Civilization VII gets good reviews, mostly

I gave up on Civ a few versions back: the historical features and flourishes didn't evoke "guide human civilization" as a game any more for me. Just more themed elaborations of complicated game systems I didn't have time to figure out. But reviewers say that Civilization VII is a rehaul and I might give it a try! Here's Ars Technica's Samuel Axon, who describes it as "a great launching point."

Systems-wise, Civilization VII is the most complete pre-expansion package we've seen in a long time. There are plenty of refinements and additions I'd like to see, but my general impressions are positive. This is still the best recent 4X game out there.

Just reading "Worker units have been replaced by a centralized city management screen" has me perking up.

As in all prior titles, you select a leader to play as when you start a new game, and that leader has unique bonuses or mechanics that affect how you would optimally play the game. But whereas leaders were tied to specific civilizations before, now they're not. You can play as Benjamin Franklin, King of Persia. Those concerned with historical accuracy won't love this change, though the developer clearly designed the leaders to have some mechanical synergy with historically appropriate civilizations; these pairings are even given special labeling in the civilization-selection screen.

People who play a game whose point is to fictionalize history yet expect historical accuracy are among the dumbest people history has ever known.

I want a strategy game that takes us to turn 1 of Civ. From the proverbial Monolith to the first move.