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Sid Meier’s Civilization 6, though seen as a step backward by some fans of the franchise, is undoubtedly its most fleshed-out entry. There are still theusual six paths to victory, but the options available to achieve victory through these paths have been greatly expanded, making them feel even more distinct from one another.
Though it’s hard to objectively argue in favor of one victory condition being “best,” as this ultimately comes down to personal preference and playstyle, there are objective strengths and weaknesses to each strategy. For instance, some are much easier to realize than others, and finding the perfect balance between challenge and complexity, for many players, is the key to having fun with a grand strategy game likeCivilization 6. Taking these factors into account—accessibility and engagement through complexity—one can make a fair analysis of these various strategies.
Domination/Classic Victory
Domination is probably the first type of victory thatCivilization 6players will taste. To secure a Domination Victory, players must seize the capital city of every other civilization in their game, making it a perfect fit for those itching to build up a fearsome military force. This victory requirement is the most straightforward of all the victory conditions, but drawbacks like the Warmonger and Amenities penalties that can be incurred from rampant or unjustified warfare force the player to remain thoughtful. Making use of Casus Belli, leveraging diplomatic arrangements, and carefully placing military outposts can help ensure a Domination Victory while encouraging nuanced gameplay.
Religious Victory
Religious Victory is definitely harder to achievethan Domination, but this is also its strength: there’s much more at play when taking this path. To achieve a Religious Victory, the player’s religion must be the predominant one in every other in-game civilization, but unlike with the Domination strategy, victory can be achieved through pacifist or violent means, or a combination of the two. This makes it more complex than Domination, but also more flexible, which is a unique strength in its own right.
The Easy and Flexible Path
Culture Victory
Culture is often viewed asCivilization 6’s easiest path to victory, simply requiring the player’s civilization to have more tourism than all others. Unlike the other conditions, a Culture Victory can be seized without direct conflict with neighboring civilizations, although Great Works can often be stolen by spies, so that’s something to look out for. While it might be a little too easy for some, a Cultural Victory can be consistently engaging due to how many different options the game provides to increase tourism.
The Easy but Stringent Path
Science Victory
Another rather easy victory to secure, theScience Victory hinges on achieving specific milestones, like putting a human on the moon or launching a satellite. Unlike Cultural Victory, a Science Victory is easy by virtue of not being particularly complex, as win circumstances are very limited and specific. There aren’t a lot of different paths to the Science Victory end state, in other words, and it could very well be the strategy that involves the most passive waiting, as so much of it relies on the completion of various projects running in the background.
Underwhelming Wins
Diplomacy Victory
Introduced in theGathering Stormexpansion, Diplomacy Victories can be secured by amassing 20 Diplomacy Points, which are awarded during World Congress meetings. The problem with this victory condition is that, although it’s unique, it is too tied to randomness in many ways, as other civilizations will naturally vote against the player during these World Congress meetings, and this can be rather unpredictable.
Score/Time Victory
Finally, there is the Score/Time Victory state, which falls in the C-Tier for being majorly anticlimactic. This victory is achieved when the maximum number of turns is reached before any civilization achieves another victory state. In this case, points will be awarded to all civilizations for things like cities owned and Great People earned, and whoever has the most points wins. This is usually only achieved by accident.
Sid Meier’s Civilization 6
WHERE TO PLAY
Civilization VIoffers new ways to engage with your world: cities now physically expand across the map, active research in technology and culture unlocks new potential, and competing leaders will pursue their own agendas based on their historical traits as you race for one of five ways to achieve victory in the game.Expansive empiresSee the marvels of your empire spread across the map like never before. Each district, wonder, and improvement is built on its own hex, allowing you to customize your city to your heart’s content. From the Commercial Hub to the Spaceport, every district provides unique and powerful bonuses. Pick and choose which districts to build to fit your needs! Build better than your opponents, place yourself strategically for your allies, and become the best civilization on Earth.Active ResearchBoost your civilization’s progress through history to unlock powerful bonuses before anyone else! To advance more quickly, use your units to actively explore, develop your environment, and discover new cultures. Research isn’t just limited to science. Explore the Civics tree to unlock powerful new governments and cultural policies Cultivate the civilization that fits your playstyle, or switch it up every time you play!Dynamic diplomacyAs the game progresses, so do your diplomatic relationships. From primitive first interactions where conflict is a fact of life, to late game alliances and negotiations. Carry influence with nearby city states to gain its diplomatic allegiance and earn game-changing city-state bonuses. Enlist spies to gather crucial intel on rival civilizations, steal precious resources, and even topple governments.
