It seems to me that you are of the opinion that only human-looking individuals can be civilized. This is obviously not true, since the quality of being civilized is not dependent on appearance. [Cambridge Dictionary]
I actually like the look of the lizards, but this is an absurd way to justify it.
They absolutely look more barbaric, and their biology is literally more savage (pointed teeth and fire breath). Of course, culture is different from biology, and I'm very comfortable with that contradiction.
That said, if you have experience from previous games that told you to expect something like Princess Camilla, then I can appreciate the feeling of disappointment. I'd be pretty disappointed if the next Mass Effect game dramatically changed the appearance of the Asari.
