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On January 24, the official Twitter account of Sid Meier’s Civilization VII posted a tweet that I had been looking forward to for years. In it, a man spoke these words: “Walang bansang pinagmumulan ng katalinuhan. Ito ay nagbubunga sa lahat ng lugar. Ito’y parang liwanag at hangin. Ito’y katangian ng lahat.” In English, this roughly translates to “genius/intellect is not exclusive to any country. It can blossom anywhere. It is like light and air. It is in all of us.”
Those are the words of Dr. Jose Rizal, accomplished author, scholar, polyglot, and venerated hero of the Philippines. The moment I heard those words, spoken in clear Tagalog–one of the many dialects of my people–I couldn’t help but tear up. It wasn’t just because the Philippines finally became an official part of the Civilization franchise with Rizal as a playable leader, but also because my country and its 117 million citizens–with countless more who live abroad–have long been underrepresented in video games.
True, we’ve seen a few Filipino video game characters over the years, such as Jose Astrada and Pham Luis (Front Mission 3), Talim (SoulCalibur), Conduit (Apex Legends), and Neon (Valorant), but these were more akin to stereotypical depictions of what a Filipino character might be like. Even Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada admitted in a Twitter post that a Filipino fighter that he created, Josie, only bore the good doctor’s surname after he heard about Rizal through FGC commentator Mark “Markman” Julio. (Josie’s announcement even led to a minor controversy a few years ago here in the Philippines.)
Jose Rizal’s inclusion in Civilization VII is neither a depiction that relies on stereotypical Filipino traits, nor is it an amalgamation of concepts related to how Filipinos present themselves or eat Jollibee and adobo. Rather, Rizal’s inclusion is a genuine showcase of Filipino culture through one of the most influential figures in the country’s history.
Born June 19, 1861, Jose “Pepe” Rizal would grow to become a well-educated and well-traveled man. Originally, he studied multiple courses in college, before deciding on ophthalmology to help his mother, who had begun to go blind. That led to further studies abroad in Madrid and travels all across Europe. He was a man of many talents and hobbies, from painting and cartography to writing and woodcarving. It was even said that he was a polymath and a polyglot who spoke 22 languages. (It’s also widely accepted in the Philippines that the term “rizz” originated from Jose’s surname due to all the flowery poems he wrote and flirtatious dalliances he experienced in his young life.)
Rizal’s travels abroad helped shape his views on governance and nationhood, and of his privileged upbringing, opening his eyes to the plight of his fellow Filipinos who continued to suffer under the Spaniards. Joining his fellow Filipinos in Spain, Rizal became a regular contributor to La Solidaridad, a Spanish newspaper, where he wrote about socio-economic conditions in the Philippines.
Around this time, he also penned his two masterpieces: Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not) and its sequel, El Filibusterismo (The Reign of Greed). These works castigated the abuses of the Catholic church, the corruption of the Spanish friars, and, by extension, Spanish colonial rule. While Rizal and his compatriots advocated for peaceful reform and equal representation for Filipinos, he was nevertheless tried for his alleged ties to an armed revolutionary group, the Katipunan, led by Gat Andres Bonifacio.
On December 30, 1896, Rizal was led along the lonely cobblestone path at Bagumbayan, a town in Manila. On that cold morning, surrounded by Filipino troops and under the watchful eyes of the Spaniards, Rizal muttered, “Consummatum est” (“It is finished”) just as the order to fire was given. Then, choosing to face his executioners bravely, he quickly turned as the gunshots rang out. He died looking upon the rays of the sun, unaware of how much his life and works would impact his beloved country for decades to come.
Although the Philippines isn’t a playable nation in Sid Meier’s Civilization VII, Jose Rizal can lead any nation of your choosing, be it Egypt or Rome in the Antiquity Age, or Meiji Japan in the Modern Age. (I do consider Rizal leading Spain and America as a fitting revenge for nearly 400 years of colonial rule.)
Speaking with Civilization VII narrative designer Rue Taylor, I was told that Rizal was an early addition to the list of potential leaders at the start of the game’s development. “Once the decision was made to move away from purely political leaders, our team at Firaxis cast a wide net for historical figures who left their mark on history in other ways. Rizal was a great candidate given his remarkable career as both a revolutionary and writer, his uncompromising vision and distinctive personality, his wide popularity today, and his potential as a modern representative of Southeast Asia,” says Taylor.
“We also had an ear to our vocal Filipino fanbase,” adds Taylor. “Rizal was initially recommended by senior historian Andrew Johnson. This proposal gained supporters as the team grew. Rizal’s inclusion was also championed by our senior narrative designer Nell Raban, who wrote the majority of his narrative events.” (Raban, I’m told, is also Filipino.)
As for creating leaders and civs that are as authentic as possible, Taylor notes that the team did rigorous research into each figure and the given historical context: “We also have to dig deeper. Who are these leaders as people? What about their character, worldviews, personalities, visions, beliefs, etc.? How did these concepts enable and empower them to leave their impact on the world?”
In Rizal’s case, Firaxis had to balance multiple factors, while also researching Rizal’s biography, novels, and other writings. “Rizal’s script draws heavily from his own words, and many narrative events hold references to his life. But we also thought deeply about his character,” Taylor says. “For instance, his travels greatly influenced his ideas and perspectives, and these also fit Civilization VII very well with its inherently international focus. This piece of his experience was translated into the game through his diplomatic attribute, focus, and unique narrative events that trigger when he meets new civilizations. But we don’t want to be prescriptive in our depictions. There are other elements of his character that are present in these events, but left to the player to decipher, such as the nature of his identity as a revolutionary.”
In-game, Rizal has a more generalist playstyle that’s befitting of a man with many talents. He leans more toward diplomacy given how he sought reforms for the country through peaceful means. Conversely, he doesn’t excel when it comes to militarist or expansionist goals, as he detested violent revolution.
Rizal also has a keen focus on narrative events: questlines that players undertake throughout the course of each campaign. Rizal’s “Pambansang Bayani” (National Hero) trait allows him to unlock additional narrative events, as well as gain bonus culture and gold from said events.
“We chose these mechanics for Rizal because our designer, Carl Harrison, was looking for ways to integrate leaders with Civilization VII’s emergent narrative system,” says Taylor. “At the time, we didn’t yet have a leader with a narrative focus. When we considered the best candidate for this synergy, the narrative team saw Rizal as a natural choice. His narrative bonuses and extra events reflect the ways in which he processed his world and how he penned his works. This also helped us break new ground, gameplay-wise, as we explored what a narrative leader could be.”
Moreover, Rizal’s quirks provide an additional 50% celebration duration and 50% happiness toward celebrations. I’d like to think that this is a nod to how Filipinos are often considered happy, warm, welcoming, and jovial. After all, the Philippines is a country that’s riddled with crime, corruption, poverty, and every natural disaster in between, yet people remain optimistic, with our own brand of humor that helps us through grief and tragedy.
Representation is further reflected in the naming of Rizal’s agenda, Kapwa, where he prefers leaders that offer diplomatic endeavors and dislikes those who propose sanctions. This is a reference to the Filipino concept of “togetherness” and having a “shared identity.” It’s partly about the interdependence among peoples, partly about finding your place within a group or community, and partly about “us versus them” concepts–i.e. “Hindi ibang tao versus ibang tao.”
Various in-game mechanics, such as unlockable Mementos that grant perks, also highlight other details of Rizal’s life. “Noli Me Tangere [Rizal’s level 9 unlock] was fundamental to the growth of the independence movement in the Philippines,” says Taylor. “His Forget-me-not [level 2 unlock] is a nod to his poem, ‘To the Flowers of Heidelberg,’ where the flowers themselves represent his longing for his homeland. His Ophthalmoscope [level 5 unlock], meanwhile, is a Memento since he was an eye doctor.”
Regrettably, I was yearning for a Filipino Nurse Great Person or a Karaoke Bar unique building. But I guess mods will have to suffice.
Authenticity in Rizal’s inclusion in Sid Meier’s Civilization VII doesn’t just come from his design and mechanics, but also in his presentation. Rizal is voiced by Bryan Allan Encarnacion, a veteran Filipino voiceover artist who’s worked on several TV series and film trailers. He has also performed the official Tagalog dub for certain Disney and Marvel characters, including the Winter Soldier, Thor, Pumbaa, Buzz Lightyear, and more.
“I was invited by one of my voice acting and dubbing directors to try for the role,” recounts Encarnacion. “I did not know what the project was even after we did it. All I knew was that it was for a video game. I eventually learned that the role I auditioned for was for Civilization VII, which was quite a surprise.”
Encarnacion adds that the project was quite different from what he had experienced before. “I mainly do three things in my career as a voiceover artist: (a) events and concerts, (b) recorded projects like TV and radio ads, and (c) the Tagalog dub for films and series,” he says.
“For Civilization VII, I was asked to read lines freely just like how I would say them in theatre. They also recorded my facial expressions during the voice recording session. Something I have never done before,” says Encarnacion. “I have seen movies and read enough books about Jose Rizal to have at least an idea of how he would say some things in Spanish and Filipino/Tagalog. Had to put that ‘rizz’ factor in there because, after all, one of his many attributes is that he was a ladies’ man [laughs].”
Encarnacion also shares what this opportunity meant to him as a Filipino, especially after hearing Tagalog spoken clearly in a video game. “It’s refreshing and it makes me really proud! We have a lot of indie games made by local game developers but many of them use English for the UI and character dialogues. I can’t blame them though, because they have to cater to other countries, while conveying Filipino stories and information in a language most will understand,” notes Encarnacion. “Seeing one of our national heroes speak in Tagalog in a video game is really a huge step for us Pinoys. I do hope they can include Andres Bonifacio and Lapu-Lapu next.”
The representation of various countries and cultures isn’t just showcased through Jose Rizal, but also through other nations in Sid Meier’s Civilization VII, most notably the Shawnee. “We worked closely with the Shawnee Tribe to bring in the Shawnee as a civilization and Tecumseh as a leader,” says Taylor. “The process of collaboration was a wonderful experience across the board. Hearing the Shawnee language spoken by Tecumseh, seeing the beautiful Shawnee buildings on the map, and encountering narrative events drawn from Shawnee stories add a remarkable dimension to Civ VII in the authenticity we have been able to achieve thanks to our partnership.”
“But the true reward has been hearing the tribe’s enthusiasm at seeing themselves in the game, not only as a strong historical presence, but in the highlighting of the Shawnee legacy that continues today,” adds Taylor. “This is what the team strives for, with the Shawnee, with Jose Rizal, and beyond.”
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