Civ VI fans are generally loyal to the game. While we might grumble about errors caused by less-than-perfect patches and demand ongoing content with a serious hunger, most of us have been with the Sid Meier’s Civilization franchise for decades. Over the years, the game design has become more intuitive and more accurate to how cultures really develop, and the representations of cultures and cultural leaders have become more sensitive.
Civ games place a broad focus on the development of civilizations. It’s very much a simulation strategy game. Humankind, however, takes a different approach.
What is Humankind?
Initially called “the Civ killer,” Humankind brought another option to the table for fans of strategy games built around civilizations. However, the games are quite different. In Civ, you play one culture throughout the ages. In Humankind, you play different civs each time the eras change. You do still get a specific unit, type of bonus, and building that you get to use through the entire game.
Reasons Civ VI Fans Might Like Humankind
A lot of this depends upon the type of Civ player you are, or if you’re looking for different ways to play a long-term strategy game based around civilizations.
You Prefer Simplified Combat
If you prefer to play more of a focus on diplomacy and culture in Civ VI, or if you aren’t interested in micromanaging your armies, Humankind might be a good fit for you. And if you’re not, you should consider Humankind anyway — you get a broader view of armies and combat in this game, which can help you be less of a micromanager in Civ. If you feel you lose sight of the game in Civ because you’re caught up in individual battles, you can learn a lot from Humankind.
You Want to Explore Cultures More Rapidly
In Humankind, each era brings with it a new-to-you civilization. If you think it takes a bit long to cycle through every culture you want to try in Civ, Humankind might offer you a better “sampler,” especially when you’re short on time.
You Want to Explore Before Settling Down
In Civ, you have to found your capital city in the first few turns or you’re toast, even on the Settler (easiest) level. In Humankind, you get a Neolithic era, which enables you to scope things out before settling. Just like in real life, your people begin as hunter-gatherers, and don’t settle permanent cities immediately. If this sounds like an appealing thing to try, you might like Humankind.
You’re Down For a Political Game
Do you like the diplomatic angle in Civ? If so, you will have fun with Humankind’s influence feature, which is the most important “currency” you can have in the game. While Humankind still includes combat and technological advancement, it’s ideal for a player who really likes to focus on the interactions they have with other civilizations.
You Hate Civ VI’s Loyalty Mechanic
In Civ, if your city is near another city that has major cultural influence, or if you fall into a Dark Age, you’re at risk of losing your city because of the loyalty pressure from another civilization. Humankind does not have this mechanic at all.
In addition:
- In Humankind, you don’t play a particular leader, and you just start with a hunting tribe.
- Humankind provides city caps, forcing you to do the best with what you have rather than using expansion as a crutch for success.
- Humankind is more about the art of telling your own story.
Humankind obviously takes most of its core mechanics from the Civ franchise, but it’s different enough to be its own game. While it’s not the Civ killer it was predicted to be, the updates it’s received in a year and the continual community support make it well worth trying. Even the most loyal Civ fan should take one more turn in a different game — and while Humankind isn’t as expansive or amazing as Civ, it’s worth having in your library.
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