Boosting Entertainment in Cities: Skylines 2
Discover the key to enhancing citizen wellbeing in Cities: Skylines 2! Dive into the world of entertainment and explore the vital connection between park maintenance and population density Learn how to create thriving urban landscapes that cater to the needs of your citizens
The objective of Cities: Skylines 2 is to create an appealing city with well-functioning healthcare, a strong police force, and a variety of entertainment options such as parks and sports fields. While certain commercial buildings offer entertainment, players are generally advised to meet this citizen need on their own.
Once players reach milestone four, Grand Village, they can access the Parks and Recreation menu. Initially, it provides a few small parks, but purchasing additional options with development points is necessary. It is advisable to do so early on as the entertainment value provided by small parks alone is limited in Cities: Skylines 2.
Park Maintenance
The first upgrade in the Parks and Recreation tree is Park Maintenance, which grants access to a specialized building responsible for maintaining the pristine condition of all parks and public venues in the city. Neglecting these parks will diminish their entertainment value and, consequently, their contribution to citizen wellbeing - the primary objective of these establishments in the game.
A single park maintenance building incurs minimal costs and efficiently manages numerous parks by dispatching trucks along the road network. This reliance on smooth traffic flow throughout the city ensures timely completion of their duties. Furthermore, these city vehicles possess the versatility to navigate pedestrian roads and restricted areas inaccessible to regular vehicles.
Entertainment and Population Density
Players may observe that when they replace low-density residential zones with medium and high-density areas, the parks they place no longer cover as much of the neighborhood. This is because each family residing in a building increases the building's need for entertainment. Consequently, the parks that were sufficient for a sprawling suburb are not adequate for a towering skyscraper. In order to enhance the entertainment well-being of a densely packed neighborhood, players must construct more and superior parks and recreational buildings.
The complimentary buildings provided to players are small parks, which are suitable for low-density areas. However, these parks cease to function effectively once players rezone for high density.
Building | Cost | Upkeep | Recreation | Attractiveness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Small Park | 10,000 | 2,000 | +1 Outdoor | 1 |
Small Plaza | 20,000 | 4,000 | +1 Outdoor | 5 |
Small Playground | 5,000 | 1,000 | +2 Outdoor | 1 |
Dog Park | 10,000 | 2,000 | +2 Outdoor | 1 |
Campfire Site | 30,000 | 6,000 | +5 Outdoor | 10 |
Please note that although the Campfire Site exhibits superior statistics, it is also significantly larger in size compared to the other small parks. The final statistic, Attractiveness, gauges the likelihood of tourists visiting and utilizing the facility.
The next two park types are Large Parks and Sports Parks. Players can unlock them for two development points each after buying the Park Maintenance building.
Building | Cost | Upkeep | Recreation | Attractiveness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Large City Park | 42,000 | 8,500 | +3 Outdoor | 10 |
Large Plaza | 56,000 | 12,500 | +5 Outdoor | 15 |
Large Playground | 14,000 | 2,500 | +5 Outdoor | 5 |
Building | Cost | Upkeep | Recreation | Attractiveness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tennis Court | 14,000 | 2,500 | +5 Outdoor | 5 |
Outdoor Gym | 15,000 | 3,000 | +5 Outdoor | 5 |
Skate Park | 15,000 | 3,000 | +5 Outdoor | 5 |
Basketball Court | 14,000 | 2,500 | +5 Outdoor | 5 |
The sports parks each have similar stats, but they come in different shapes players can take advantage of to fit them into neighborhood grids.
After unlocking both previous park types, players can buy Large Sports Parks for four development points.
Building | Cost | Upkeep | Recreation | Attractiveness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
American Football Field | 160,000 | 30,000 | +20 Outdoor | 25 |
Soccer Field | 160,000 | 30,000 | +20 Outdoor | 25 |
Community Pool | 80,000 | 16,000 | +20 Summer | 15 |
The Community Pool only offers its recreation bonus during the summer months. Likewise, parks with "Outdoor" qualifications lose many of their benefits when it rains or snows.
The final upgrade in the Parks and Recreation tree is the Tourist Attractions. It requires eight development points to purchase, and although the buildings offer significant recreation boosts, their main purpose is to enhance the city's Attractiveness.
Building | Cost | Upkeep | Recreation | Attractiveness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Observation Tower | 3,200,000 | 320,000 | +75 Indoor | 40 |
Bronze Statue | 3,200,000 | 320,000 | +25 Outdoor | 50 |
Water Park | 800,000 | 80,000 | +25 Summer | 75 |
Medieval Castle | 4,800,000 | 480,000 | +20 Outdoor | 85 |
The final category in the Parks and Rec menu focuses on landmarks. Unlike other options, unlocking landmarks does not require any development points. However, due to their exorbitant cost and maintenance fees, players are less likely to purchase them in the early stages of the game. Nevertheless, these landmarks offer a fantastic opportunity to add a personal touch to a city in the later stages, should players choose to invest their funds.
Building | Cost | Upkeep | Recreation | Attractiveness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Nasinneula | 4,800,000 | 480,000 | +75 Indoor | 115 |
Grand Hotel | 1,600,000 | 160,000 | +75 Indoor | 115 |
Ferris Wheel | 5,600,000 | 560,000 | +75 Indoor | 110 |
National Gallery of Art | 3,200,000 | 320,000 | +100 Indoor | 120 |
Notre-Dame | 5,600,000 | 560,000 | +125 Indoor | 175 |
Namdaemun | 5,600,000 | 560,000 | +100 Outdoor | 125 |
Botanical Garden | 1,600,000 | 160,000 | +100 Outdoor | 125 |
National Diet Building | 5,600,000 | 560,000 | +100 Outdoor | 125 |
Bell Tower of Xi'an | 5,600,000 | 560,000 | +100 Outdoor | 125 |
Needless to say, players can only build one of each landmark in a city.
Cities: Skylines 2 is available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Cities: Skylines 2
Platform(s) PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series SReleased October 24, 2023Developer(s) Colossal OrderPublisher(s) Paradox InteractiveGenre(s) City Builder
Editor's P/S
As a passionate fan of Cities: Skylines, I am thrilled about the upcoming release of Cities: Skylines 2. The introduction of the Parks and Recreation menu and the focus on entertainment as a key factor in citizen well-being adds a new layer of depth and realism to the game.
The ability to create thriving urban landscapes that cater to the needs of citizens is an exciting prospect, and I can't wait to experiment with different park types and recreational buildings to optimize my city's entertainment value. The addition of landmarks also provides an opportunity for players to add a personal touch to their cities, making them truly unique.
Overall, I believe that the enhanced focus on entertainment and park maintenance in Cities: Skylines 2 will greatly enhance the gameplay experience and allow players to create even more vibrant and livable cities. I can't wait to get my hands on the game and start building my dream city!
