#14
With the evenings I have, a Civilization campaign that runs past a hundred turns is a commitment I think about before I start. Civilization VII is the easiest 4X on this page to pick up, with clear victory routes, and the age system that has you swapping civilizations mid-game splits opinion. Rocky launch reception held it back. Older Civilization games have a more settled reputation, and the interface drew the loudest complaints. The empire-building underneath, with its tech pacing and diplomacy, is still the hook.