Ok, after spending 30 hrs and completing a couple games- a couple of thoughts. I'll preface by saying that I've played civ since civ2 and am an avid fan of the series.
So, civ vi feels like civ v + civ revolution. Everything from the art style, to the districts, to the formation of armies feels like a "full fledged" (non-console/casual) version of civ rev. I really liked civ rev and I'm glad sid meier imported some of those features into mainline civ. Anyways, here are my immediate take aways:
- Districts. I really like the districts and new city building focus. It makes you strategically develop your cities based on the civ you are playing, the victory you are pursuing, and the map you are playing on. It solves the late game "let's just build everything" approach of previous civs. However, given this new dynamic, Russia and Germany are by default the most powerful civs given their bonus on expansion and districts, respectively. Also, I'm not sure of the value/point of the aerodrome...
-Religion. I think making religion a fully developed mechanic similar to culture and science is overall a good addition. I do agree with some criticism of the apostle zerg rush, however, I think some sort of hermit kingdom or state religion civic could address this well. The use of faith to develop districts is great as well.
-Civics. Great addition. The interplay between civics and tech enriches adds a new layer of depth. I also am a big fan of the eureka moments, which similarly adds more depth.
-Issues. My biggest complaint so far is seemingly small roster of civs and the fact that most civs don't have appealing UU/UA. Like I said, Russia and Germany (and maybe China), feel like they have the greatest advantages compared to other civs. I also miss the lack of a pure science/turtle civ (again something I imagine we will see in the DLC/expansions).
Overall, I think the major new additions/augmentations (districts, religion, civics) are on point and enhance the depth of the game while also being intuitive and not menu driven (other than espionage). And one last thing- the "agendas" of other civs, while a great concept, feels half baked.