The game looks prettier, though the graphics will take some getting used to for veteran players.

The cultural changes are a positive step forward, and while people are complaining about them, those people are more upset about their nostalgia being challenged than any positive political impact this has. Changing the name of the first and second ages are because the lands were not discovered, there were being explored and because the whole period, from the ships landing on the americas' shores, to beyond the industrial age is the age of colonialism. The names were incorrect from the outset, and now they are more accurate. Besides, did it really matter to any player when we all call it age one, age two, and then fortress and imperial or four and five?

The change for the natives to have a community plaza over a firepit is purely superficial as far as the game is concerned, and helps mitigate the nasty stereotyping, so that is neat.
The change for natives building a trading area beside a mine is fine, doesn't change much but adds some flavour. It has it's own big button that adds xp generation to their trading, which is actually really potent.

Very happy that they removed the home city grind, especially in multiplayer. No more "I really want to try this rushing strategy with a civ I don't use, but all the better cards are locked behind level 40 home city and 4 other useless cards"
I do hope that they patch the deck building to look more like it used to. I realize that, now that the cards are not level locked, there is no need to sort them progressively, but I would like them sorted a bit better

The game looks prettier, though the graphics will take some getting used to for veteran players. The cultural changes are a positive step forward, and while people are complaining about them, those people are more upset about their nostalgia being challenged than any positive political impact this has. Changing the name of the first and second ages are because the lands were not discovered, there were being explored and because the whole period, from the ships landing on the americas' shores, to beyond the industrial age is the age of colonialism. The names were incorrect from the outset, and now they are more accurate. Besides, did it really matter to any player when we all call it age one, age two, and then fortress and imperial or four and five? The change for the natives to have a community plaza over a firepit is purely superficial as far as the game is concerned, and helps mitigate the nasty stereotyping, so that is neat. The change for natives building a trading area beside a mine is fine, doesn't change much but adds some flavour. It has it's own big button that adds xp generation to their trading, which is actually really potent. Very happy that they removed the home city grind, especially in multiplayer. No more "I really want to try this rushing strategy with a civ I don't use, but all the better cards are locked behind level 40 home city and 4 other useless cards" I do hope that they patch the deck building to look more like it used to. I realize that, now that the cards are not level locked, there is no need to sort them progressively, but I would like them sorted a bit better