Cities: Skylines 2

54%
Game Brain Score Based on 32,233 reviews
  • optimization
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Cities: Skylines 2 Game Cover
Cities Skylines 2 is a worthy successor to the long-standing original city builder.
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"Cities: Skylines II - Ultimate Edition includes the base game and access to the Waterfronts Expansion Pass, three Creator Packs, and three Radio Stations. The Waterfronts Expansion Pass features the San Francisco Set, two Content Creator Packs, the Bridges & Ports Expansion, and additional radio packs. The San Francisco Set offers themed buildings, vehicles, the Golden Gate Bridge, and a San Francisco map. The Content Creator Packs provide over 30 assets each to add personality to your city."

  • PC
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
  • Xbox Game Pass
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

54%
Audience ScoreBased on 32,233 reviews
graphics981 positive mentions
optimization2,530 negative mentions
  • optimization11,461 mentions

    The optimization of "Cities: Skylines II" has been a significant point of contention among players, with many reporting persistent performance issues even on high-end systems. While some users have noted improvements following patches, the game still struggles with frame rate drops, crashes, and stuttering, particularly as city populations grow. Overall, while the game shows potential and has received some updates, it remains largely unoptimized and is often described as feeling unfinished, leading many to recommend waiting for further improvements before purchasing.

    • “Thankfully it seems like that's getting fixed pretty quickly, and while there's still more optimization to go, the game is pretty playable on higher-end PCs.”
    • “Despite the obvious performance issues, this is honestly a great game if you give it the chance.”
    • “The performance has improved greatly for me and so it's been worth it; however, I must have missed the memo about auto-save being off by default and lost 8 hours of gameplay when it crashed.”
    • “Not good. The game shouldn't cost more than 10 euros; it feels unfinished and is badly optimized. You have to lower the settings so much that it ends up looking like RuneScape.”
    • “Performance: on an RTX 3080, the game struggles to maintain a stable 55 FPS, even on lower settings, with GPU usage consistently at 95-99%. This performance is baffling given the lackluster visual fidelity.”
    • “The performance is very poor on my RTX 3050; it crashed randomly after half an hour. Crashes occur every 5-10 minutes and can be triggered by extremely basic elements of the game, such as drawing zones for specialized industry. Honestly, given the instability and performance issues, I'd say this game is in an early alpha at best.”
  • graphics5,261 mentions

    The graphics of Cities: Skylines II have received mixed reviews, with many players praising the improved visual fidelity and realism compared to its predecessor, Cities: Skylines I. However, numerous reports highlight significant performance issues, including low frame rates and graphical glitches, particularly when cities grow larger. Players often find themselves needing to lower graphics settings to achieve playable performance, leading to a perception that the game is not fully optimized for current hardware. Overall, while the graphics can be stunning at times, they are marred by technical shortcomings that detract from the gaming experience.

    • “If you've got a gaming rig that could power a small country, you'll be rewarded with stunning visuals.”
    • “The game's depth, coupled with its stunning visuals, has kept me hooked for countless hours.”
    • “The graphics are a significant step up (even if they run like trash right now).”
    • “However, my initial excitement gave way to concern as the gameplay trailers began to surface, revealing bugs, glitches, and a surprising lack of polish in the visuals.”
    • “The graphics are so bad that I am literally offended.”
    • “The graphics look worse than Cities: Skylines 1 with mods.”
  • gameplay3,528 mentions

    The gameplay of "Cities: Skylines II" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant improvements over its predecessor, particularly in road-building mechanics and the introduction of new features. However, persistent bugs, performance issues, and a lack of depth in some core mechanics have led to frustration among players, with many feeling that the game is not yet fully polished or complete. While some enjoy the new gameplay elements and find them engaging, others criticize the game for feeling shallow and unbalanced, suggesting that it may benefit from further updates and mod support to enhance the overall experience.

    • “The gameplay is much more intriguing, and with more core features than the prequel.”
    • “The new road mechanics, UI, and tools are amazing.”
    • “The gameplay itself is actually very enjoyable and I found the updated progression system to be a nice addition.”
    • “However, my initial excitement gave way to concern as the gameplay trailers began to surface, revealing bugs, glitches, and a surprising lack of polish in the visuals.”
    • “Gameplay: building mechanics feel clunky and unfinished.”
    • “The game is plagued with excruciatingly long loading times, frequent crashes, and gameplay issues that make it nearly impossible to enjoy.”
  • stability1,674 mentions

    The stability of "Cities: Skylines II" has been widely criticized, with players reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and a plethora of bugs and graphical glitches that significantly hinder gameplay. Many users express frustration over the game's performance issues, particularly as city populations grow, leading to unplayable conditions even on high-end systems. Despite some acknowledging the game's potential and improvements over its predecessor, the consensus is that it remains a buggy and unfinished product, often feeling more like an early access title than a polished release.

    • “Econ 2.0 has made the economy, while not perfect nor bug free, functional.”
    • “Despite my older graphics card and ancient CPU, the game runs great for me.”
    • “Game runs great after making recommended adjustments to graphics settings.”
    • “Game crashes relentlessly; for the 5 hours I've played, almost every 30 minutes or so after getting to a higher population, the game freezes and crashes.”
    • “While City Skylines 1 felt polished and reliable, its sequel feels like a rushed, buggy mess that undermines the player’s trust and patience.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game is still very buggy with crashing when editing terrain, placing buildings, and in one case changing a street name.”
  • music286 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its relaxing and atmospheric qualities that enhance the gameplay experience. However, there are significant criticisms regarding the limited variety and repetitiveness of the soundtrack and radio stations, with some players finding the radio hosts annoying and the ads intrusive. Overall, while the music is generally seen as pleasant, there is a strong desire for more diverse tracks and options to customize the listening experience.

    • “The soundtrack is soft and lovely, and the sound effects in the game add to the liveliness of the city.”
    • “The music seamlessly complements the gameplay, providing a delightful backdrop that enhances the overall gaming experience.”
    • “Coupled with a soothing soundtrack, City Skylines 2 is a must-play for anyone seeking an engaging and immersive urban planning experience.”
    • “The music is quite lackluster, but this is highly subjective.”
    • “The soundtrack is a big step down, the radio is annoying, and overall the vanilla version feels much less like a complete, enjoyable package than Cities: Skylines 1 did.”
    • “I quickly found myself turning the radio off entirely and just putting on Spotify, which is unfortunate because I otherwise like the game's music.”
  • story281 mentions

    The reviews overwhelmingly indicate that "Cities: Skylines 2" lacks a traditional story or narrative, with many users noting that it focuses primarily on open-ended city building and management without any missions or overarching plot. While some players appreciate the emergent storytelling that arises from their city-building experiences, the consensus is that the game feels incomplete and could benefit from structured goals or a campaign mode to enhance engagement. Overall, the absence of a compelling storyline is a common criticism among players.

    • “I love the realistic look of the game, especially the plot size of the buildings.”
    • “Emergent storytelling is the name of the game here.”
    • “The end product is an intricate and engaging experience, albeit one consistently subject to unapologetic tedium, as the gameplay loop in cs2 is kinda just buy new land to plot new zones, then fill said zones with necessary infrastructure and services.”
    • “Just like the first game, there is no story.”
    • “This game is just a story of broken promises and an unfinished product.”
    • “There is no exploration, no adventure, no storyline, no unique opportunities, no open market, no multiplayer challenges, no imaginative architecture.”
  • grinding220 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for being excessively tedious and time-consuming, often requiring players to invest an unrealistic amount of time to progress. Many users report that the game's mechanics, such as city planning, resource management, and transportation setup, feel cumbersome and repetitive, detracting from the overall enjoyment. While some improvements have been noted, the general consensus is that the game demands a significant time commitment that can lead to frustration rather than fun.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “But once you've unlocked everything, mastered the mechanics, and learned how to 'win' the game, it eventually becomes tedious.”
    • “The aforementioned performance issues slowed the game's tick speed so much that roughly half of my playtime in my city was just spent grinding out the last 4 milestones.”
    • “It's fun in the beginning, but starts getting really tedious and boring once the city gets larger.”
  • monetization211 mentions

    The monetization strategy for Cities: Skylines II has drawn significant criticism from players, who perceive it as a blatant cash grab, particularly due to the early release of paid DLCs while the base game remains buggy and underdeveloped. Many reviewers express frustration over the reliance on microtransactions and the lack of substantial updates, suggesting that the game prioritizes profit over player experience. Overall, the sentiment is that the monetization approach undermines the game's potential and alienates its dedicated fanbase.

    • “There are no insidious marketing tactics such as microtransactions like most modern games employ—just good old-fashioned DLC, free updates, and extensive modding support—the way it should be.”
    • “So there's work to do, but they have been pretty great about making sure their game runs well, and Paradox are a 'good' dev, despite people's issues with their monetization methods.”
    • “It's clear Paradox is wrestling with how to evolve the game without falling into the trap of being a 'pay-to-win' subscription service, but there's a tension between monetization and delivering a wholesome experience that has yet to be fully resolved.”
    • “This game is just bad, it's a lazy cash grab that has so much wasted potential.”
    • “The game was clearly a cash grab released before it was done.”
  • humor138 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players finding the bugs, glitches, and AI mishaps amusing, while others are frustrated by repetitive dialogue and unfunny voice acting. Some players appreciate the comedic potential of traffic jams and absurd scenarios, but overall, the humor often feels overshadowed by performance issues and a lack of engaging content. While there are moments of genuine hilarity, many reviews suggest that the game's comedic elements can quickly become tiresome or frustrating.

    • “Great game for aspiring city planners - prepare for hilarious traffic jams and citizens who complain about taxes more than your real neighbors.”
    • “The building is fun, the simulation is hilariously horrendous.”
    • “It's funny really... the game is so broken, bug-ridden and glitchy that the performance issues are not even the biggest problem... but hey!”
    • “They have like, five lines of dialogue, and somehow you managed to find the most annoying and obnoxious voice actors, wrote the silliest lines ('but, I digest'??? what the hell was that?? was it supposed to be funny? 'it is a question of priority!' yes, haha, really funny) it just keeps repeating those lines over, and over, and over..... it's depressing, truly depressing.”
    • “Radio stations are boring, loop far too often and the ads are not funny at all.”
    • “I get they were going for that Tropico feel but it's just annoying and very, very not funny.”
  • replayability110 mentions

    The replayability of the game has been a contentious topic among users, with many noting significant improvements due to ongoing patches and mod support, which enhance the overall experience. However, some players still express disappointment over persistent bugs and a lack of depth compared to its predecessor, leading to mixed feelings about its long-term replay value. Overall, while there is potential for replayability through updates and mods, many recommend waiting for further improvements before fully committing to the game.

    • “The replayability is kinda insane, not gonna lie.”
    • “Cities: Skylines II offers a wealth of content and replayability, with a variety of new scenarios and challenges to tackle.”
    • “I have made 5 to 6 different cities now with 200k population, each having their own unique issues along the way, making it very replayable and easy to get lost in for hours.”
    • “It's been a year and the game is not any more playable than it was on launch.”
    • “This lack of optimization severely hindered the game's longevity and replayability, as players were forced to contend with constant lag and stuttering that detracted from the overall experience.”
    • “The game has some serious fundamental flaws the longer you play it and it simply offers no replay value.”
  • emotional72 mentions

    The emotional responses to the game reveal a deep sense of disappointment and heartbreak among players, particularly due to its rushed release and numerous technical issues. Many express a longing for the wholesome experience of the original game, feeling that the sequel has failed to deliver on that promise, leading to frustration and a lack of emotional connection with their cities. Despite some improvements, players are hesitant to engage further until significant fixes are made, reflecting a mix of nostalgia, hope, and disillusionment.

    • “This game is an emotional rollercoaster, where you have to clench your jaw to endure constant freezes, crashes, and a frustrating 10 fps.”
    • “I wanted to love this game so much... it's just heartbreaking.”
    • “It's heartbreaking to see a developer distancing themselves so much from their core consumer, and a publisher who has undoubtedly pushed for the release now, to be able to end the year on the targeted sales.”
  • atmosphere24 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is described as immersive and captivating, enhanced by a well-executed sound design and dynamic weather system that contribute to a lively environment. However, some players feel the overall visual appeal is marred by a dull color scheme and performance issues, leading to a sense of lifelessness in certain areas. While improvements have been noted compared to previous installments, there is still a desire for more vibrant graphics and additional features to fully realize the game's atmospheric potential.

    • “The sound design in Cities: Skylines II is well-executed, with ambient city noises that create a lively atmosphere.”
    • “The dynamic weather system and day-night cycle further enhance the visual appeal, creating an ever-changing atmosphere that adds to the sense of immersion.”
    • “Its a city builder with a great immersive atmosphere, where buildings are truly to scale, where laying down roads is easy, where there is a sense of progression and where the base game is complete.”
    • “The atmosphere is so lacking and absolutely lifeless; the gameplay is lifeless, there are no props, buildings come in one size, and there is no workshop.”
    • “All the charm and atmosphere of the first game is gone, in favor of this clean-looking sim.”
    • “In terms of the atmosphere of the game, it could be much better.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

73% average critic score

Buy Cities: Skylines 2

Play time

23hMedian play time
131hAverage play time
5-103hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 430 analyzed playthroughs

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