I could spend hours criticizing how cartoonish the entire design of civ6 is, and invent insane philosopical arguments how it is connected to half of the problems of the game. Graphical design, depictions of leaders, mechanics disconnected from any history and realism, a dazzling spectacle of bonuses with no difficult choices behind them, bizarre focus on sci fi or fantasy modes and elements... Seriously, it's as if lead designers were consulting every choice with a 12 year old. There is nobody in this team to say sat 'wait that's stupid, that's not how reality works, and that matters a lot'.
But let's return to the topić. Previously I have criticized depictions of female leaders (and leaders in general). Now I'm going to criticise this game's mixed results regarding "fresh" depictions of cultures themselves. Sometimes it goes up to the level of stereotypes.
Let's see:
- France is cultured and mischevious (wine included)
- Spain is fixated with fanatic conversion and sea (imquisition meme included)
- England is fixated with expansion and sea
- Dutch merchant polder sea river
- Vikings are angry pillagers (not sailors, explorers, merchants or cool culture)
- Greeks_culture.exe
- Russians are different species of human who thrive in ice (I actually consider this one borderline racist)
- Germany: industry and war
- Sumer: Gilgamesh action figure cartoon. Wait what? Ah yes, this one actually fails in the opposite way.
- Ottomans: expansion and siege
- Persia: 100% Achaemenid, expansionist
- Ethiopia: mountains, religion and defence, gee how exciting
- Mali: desert merchants
- Zulu I won't even comment
- India: religion, population density, elephants
- Mongols: brutal horse destroyers (not merchants, empire builders, religiously tolerant etc)
- Japan hurr kamikaze durr industry
- Canada is just awful in this regard
- Brazil is somehow Amazon lovers, despite exploiting it and entire population living as far from rainforests as possible, also carnival
- Aztecs: 100% brutal warfare
- Maori: ridiculous noble savage "ecological lovers" stereotype.
- Inca mountain lovers, teleports included (wait what)
You want something fresh and new look all while representing real powerful traits? Here, let me do that. France being militarist and science, Germany being about culture and science, England focused on Anglo Saxons and medieval in general, Spain building universities and mixing cultures. Greece being about trade, fleet and science, Norse being great northern explorers, merchants and colonizers. Russia with focus on Kievan Rus trade bonus, exploration and science. Persia being Islamic and scientific. India being economically powerful, imperial, agressive faction. Japan being peaceful, isolationist and cultural powerhouse. Aztec being partly about agriculture and urbanisation. Canada focusing on northern exploration, its industry and world war expeditionary forces. Ethiopia - trade, agriculture and agressive warfare. Inca focusing on their expansionism and centrally planned, unique economic model.
Here you have completely historically appropriate set which is simultaneously very fresh and new. They could do that, just look at how cool they did Arabia, just chose not to.