also no hotseat multiplayer

I mean, each of these games are just the same as the previous but with less content more or less?

You should replay it. It is imho the highlight of the series because of a few changes compared to other civ games:

• Focusing on the terraforming and colonisation of alpha Centauri allowed them to have an actual story where you uncovered stuff about the planet and its indigenous lifeforms while you played. It's from the 90s, so there is no branching storylines, alternative endings or stuff like that, but even after repeated playthroughs it's nice to have some progression that's more than a tech tree.
• Having only seven leaders (and having them all in every game, no smaller or larger games) might seem weird and tbh, larger maps feel a bit empty. However, each technology, city improvement or wonder gives you some (well narrated) text bits of one of them, giving them so much more character than the leaders in your average game of civ. The hatred for Miriam has become a meme, which wouldn't have happened if these characters weren't extremely well written. Ironically this is imho of of the reasons why the add on didn't work as well - the few bits that were added for each of the new factions just weren't enough.

Although there are more differences, like eg a unit design workshop, the game loop feels quite similar to civ. It's like they took civ 4, polished it and just decided to make it... Dunno, meaningful. And while that's not per se relevant for in game decisions such as "where to settle" or "what to build", it just makes the whole experience so much better. It's still my comfort game that I boot up for another play on my deck every now and then.

They do make changes throughout the series, but every new game is a complete reset to a basic game so they can sell you all the DLC and expansions to make it into a full game.

The game is lietarlly half cooked, and they clearly wanted to sell the other half piecemeal as DLC.

The game literally only has 3 eras. Every other civ game has 6.

I’m having a hard time getting into humankind. Any tips for someone that loved civ 5 and liked civ 6?

Err... well, without any mentions of specific gripes or difficulties you are having... entirely seriously, actually play through with the tutorial enabled.

There are 3 different tutorial settings:

No tutorial

Moderate tutorial (ie, you've played some Civ games and want to mainly focus on what is different in Humankind)

Full tutorial (baby step you through everything like you've never played any kind of turn based 4x before)

The middle of the road tutorial does a pretty good job of highlighting and explaining systems and actions that work differently from Civ, or are just entirely not present in Civ, but doesn't hold your hand through every single basic concept that you would be familiar with as an experienced Civ player.

I think a lot of people are waiting for the first Civ7 expansion pack to be released

I'm waiting for the last Civ7 expansion pack to be released.

Everyone knows you don't buy a Civ game the first few years it's out.

As far as I'm concerned, they are still in the beta test for at least the next 2 years, then MAYBE I'll think about grabbing it.

Aspyr, the ones who made the civ 6 port

I did just hunt through my old CDs, and I've still got it! Along with Diablo 1 and some weird burned copy of Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 that has a black bottom, like it's a PlayStation CD. Anyway, I'll try to check it out; thanks for the recommendation!

Realism Invictus* amazing mod for 4. Many other great mods also!

Civilization peaked at 2.

I don't think so. There's no mention of it on their site.

It's more expensive for a worse game than V or VI, both of which can be had for the price of dirt.

Not surprising.

Holy shit, 5 is 15 years old now?! It still feels new. How old is 3?! Because that is my first civ

3 for me. Although I really like 4 too

It's honestly been one of the most disappointing games I've ever picked up. Civ 6 was my first. I would play it well into the night. I was addicted.

At this point I forgot civ 7 even came out until I saw this to remind me. I played maybe 250 turns total over a couple games and dropped it. I have no desire to pick it up. The map generation is bad and the age system is formulaic. Makes it feel like on the rails for the same thing every single game.

I do enjoy 5. But I don't like 6

I think 6 has too much going on. I don’t care for the districts.