Citystate II
- September 22, 2021
- Andy Sztark
- 5h median play time
Get on SteamIn Citystate II, construct a nation one city at a time with over 300 unique buildings, power and water management, and up to 64 buildable cities. Experience an advanced economic simulation with unemployment, income distribution, and immigration policies. Engage with extensive political options, including 51 policies and a policy creator, all aimed at easy gameplay but challenging mastery.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a unique blend of city building and political simulation, allowing players to manage both urban development and governance.
- Graphics are visually appealing, providing a charming aesthetic that enhances the gameplay experience.
- The developer is actively updating the game and addressing bugs, showing commitment to improving the overall experience.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, including issues with road building and saving progress, which can lead to frustrating gameplay.
- Gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth, with limited building options and a simplistic approach to city management.
- The tutorial is inadequate, leaving players confused about mechanics and how to effectively manage their cities.
- gameplay81 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the in-depth economic and political mechanics that add realism and challenge, while others criticize the lack of clarity in tutorials and the presence of bugs that hinder the experience. Some find the mechanics engaging and addictive, particularly for fans of city-building and simulation genres, but others feel it lacks the depth and polish of established titles like Cities: Skylines. Overall, the game shows promise with its unique features, but it requires further refinement and clearer guidance for players to fully enjoy its potential.
“With its enhanced features and expanded gameplay mechanics, it offers a fresh and engaging experience for both new and veteran players.”
“The game's improved graphics, detailed simulations, and realistic economic systems provide a truly immersive and rewarding gameplay experience.”
“Gameplay is addictive and pretty deep for a simulation game, especially when all city policies are unlocked.”
“Vital mechanics like prospecting, mining, recreation, advanced industries, trade, exporting, transport, garbage, rails/subways, fires, crime, etc. aren't explained at all by the tutorial or at any other time.”
“While this game does have more political and economic mechanics than most city builder games, those mechanics are poorly implemented and unsatisfying to engage with.”
“The political mechanics are overly simplistic and the economy mechanics are overly complicated.”
- graphics73 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique aesthetic and retro charm reminiscent of classic city builders like SimCity 3000, while others criticize the lack of detail and occasional graphical glitches. Players appreciate the improved visuals and immersive environments, but some feel that the graphics do not match the standards set by competitors, leading to a perception of unfinished quality. Overall, the game's art style and graphical performance are seen as enjoyable, though there is room for improvement in detail and polish.
“I love the aesthetic of 'low-poly futurism' of the game and the focus on policies. I really like how the economic formulas are made clear in the financials tab, so you're not just throwing knives in the dark when it comes to planning.”
“The graphics are great; there is immense detail in the game when you look around.”
“The graphic style is also stunning; it portrays a modern vibe that gives the city a lifelike outlook.”
“Brought this and the graphics are disappointing as is gameplay.”
“System requirements are through the roof, while graphically this game is quite basic.”
“Terrain graphics are shockingly bad.”
- stability24 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous players reporting significant bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, such as issues with road construction, zoning tools, and traffic management. While some users appreciate the core mechanics and potential of the game, the prevalence of frustrating bugs and crashes, especially at higher population levels, detracts from the overall experience. Many hope that future updates will address these stability concerns.
“Please, for the love of god, don't burn your money on this buggy piece of shit.”
“But holy hell this game is a buggy mess; highways don't even work, deleting stuff sometimes bugs the game out, airports don't seem to work at all sometimes.”
“The idea of the game is good but the finished product is poor; glitches in the game make it impossible to play after a population of 28k.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with many players noting that it runs smoothly even on older hardware like the NVIDIA 1050ti. While some users mention minor issues with loading times and performance, the graphics, particularly the lighting, are praised for their quality, contributing to a positive gameplay experience.
“For the 3D and performance, just amazing; the code in general with this game has been improved a bunch.”
“The graphics of the game are awesome, especially the ray tracing, which is somehow beautiful. This game has great optimization and runs smoothly on high settings with my quite old NVIDIA 1050 Ti.”
“Performance is not a problem at all, and it all feels very smooth.”
“Performance-wise, if you have the recommended specifications, it's okay.”
“Loading times and overall performance could be better, but that's a minor complaint.”
“Performance is not a problem at all; it all feels very smooth.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that while some players appreciate the streamlined approach to city management in Citystate II, many find the grinding aspect tedious and repetitive, especially as the game progresses. The need for constant micromanagement and dealing with in-game issues like rioting can detract from the overall enjoyment, making it feel more like a chore than a rewarding experience.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“While Citystate II definitely seems more polished all the way around, it seems to have lost the charm of the first game and instead created what feels like a tedious and repetitive chore a couple of hours in.”
“The building in-game can be a bit tedious at times, and the problems in-game (like rioting, as I've heard) can be really annoying to deal with and can ruin the game for some people, as the farther in you get, the more you have to micromanage and watch your stability closely.”
“I can appreciate the devs' hard work and I love the idea, but the UI and quality of life improvements you get when there's more than one developer make this tedious.”
- story4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate a lack of a compelling story, with some users expressing a desire for more narrative elements and challenges to enhance the gameplay experience. While there is appreciation for the variety in plot sizes and mixed-use zoning, the overall sentiment suggests that the game would benefit from a more developed storyline.
“There is no story.”
“Maybe it would benefit from storylines and challenges, too.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is enhanced by a monthly update schedule, making it a favorite among city builders for some players. However, others feel it lacks complexity and variety, particularly in political systems and nation interactions, which limits its overall replay value.
“Not to forget the monthly update schedule makes this game very replayable, and one of my favorite city builders to date!”
“It needs more complexity; running a socialist state or dictatorial state just doesn't have any benefit or fun in its current form, and being able to have different nations next to each other would add a lot of replay value.”
“It needs more complexity; running a socialist state or dictatorial state just doesn't have any benefit or fun to it in its current form. Being able to have different nations next to each other would add a lot of replay value.”
“This game's replayability is pretty low.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its pleasant and relaxing qualities, creating a chill atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. Players find the soundtrack engaging enough to lose track of time, making it a perfect accompaniment for cozy gaming sessions.
“Nice music, nice settings, chill - a perfect 'cup of tea' game for the winter darkness!”
“The soundtrack is fantastic; I lost track of time while playing and relaxing with this game.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers appreciate the game's unique emotional focus, expressing a desire for more titles that explore similar themes. However, there are frustrations with gameplay mechanics, particularly regarding the road tool, which can lead to confusion and disappointment despite the emotional engagement.
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization approach of the game is viewed positively, as the developer actively engages with the community, distinguishing it from typical cash grab city simulation franchises. Players appreciate this commitment, suggesting it enhances the overall experience compared to other titles like "Shitty Skylines."
“Much better than other city simulation games, but it still feels like a cash grab in my opinion.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its absurd scenarios, such as the irony of extremist leftist citizens rebelling over a seemingly low tax rate, which adds a layer of comedic unpredictability to the gameplay.
“Probably a bug, but it was still super funny until my now extremist leftist citizens turned on me because they thought 9% taxes were way too high despite them being communists.”
