Imho the problem isn't what they add in the game by letting you switching nations.
The problem is what they remove from the game. And maybe they don't remove it. Devil is in details and we don't know it all yet. Humankind removed.
In Humankind you lack one critical feature - the possibility to customize your game session by selecting a nation before knowing the game details. Just choose warmonger civ and deal with it. Even if you got stuck on a small continent. Choose Inca and hunt for mountains. Choose Japan and stack districts. In all previous Civ games a nation selection was a customization tool making each of your your game session different. Speaking this way - you have no nation selection in Humankind, and you have another mechanics that let you min-max your empire development. You had let say 10, not you have 11. But without any unique game sessions.
In old Civs you may select odd weak nation just to have fun with its unique mechanics. But you can't do in Humankind. You are already min-maxing. Technically you can, but it doesn't differ from "I won't build ranged units in ancient and classic eras because it makes my game unique". We may do it, but 99% of us don't do it.
It's not a problem at the beginning. But it hurts your game experience after a year in the game.
I see in Civ VII you may select Egypt before the game start what is fine. It lasts till the era of exploration. The big question for me is - will it matter in eras 2 and 3 and how much? Is lets lay Egypt - Arab - Turkey differ from Persia - Arab - Turkey at later stages? I want my customization tool staying in the game!
The problem is what they remove from the game. And maybe they don't remove it. Devil is in details and we don't know it all yet. Humankind removed.
In Humankind you lack one critical feature - the possibility to customize your game session by selecting a nation before knowing the game details. Just choose warmonger civ and deal with it. Even if you got stuck on a small continent. Choose Inca and hunt for mountains. Choose Japan and stack districts. In all previous Civ games a nation selection was a customization tool making each of your your game session different. Speaking this way - you have no nation selection in Humankind, and you have another mechanics that let you min-max your empire development. You had let say 10, not you have 11. But without any unique game sessions.
In old Civs you may select odd weak nation just to have fun with its unique mechanics. But you can't do in Humankind. You are already min-maxing. Technically you can, but it doesn't differ from "I won't build ranged units in ancient and classic eras because it makes my game unique". We may do it, but 99% of us don't do it.
It's not a problem at the beginning. But it hurts your game experience after a year in the game.
I see in Civ VII you may select Egypt before the game start what is fine. It lasts till the era of exploration. The big question for me is - will it matter in eras 2 and 3 and how much? Is lets lay Egypt - Arab - Turkey differ from Persia - Arab - Turkey at later stages? I want my customization tool staying in the game!