The Advantages and Disadvantages of the City Leveling Up Mechanism in Cities Skylines 2

Highlights

Cities: Skylines 2 introduces a new city leveling-up system, which revamps the progression mechanics and adds a tech tree for unlocking features.

The revised version:

The new leveling system in Cities: Skylines 2 is centered around earning XP by experiencing city growth, construction, and maintaining citizen happiness. It offers various avenues for advancement and progression. However, compared to the previous game, the milestones achieved in Cities: Skylines 2 have a diminished sense of significance and fail to provide comparable rewards.

While the core gameplay of Cities: Skylines 2 remains similar to its predecessor, Colossal Order has introduced new elements to enhance the experience. One significant change is the introduction of a new city leveling-up system. In the first game, player's cities would gradually grow and evolve. However, Cities: Skylines 2 has completely overhauled this system, with mixed results.

In Cities: Skylines, players earned milestones as their cities expanded. This served as the primary form of progression in the game. While this aspect remains in the sequel, Cities: Skylines 2 has made significant changes. The leveling-up process works differently, and the unlocks are now presented in the form of a tech tree. This unique approach combines a familiar feature with a fresh twist. However, it may not be as impressive as it initially sounds.

Cities Skylines 2's Leveling-Up System is an interesting Addition

In Cities: Skylines, players were rewarded with new tools as their city's population grew. There were a total of 13 milestones that players could earn, each requiring a specific population size depending on the map. Achieving these milestones unlocked new features and provided players with a cash boost. While not revolutionary, this progression system was a welcome addition to the game.

In Cities: Skylines 2, milestones make a comeback, but with a completely different approach. Instead of being based on population, the system now revolves around an XP leveling system. Players earn XP as their city expands, by constructing specific buildings or roads, and by increasing citizen happiness. This change may be surprising for dedicated fans, but it brings a refreshing new dynamic. Players are no longer restricted to building massive cities solely for unlocking content, as they can now progress in alternative ways.

The XP system in Cities: Skylines 2 has undergone changes, including the unlock system. Earlier milestones not only provide players with new toys but also grant them points to be used in development trees. These trees, organized by city service, house most of the important buildings in the game. As players progress, they can invest more points in these trees, unlocking additional features to explore.

The introduction of a tech tree system allows players in Cities: Skylines 2 to have more control over their progression. However, it also means that milestones have less impact. While the earlier milestones unlock new features, the later ones offer fewer rewards. After reaching the 10th milestone, players will no longer unlock anything specific through this system. They will continue to receive loan increases and development tree points but won't unlock any new milestone-related content.

Milestones remain the sole method of earning points for the development trees in Cities: Skylines 2. However, they might lack the excitement and rewards found in the previous version. Unlike Cities: Skylines, where players received cool rewards with each level up, in Cities: Skylines 2, only the first 10 milestones provide players with any tangible benefits. The remaining milestones serve solely as a means to progress through the tech tree. Although the game acknowledges and congratulates players upon reaching a milestone, the absence of significant rewards may diminish the sense of achievement. While this aspect doesn't necessarily degrade the overall gaming experience, devoted Cities: Skylines players might have expected a more substantial system, considering the studio has nearly doubled the milestone count.

Cities: Skylines 2

Cities: Skylines 2, developed by Colossal Order and published by Paradox Interactive, takes the successful formula of its predecessor released in 2015 to new heights. The focus remains on creating a realistic city-building experience, offering players an intricate economic system and a dynamic world shaped by their choices and creativity. Available on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S, the highly anticipated game is set to release on October 24, 2023. With its genre classified as a City Builder, Cities: Skylines 2 promises to captivate gamers with its immersive gameplay.