One of the most iconic medieval civilizations, the Vikings were a warrior people that raided and settled across Europe between the 9th and 11th centuries. In gaming, there are few other medieval civilizations that are quite as well explored as the Vikings, and that only continues to be true, with more and moregames set in the Viking erabeing released every year. And with such high competition,Civilization 7really needs to go above and beyond with its own Viking faction.
EachCivilizationgame, even from the very first 1991 release, has had a plethora of different world leaders and nations to choose from. Over time, this number has only grown exponentially, with the firstCivilizationoffering an impressive 14, and the latest entryCivilization 6offering an eye-watering total of over 70 world leaders, and over 50 separate nations. But while theCivilizationfranchise has swapped out a handful of nations every few entries, the Vikings have remained a staple of the series for a while now, andCivilization 7is going to need to do something special to make them stand out once more, especially in the current market.
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Civilization 7’s Vikings Have a Lot of Competition Now
The playable Viking faction was first introduced inCivilization 2, where players could either control Canute or Gunnhild, two of the most famous Viking leaders in history. As far as gameplay goes,Civilization 2’sin-game Vikingsdidn’t have too many unique qualities about them, behaving very similarly to the rest of the factions in the game. But, if an AI was controlling the Vikings, then they would act aggressively, attempting to expand across the map as fast as possible.
Civilization 3is where the Vikings get their first truly unique franchise portrayal. Available only in thePlay the Worldexpansion,Civilization 3’s Vikings are classified as a militaristic faction, with heavy emphasis being placed on offensive land and naval units intended to be used to expand across the map quickly and efficiently.Civilization 3’s Vikings also have a unique Berserk unit, replacing the standard Longbowmen troop type. The Berserk unit is one of the first amphibious units players can unlock in a match, allowing for easier global expansion. Vikings appear in a similar form inCivilization 4, and though they were cut fromCivilization 5, they made a return inCivilization 6, where they received an entireVikings ScenarioDLC pack, adding three separate Viking nations to the game.
While Vikings and Norse mythology have always been popular subjects in the gaming landscape, the last few years have really taken this popularity to the next level. Though it wasn’t part of the gaming industry, the Marvel Cinematic Universe played a large part in repopularizing Norse mythology for a casual audience, with characters like Thor, Loki, and Odin becoming household names in the 2010s. In the gaming space,God of War2018’s Viking and Norse mythologymade it one of the first big-budget, AAA dives into this territory, and 2020’sAssassin’s Creed Valhallawas fast on its tail. The survival sandbox gameValheimopened the mythology up to a multiplayer crowd in 2021 when it hit Steam Early Access, and finally,God of War Ragnarokcontinued to dive head-first into all aspects of Norse mythology and Viking culture at the end of last year.
Generally speaking, all of the games mentioned above are excellent depictions of Viking culture and Norse mythology, with bothAssassin’s Creed ValhallaandGod of Warshowing both the most iconic elements of the lore and some of its more hidden aspects, often through engaging story quests and compelling collectibles. Put simply,Civilization 7has a lot of competition when it comes to Viking and Norse mythology, so if it plans on adding them as a playable faction, then it needs to ensure they stand out from the ever-growing crowd.
Civilization 7is in development.
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