If you’ve given up on Civilization 7, Civ 6 is free with all DLC expansions for a limited time on Epic Games Store

Civilization is a series in thrall to the illusion of endless incremental progress, and what more bruisingly poetic way to refute that narrative than by sticking two fingers up at this year’s ailing Civilization 7 and opting to play 2016’s much better-regarded Civilization 6 instead. Conveniently, you can currently get Civilization 6 for free on the Epic Games Store – the giveaway runs till 24th July.

Of course, if you’re mad about Civ 7’s failings, there’s a fair chance you already own Civ 6. But the freebie does include access to all of the game’s DLC and expansions, so might be worth bagging if you only ever bought the base game from a different store. For clarity, you do not need to stick two fingers up at Civ 7 while downloading the free version of Civ 6. It is a piece of software and cannot respond to your hatred.

The Epic Games Store giveaway is for Civ 6’s Platinum Edition, which includes the Vikings Scenario Pack, the Poland Civilization & Scenario Pack, the Australia Civilization & Scenario Pack, the Persia and Macedon Civilization & Scenario Pack, the Nubia Civilization & Scenario Pack, and the Khmer and Indonesia Civilization & Scenario Pack, plus two big expansions: Rise and Fall and Gathering Storm.

After all the yelling, shouting, explosions and assorted farmyard noises in response to Civilization 7, it is kind of terrifying to revisit Adam Smith’s (RPS in peace) Civilization 6 review from 2016. “Civ VI demands flexibility of thought and function, and it rewards it handsomely with a game that responds elegantly to all kinds of different playstyles,” he wrote, concluding that “it is, quite simply, a thing of wonder, and a late contender for my personal game of the year.”

It was subsequently consecrated as RPS’s best 4X of 2016 in the year’s Advent Calendar, and stands firm (appropriately) at 6th on our list of the best PC strategy games. (You all ranked it at 13th on your own list because what is the average RPS reader if not a chuckling contrarian.)

I want to go back. Still, perhaps with enough updating and patching, Civ 7 will shine similarly. Civilization tends to play the long game, after all. The next major update will add auto-exploration for scouts and smoothed-out Age transitions. It feels like if they can figure out the controversy over the Age mechanic, the rest might fall into place.