Cities: Skylines
Cities: Skylines is a city-building simulation video game developed by Colossal Order and published by Paradox Interactive. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, Linux, and macOS on March 10, 2015.
The game allows the player to create and manage a city in an infinite 2D plane. Players construct road networks, place commercial and residential zones, government buildings, and transport infrastructure and watch the inhabitants of the city work, live, and play. Each citizen in the game has a daily routine that depends on zoning, road layout, job availability, and access to services like electricity, healthcare, education, and waste management. The aim of the game is to create a successful city that is economically prosperous, has happy citizens, and keeps the population growing.
The game has received generally favorable reviews. Critics generally praised its streamlined gameplay, creative tools, and robust modding community. Reviewers felt it succeeded as a game as well as a classic city simulation, though some criticized aspects of its mechanic and graphic design. Multiple expansions have been released adding additional content, improving systems, and supporting bigger cities.
In summary, Cities: Skylines provides an accessible yet deep experience in building and managing a city simulation. While the graphics and mechanics could be improved, the gameplay, creative tools, and modding support provide players with a unique and addictive experience city planning and optimization that hardcore and casual fans alike can enjoy.