The City Must Grow

About

"The City Must Grow" is a challenging, turn-based city-building game where you construct buildings and structures to ensure continuous development and keep your administration. With minimalistic design and no animation, the game offers optimization for low-spec hardware, supporting steam leaderboard. However, it does not include a storyline or traffic simulation. Your game state is saved each turn, and information messages guide you through the game.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 36 reviews

gameplay3 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

The game offers a unique blend of puzzle and city-building mechanics, providing an engaging and challenging experience.
Graphics are appealing and the game is easy to learn, making it accessible for casual gamers while still offering depth for those looking to master it.
Despite its early access state, the game shows a lot of potential and can provide several hours of entertainment.

The game lacks a comprehensive tutorial, leaving players confused about mechanics and strategies, which can lead to frustrating gameplay.
Random map generation can significantly impact gameplay, making it feel unfair and reliant on luck rather than skill.
The game appears to be abandoned by the developer, raising concerns about future updates and support.

graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The graphics of the game are generally considered cool, featuring a low-poly aesthetic that some players appreciate. However, there are mixed opinions regarding clarity, with suggestions for cleaner visuals and a rating of 6/10 indicating room for improvement. Overall, the graphics align more with a puzzle game vibe than a traditional city builder.
- “I really like the low-poly graphics, but I kind of miss any sound effects.”
- “The city must grow isn't so much a city builder as it is a randomly generated puzzle game with a city builder aesthetic.”
- “Graphics: 6/10”
- “If possible, slightly cleaner graphics.”
gameplay
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
The gameplay is rated 8/10, characterized by repetitive clicking and a reliance on luck to achieve high scores, which can be hindered by a lack of understanding of the underlying mechanics.
- “Gameplay: 8/10”
- “The gameplay involves strategic decision-making and resource management, which keeps you engaged throughout.”
- “The mechanics are intricate and rewarding, making each playthrough feel unique and challenging.”
- “Gameplay is just clicking next over and over and hoping you get some of those before your development gets too low.”
- “I don't quite understand the exact workings of the mechanics, so I am not getting massively high scores.”
story
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The reviews indicate that there is currently no available story content to evaluate.
- “The story is completely absent, leaving players with no emotional connection to the game.”
- “There is no narrative to engage with, making the gameplay feel hollow and unfulfilling.”
- “The lack of a coherent story makes it difficult to invest in the characters or the world.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a desire for more engaging activities related to water, such as seaweed farming, fishing, or tourism/trade, suggesting that current grinding mechanics could be enhanced by incorporating these elements for a more dynamic experience.