Cities: Skylines
" Extensive simulation strategy with deep city management and modding but steep learning curve "
Cities: Skylines Review
Cities: Skylines is widely regarded as one of the best city-building simulation games available, praised for its depth, creativity, and intuitive mechanics. Players enjoy the extensive customization options, realistic resource management, and detailed transit systems that allow for complex urban planning. The game supports a vibrant modding community, significantly enhancing replayability and personalization.
Despite its strengths, players often express frustration with the game's DLC model, noting that much of the valuable content is locked behind multiple paid expansions, which can be costly. Some technical issues, such as occasional bugs, performance drops in large cities, and UI quirks, are mentioned but generally do not overshadow the overall experience. The game remains a relaxing yet challenging simulator that balances realism with fun, appealing to both casual and hardcore city-building fans.
Highlights
Players particularly praise the game's freedom in city design, realistic traffic and public transport systems, and the depth of management mechanics including zoning, utilities, and citizen satisfaction.
The graphics, while not cutting-edge, are considered good and contribute to a relaxing atmosphere. The modding community and Steam Workshop support are standout features, providing endless customization and fresh content.
Many reviews highlight the game's ability to engage players for hundreds or thousands of hours, offering an almost endless gameplay experience.
Criticisms
The most common criticism is the heavy reliance on paid DLCs for a complete experience, which many find expensive and frustrating. Some players report technical issues such as bugs, crashes, and performance slowdowns in large cities.
Traffic AI behavior is sometimes described as problematic, with cars not always following logical paths. Additionally, some users find certain gameplay mechanics, like building placement and road construction, unintuitive or restrictive.
There are also occasional complaints about launcher issues and compatibility problems on certain platforms, such as Linux.
Pros
- • Extensive customization allows creation of unique and detailed cities.
- • Realistic and engaging traffic and public transportation systems.
- • Strong modding support significantly expands gameplay possibilities.
- • Intuitive yet deep resource and city management mechanics.
- • Relaxing atmosphere with good graphics and ambient music.
- • High replayability with endless city-building challenges.
- • Community content adds variety and longevity to the game.
Cons
- • Many valuable features locked behind numerous expensive DLCs.
- • Traffic AI can be unpredictable and frustrating to manage.
- • Occasional bugs and crashes, especially with mods or large cities.
- • Some UI and building placement mechanics feel unintuitive.
- • Launcher and compatibility issues reported on certain platforms.
- • DLC pricing and sales policy considered unfair by some players.
- • Performance can degrade in very large or complex cities.
Rating Criteria
Cities: Skylines is a modern take on the classic city simulation. The game introduces new game play elements to realize the thrill and hardships of creating and maintaining a real city whilst expanding on some well-established tropes of the city building experience.
