its multiplayer mode after so long in a single-player that isn’t quite fully fleshed out yet. I can’t wait to spend hours figuring out unique strategies for each leader and civilization. I can’t wait to finally beat the Deity AI with any other victory condition than military dominance, which is still the easiest way to win. Oh, and the Mongolian theme music is the greatest Civilization music we’ve had to date.

Windows Central - 4.5/5

Civilization 7's biggest changes fix mid- and end-game pacing, clean up clutter on the map, and open up more strategic avenues than ever before. Victory and unit balancing will no doubt be tweaked as developers receive feedback and data, but otherwise, the game is in a great state (something that's becoming increasingly rare in AAA games). Pricing and DLC gripes aside, Civilization 7 should prove to be the best playground for world domination for years to come.

GameSpot - 8/10

Sid Meier's Civilization VII's "one more turn" aspect is still as engaging as ever, and I enjoyed huge portions of my playthroughs. Several facets, such as those related to diplomacy, espionage, crises, and combat address long-standing concerns. Legacy Paths and narrative events, meanwhile, offer rich and rewarding avenues for advancement through the ages. Unfortunately, as someone who's seen the heights that previous series entries have reached, the vanilla Civilization VII experience still needs a few tweaks, as it's held back by the aforementioned issues that occur during brief but crucial era transitions. Granted, the changes this series has undergone over the years--whether it's the square tiles or hexes debate, the "one unit per tile" drama, or city-planning with districts--have been for the better, eventually. The issues deemed controversial or cumbersome at the start paved the way for a better overall experience. As such, even if Civilization VII has a strong foundation, we might not see the game's full potential until much later in its lifespan. But, hey: At least the franchise has been consistent in that regard.

TechRader - 4/5

Sid Meier's Civilization 7 successfully evolves the long-running strategy series with a wealth of engaging new systems. Swapping Civs is smartly implemented and the focus on distinct ages prevents matches from dragging on, though the samey Legacy Path system and basic diplomacy mean that it’s not quite the strongest entry yet.

VG247 - 4/5

In the end, it all works - it’s just very different. The subtle whiff of compromise in order to launch the game far and wide is there - but compromise is just fine if the end result works. It does. I’m happy. As someone who has somewhere in the region of a thousand hours logged across Civ 4, 5, and 6, I’m ready to add hundreds more to that tally in the seventh entry. Some of that will come in years as the game grows and expands, as is Civilization tradition. But the point is, the foundations here are firm. The legend of one desperate extra turn, over and over again, forever, is secure.

IGN - 7/10

With Civilization 7, the desire to streamline and simplify this legendary 4X series feels like it has gone a bit too far, particularly when it comes to the interface. It’s frustratingly inadequate at providing me with the information I need to play well, or even understand what's going on sometimes. Even so, it does have improved warfare and diplomacy, a bit of added narrative flair, as well as mostly gorgeous graphics and sound, so it can still give me reasons to keep clicking one more turn late into the night. There’s good reason to believe that with Firaxis’s usual pace of patches and expansions it can refine its new ideas and become everything it ought to be, and while what’s here right now is at least still a fun time, it’s also a bigger step backward for the series than we’re accustomed to when a new age dawns.

PCGamesN 7/10

Firaxis combats the inherent bloat of the 4X genre with partial success. All of the big new ideas in Civilization 7 work well and it's tighter and more engaging than any of its predecessors. Nevertheless, your sense of connection still begins to wane by the midgame.

Eurogamer - 2/5

Civilization 7 is pretty and detailed and sounds fine (I caught that one tune from Colonization!). AI turns are perhaps the fastest I've ever seen, and its UI has enough potential to make some of my complaints feel patchable. Its design broadly works, and a certain kind of city-optimising fan may even love it. But its lack of character is endemic, the extent of its annoying habits and oversights shocking for a series of such pedigree. It's a dull, contradictory game, and instead of showing everyone how it's done, it's felt since hour one like a game that leaves the 4X throne empty.