Highlights
Cities: Skylines 2 lacks the depth and customizability of the original game's district feature, making it feel barebones and forgettable.
In the sequel, players are now restricted to using rectangular shapes, thus eliminating the ability to paint districts and create distinctive neighborhoods. Consequently, the absence of district policies and unique features in Cities: Skylines 2 diminishes the significance and allure of the districts when compared to the original game.
Although Cities: Skylines succeeded in emulating the SimCity franchise in many ways, Colossal Order introduced several exciting unique elements to distinguish it from the competition. One of these standout features was the implementation of districts, allowing players to personalize specific areas of their cities. This brought a greater sense of realism to the gameplay and was further expanded through downloadable content. Given its immense popularity, it is only logical that Cities: Skylines 2 would also incorporate this feature. However, there seems to be something lacking in this new iteration.
Cities: Skylines 2 enhances various aspects of the original game, but it also appears to stumble somewhat. Perhaps this can be attributed to the fact that the original game received years of additional content after its initial release, which this sequel currently lacks. Another possibility is that Colossal Order had to make some cuts in order to meet the release date. Regardless of the reason, the district feature seems to have suffered as a result. While still enjoyable, it feels considerably stripped down compared to its predecessor.
Cities: Skylines 2's Districts Are Lacking Something
The district feature in Cities: Skylines offered players extensive customization options for designing their cities. They had the ability to paint and label different areas of their city as districts, and could apply unique building styles and district policies to distinguish them. This feature allowed players to create distinct neighborhoods within their city, making it highly popular among fans.
Colossal Order, the developers of the game, continued to expand on the districts feature through DLC packs and updates. Over the years, numerous new district policies were added, giving players even more freedom to personalize their cities. Additionally, the tool was utilized in DLC packs such as Parklife, Campus, and Industries, which further enhanced the system and offered exciting new gameplay possibilities.
With the focus on districts, players were eagerly anticipating how Colossal Order would handle them in Cities: Skylines 2. The game promised a deeper simulation, leading many to believe that the districts would be more engaging. However, it is apparent that this is not the case. Rather than expanding the feature in innovative ways, Cities: Skylines 2's districts feel neglected.
One major observation is that players can no longer paint districts onto their cities. Instead, districts must be constructed in a rigid rectangular shape, allowing no deviation. While this may not completely ruin the feature, it restricts players from creating districts in any desired shape, thereby diminishing the freeform nature of Cities: Skylines. Additionally, even if Colossal Order were to reintroduce this feature in a future update, Cities: Skylines 2's districts still have numerous issues.
Currently, there are very limited district policies in Cities: Skylines. Given the abundance of new policies introduced in the previous game, it would have been logical for the sequel to include them as well. However, Cities: Skylines 2 falls short, offering less than half of the original game's district policies. Moreover, the existing policies lack the same level of fascination as those in the previous title. Surprisingly, the game also lacks unique taxation policies and specialization features, which is peculiar considering the emphasis placed on them in the original. Although these issues might be addressed in future DLC packs, the current state of the districts feels rather insignificant. Cities: Skylines 2 is currently available on PC, and a PS5 and Xbox Series X/S version will be released in Spring 2024.
