Cities: Skylines (2015)

by Nish
written by Nish 8 minutes read

Summary

Cities: Skylines (2015): A Modern Classic of City Simulation

Cities: Skylines is a modern take on the classic city simulation genre. Released in 2015 by Colossal Order and Paradox Interactive, the game has quickly become one of the most popular and critically acclaimed city builders of all time.

Gameplay

Cities: Skylines puts players in the role of mayor of a growing city. Players are responsible for all aspects of city management, from zoning and infrastructure to taxation and education. The game features a deep and complex simulation that models everything from traffic flow to pollution levels.

One of the most unique features of Cities: Skylines is its focus on transportation. The game features a fully realized transport system that includes roads, railways, airports, and harbors. Players must carefully plan their city’s transportation network in order to keep traffic flowing smoothly and avoid congestion.

Another key aspect of Cities: Skylines is its modding community. The game’s modding tools are incredibly powerful, and players have created thousands of mods that add new content, features, and improvements to the game. This modding community has helped to keep Cities: Skylines fresh and exciting for years after its release.

Graphics and Sound

Cities: Skylines features beautiful and detailed graphics. The game’s cities are brought to life with stunning visuals that capture the hustle and bustle of urban life. The game’s sound design is also top-notch, with realistic sound effects and a catchy soundtrack that adds to the immersion.

Reception

Cities: Skylines has been met with widespread critical acclaim. The game has won numerous awards, including Game of the Year awards from IGN and PC Gamer. The game has also been a commercial success, selling over 6 million copies worldwide.

Legacy

Cities: Skylines is a modern classic of the city simulation genre. The game’s deep and complex simulation, focus on transportation, and modding community have made it one of the most popular and critically acclaimed city builders of all time. Cities: Skylines is a must-play for any fan of the genre.

In-Depth Review

Gameplay

Cities: Skylines features a deep and complex simulation that models everything from traffic flow to pollution levels. Players must carefully plan and manage their city in order to keep it running smoothly and avoid problems. The game offers a wide range of tools and options to help players achieve their goals, including:

  • Zoning: Players can zone land for different purposes, such as residential, commercial, and industrial. Different types of zones attract different types of buildings and residents.
  • Infrastructure: Players must build and maintain infrastructure, such as roads, railways, airports, and harbors. Infrastructure is essential for keeping the city running smoothly and transporting goods and people.
  • Services: Players must provide essential services to their citizens, such as water, electricity, and healthcare. Services are essential for keeping the population happy and healthy.
  • Taxes: Players can set tax rates to generate revenue for the city. Taxes can be used to fund infrastructure, services, and other city expenses.
  • Education: Players can build schools and universities to educate their citizens. Education is important for increasing the population’s skills and productivity.

Transportation

One of the most unique features of Cities: Skylines is its focus on transportation. The game features a fully realized transport system that includes roads, railways, airports, and harbors. Players must carefully plan their city’s transportation network in order to keep traffic flowing smoothly and avoid congestion.

The game offers a variety of transportation options, including:

  • Roads: Roads are the most basic type of transportation infrastructure. Players can build roads of different types and sizes to accommodate different types of traffic.
  • Railways: Railways are a more efficient way to transport large numbers of people and goods. Players can build railways to connect different parts of the city and to transport goods to and from other cities.
  • Airports: Airports allow players to transport people and goods to and from other cities and countries. Airports are essential for large cities that need to trade with the rest of the world.
  • Harbors: Harbors allow players to transport goods to and from other cities and countries by ship. Harbors are essential for cities that are located on the coast or on a river.

Modding

Cities: Skylines has a thriving modding community. The game’s modding tools are incredibly powerful, and players have created thousands of mods that add new content, features, and improvements to the game.

Some of the most popular mods include:

  • Traffic Manager: President Edition: This mod gives players more control over their city’s traffic flow. It allows players to create custom traffic rules, manage traffic lights, and build new types of roads.
  • Realistic Population and Consumption Mod: This mod makes the game’s population and resource consumption more realistic. It requires players to provide more housing, food, and water for their citizens.
  • 81 Tiles Mod: This mod unlocks all 81 tiles of the game map, allowing players to build much larger cities.

Graphics and Sound

Cities: Skylines features beautiful and detailed graphics. The game’s cities are brought to life with stunning visuals that capture the hustle and bustle of urban life. The game’s sound design is also top-notch, with realistic sound effects and a catchy soundtrack that adds to the immersion.

Reception

Cities: Skylines has been met with widespread critical acclaim. The game has won numerous awards, including Game of the Year awards from IGN and PC Gamer. The game has also been a commercial success, selling over 6 million copies worldwide.

Legacy

Cities: Skylines is a modern classic of the city simulation genre. The game’s deep and complex simulation, focus on transportation, and modding community have made it one of the most popular and critically acclaimed city builders of all time. Cities: Skylines is a must-play for any fan of the genre.

Review Score

9/10

Art

Cover Art

Screenshots

Profile photo of Nish

Nish is a software engineer by day and avid gamer who loves to play video games after he puts his two boys to bed. His insights delve into the mechanics, and storytelling of the games he plays with the aim to share his passion with the audience. He loves to travel back to his native India and travel the country on his restored Royal Enfield Bullet 350, a relic from a simpler time, like some of the games he plays.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More