Unveiling the Ultimate Urban Simulation: Why Cities Skylines 2 Outshines SimCity 2013
Cities Skylines 2 brilliantly incorporates the best elements from SimCity 2013, reviving the city building genre with renewed inspiration and innovation Prepare to be captivated by a game that learns from its predecessor's mistakes and delivers an unparalleled experience
Highlights
Cities Skylines 2 takes inspiration from SimCity 2013 and integrates some of its standout elements, including the seamless integration of power, water, and sewage systems within the city streets, eliminating the need for manual connections.
The game provides a nostalgic gameplay experience similar to the classic SimCity games, where players can build and meticulously manage their own cities.
With the inclusion of a modular upgrade feature for city services, the gameplay of Cities Skylines 2 is enhanced, resulting in a more pleasurable and immersive experience.
SimCity's less than stellar launch in 2013 prompted Maxis to reimagine the franchise with new mechanics and a fresh style. However, the launch fell short of expectations, putting the series on hiatus since then. Fortunately, the disappointment paved the way for Colossal Order's Cities Skylines to step in and fill the void. Now, the highly anticipated Cities Skylines 2 is making a comeback, poised to once again revolutionize the genre.
SimCity used to dominate the city builder market, serving as a major inspiration for Cities Skylines. Despite the seemingly unappealing aspects of SimCity 2013, Colossal Order has also drawn influences from it for Cities Skylines 2. The game not only improves the core city building mechanics of its predecessor but also incorporates features reminiscent of Maxis' previous installment. While this may not lead to a resurgence of the SimCity franchise, it is satisfying to witness some of its best features living on in a new form.
SimCity is Inspiring Cities Skylines Once Again
Similar to the original game, Cities Skylines 2's core gameplay closely resembles the beloved SimCity games. Players have the freedom to construct their ideal city, ensure its smooth operation, and have control over almost every aspect. Colossal Order has introduced unique features such as the district-making feature to provide a distinct experience, but the fundamental gameplay loop will be immediately recognizable to fans of the SimCity series. And it seems that the studio has drawn inspiration from more than just that.
One of the noticeable differences in Cities Skylines 2 is the way power, water, and sewage mechanics have been revamped. In the previous game, players had to connect zones that were far from the power station using power lines. Buildings would supply power to each other, rendering power lines unnecessary in the end. However, if players wanted to construct facilities farther away or provide specific services at the outskirts, power lines were essential. Similarly, water and sewage pipes had to be manually placed beneath buildings requiring those utilities.
Cities Skylines 2 has revolutionized the way essential services operate by integrating them into the city streets. Any building connected to a street automatically satisfies all three needs, provided there are no bottlenecks. This improvement, reminiscent of SimCity 2013, significantly enhances the cleanliness of cities, eliminating the necessity of unsightly power lines. Players can now focus on developing their city without being burdened by this concern.
Additionally, Cities Skylines 2 has incorporated the beloved modular upgrade feature from SimCity 2013. In the previous game, players were able to enhance their city services by adding new rooms and features for improved functionality. Unfortunately, this feature was absent in the original Cities Skylines, much to the disappointment of many players. However, addressing the feedback from fans, Colossal Order has responded by allowing players to upgrade their city services in the same manner in Cities Skylines 2. Although not all services are eligible for this upgrade, the ones that are now offer more captivating possibilities.
The inclusion of these two small additions greatly enhance the enjoyment of playing Cities Skylines 2. Despite SimCity 2013's impact on the franchise's future, it is commendable that some of its superior features will continue to thrive in the Cities Skylines series. This raises anticipation for the possibility of additional distinct features in the coming years. PC users can already access Cities Skylines 2, while the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions are set to release in Spring 2024.
