Cities: Skylines 2 Misses One Key Element

Article Key Points

Cities: Skylines 2 replicates reality by creating cities that could exist in the real world, with citizens and traffic AI that behave realistically.

The absence of grass in the game's landscapes is a noticeable drawback, as it gives the environment a dull and unrealistic flatness.

Although the inclusion of grass would contribute to a more realistic setting, the studio has made a deliberate decision to forgo it in order to avoid any potential performance complications and focus on prioritizing other aspects of city-building. Alternatively, modders have the option to incorporate grass into the game, or the studio may consider including it in upcoming updates.

In comparison to Cities: Skylines, Cities: Skylines 2 has made significant progress in its quest to accurately replicate reality. The cities within the game are remarkably lifelike, with citizens going about their daily routines in a manner that mimics real life. Additionally, the new traffic AI seamlessly navigates through the city, adding to the overall authenticity of the simulation. This commendable attention to detail greatly enhances the immersive experience of the genre. However, there is one aspect of the world in Cities: Skylines 2 that somewhat detracts from its overall appeal.

While Cities: Skylines 2 does manage to incorporate many elements commonly found in real landscapes, it appears to overlook one vital component. The absence of grass in the game's terrain stands out as a notable omission. Instead, the landscape is rendered with a uniform green hue that lacks the natural variation and texture typically associated with grassy areas. This lack of visual variety, coupled with the subdued color palette utilized in the city, can detract from the visual interest of Cities: Skylines 2 over time.

Cities: Skylines 2's Landscape is Lacking One Crucial Element

Grass is ubiquitous in the real world, whether it's found in parks, overgrown lawns, or along frequented paths. It's hard to avoid encountering some form of grass unless the entire city is covered in pavement. Therefore, it would be logical for Cities: Skylines 2 to feature grass as well. However, it appears that this is not the current scenario.

Cities: Skylines 2 Could Benefit From Some Grass

In Cities: Skylines 2, players embark on constructing their cities on a wide array of maps with diverse landscapes. Surprisingly, these landscapes lack the inclusion of realistic 3D modeled grass, unlike the 3D modeled trees and shrubs. Consequently, the overall appearance of the map in Cities: Skylines 2 appears quite flat, resulting in an uninspiring environment.

Replacing actual grass with large green fields creates an unrealistic landscape, as these fields appear as if someone has simply painted the entire world with a massive green brush. This issue is not limited to Cities: Skylines 2; even the original game lacked many natural elements beyond trees and shrubs. However, the original game had an advantage in that players had more control over filling in those empty areas.

Leaving Grass Out of Cities: Skylines 2 Makes Sense

While it would be ideal for Cities: Skylines 2 to have a more realistic landscape, it is reasonable that Colossal Order did not include 3D modeled grass. The game is already facing performance issues due to the complexity of its simulations. If the studio also had to render grass instead of the vast green fields, the game's performance problems would likely worsen. Given the choice between ensuring smooth gameplay or including grass, the decision seems quite straightforward.

Furthermore, Colossal Order had no real incentive to invest in creating 3D grass. The studio likely prioritized the development of city building features that would engage Cities: Skylines 2 players, rather than focusing on the environment where their cities would be situated. Considering that many players will ultimately fill the landscape with buildings, it may have been a waste of time to meticulously model every blade of grass. Additionally, numerous city builders have opted for a green landscape, and it is likely that many more will follow suit in the future.

Even though the addition of grass to Cities: Skylines 2 could have enhanced the game's realism, it is understandable why Colossal Order may not have prioritized such a feature. However, for players eager to enhance the aesthetics of their cities, modders might eventually introduce grass into the game. Furthermore, there is always the possibility that the studio will incorporate grass-like objects in future updates.

Cities: Skylines 2

Cities: Skylines 2, developed by Colossal Order and published by Paradox Interactive, enhances the groundwork established by its predecessor in 2015. Focusing on authenticity, this city-building simulation provides a complex economic system and a dynamic world shaped by player decisions and ingenuity. Available on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S, the game was released on October 24, 2023. Explore the city builder genre further by visiting the Xbox Games Store.

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z fan of city-building games, I am excited about the release of Cities: Skylines 2. The game promises to be a more realistic and immersive experience than its predecessor, with improved graphics, more detailed simulations, and new features. However, I am disappointed to learn that the game will not include grass.

Grass is a vital part of any realistic urban landscape. It adds color and texture to the environment, and it helps to create a sense of place. Without grass, the cities in Cities: Skylines 2 will look flat and lifeless. I understand that the developers may have decided to exclude grass in order to improve performance, but I believe that it was a mistake. Grass is an essential part of any city, and its absence will make Cities: Skylines 2 feel less realistic and immersive.

I hope that the developers will reconsider their decision and add grass to Cities: Skylines 2 in a future update. In the meantime, I will be looking for mods that add grass to the game.