Cities in Motion 2

 PC
User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 159 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 87 out of 159
  2. Mixed: 48 out of 159
  3. Negative: 24 out of 159

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  1. mamendex
    Jul 26, 2013
    5
    The game has such amount of micro management that after 30 minutes trying to put a track on the right place you will realize that in the past hour you had no fun at all.
  2. CyCl0pSgr
    Jul 4, 2013
    5
    A mediocre sequel of an excellent game. It's like Cities in Motion 2 came before the first one.

    Gameplay is much worse and complicated you have to invest a great deal of time to learn and some things don't make sense. Depot in every neighborhood buses break down too frequently, too many information tabs, but no real information at all. The campaign is also boring, without real    A mediocre sequel of an excellent game. It's like Cities in Motion 2 came before the first one.

    Gameplay is much worse and complicated you have to invest a great deal of time to learn and some things don't make sense. Depot in every neighborhood buses break down too frequently, too many information tabs, but no real information at all. The campaign is also boring, without real challenge. Sandbox mode on the contrary is decent and the editor is also fine. Graphics are almost the same and blase and the sound boring.

    Pros are the low price, 20€ is a fine price for a game and the Title of the Game. Hopefully we will see some improvements from the company soon.    … Expand
  3. ChoicestGames
    Sep 20, 2014
    6
    I tried to like Cities in Motion 2. I really did. In the end though, I think I preferred the original Cities in Motion over its sequel. Cities in Motion 2 adds unnecessary complexity that makes the game less fun to play, not to mention the single player campaign pales in comparison to the original. Yes the graphics are better than the original and yes the ability to play it multiplayer isI tried to like Cities in Motion 2. I really did. In the end though, I think I preferred the original Cities in Motion over its sequel. Cities in Motion 2 adds unnecessary complexity that makes the game less fun to play, not to mention the single player campaign pales in comparison to the original. Yes the graphics are better than the original and yes the ability to play it multiplayer is a pretty huge addition, but is it enough? I don't think so.… Expand
  4. Shareallicu
    Jun 3, 2013
    5
    I have updated Cities in Motion 2 with the latest patch (1.2.2) and it seems to have more glitches than ever!

    The trams get stuck at intersections forever, they move forward (block the intersection) and sit there indefinitely. My trams and buses also get stuck behind invisible traffic. They inch up like they would if slow congested traffic is ahead of them, and once in a while a    I have updated Cities in Motion 2 with the latest patch (1.2.2) and it seems to have more glitches than ever!

    The trams get stuck at intersections forever, they move forward (block the intersection) and sit there indefinitely. My trams and buses also get stuck behind invisible traffic. They inch up like they would if slow congested traffic is ahead of them, and once in a while a car will become visible.

    I am deleting glitched vehicles constantly.

    This game would be the best if they could fix the glitches.    … Expand
  5. ThunderHawk
    Mar 5, 2014
    7
    A great game hampered by just one important thing : UI.

    First hand, this game is a great mass transit simulator, not a city simulator like Sim City series. Though the Sim City 5 is a total disaster, in hindsight of city building simulator the game you should be purchasing is Sim City 4. Sim City 4 do have their own mass transit, but off course, Cities in Motion 2 have deeper simulation    A great game hampered by just one important thing : UI.

    First hand, this game is a great mass transit simulator, not a city simulator like Sim City series. Though the Sim City 5 is a total disaster, in hindsight of city building simulator the game you should be purchasing is Sim City 4. Sim City 4 do have their own mass transit, but off course, Cities in Motion 2 have deeper simulation on the mass-transit side, and way less simulation on the city building. That's why we can't compare this game to Sim City series, and why this game will not kill Sim City series.

    The game itself is great, and fun. There are myriads of options for your mass transit. You can have buses, trolleys, water buses, metros, and trams, though I miss helicopter rides from the previous series. The premise of this game is simple : Connect residential areas to commercial/industrial areas (just like what we must do with mass transit in Sim City series). Each mass transit mode have their own benefits and disadvantages. Buses are simple to build and cheap, but slow and have lower capacity. Trams require tram tracks to be built, but faster and have higher capacity. Metros require metro tracks, which are expensive (and hard to be built) but have even higher capacity, unhindered by traffic, and way faster.

    The only downside, but a big one, is the UI.
    I can live with cluttered information, or too much information on screen. But here are things that are very bad in Cities in Motion 2 :
    - It's really hard to build Metros, due to weird elevation system. The elevation system itself is great, but the lack of information of how much depth I am at is making us hard to do anything underground.
    - It's hard to build on built-up areas or city with tall buildings, because the game doesn't have the option to "show only your transportation system"
    - The scheduling is confusing, but can still be handled if you experimented with it.

    That's it. If you love simulation, this game should be grabbed.    … Expand
  6. Maverick2013
    Jun 3, 2013
    5
    When I finished playing the campaign I stopped playing. The annoying and unintuitive UI just gets me down to bother going around again,

    Issues with building glitches like being stopped by "water" when building underground metros when no water exists. If you delete the line and build again the water mysteriously disappears. It got old very fast. Poor pedestrian and traffic AI will    When I finished playing the campaign I stopped playing. The annoying and unintuitive UI just gets me down to bother going around again,

    Issues with building glitches like being stopped by "water" when building underground metros when no water exists. If you delete the line and build again the water mysteriously disappears. It got old very fast.

    Poor pedestrian and traffic AI will destroy your best efforts at smooth flow of people and only destruction and rebuilds fixes the problem however building/redoing bus lines (the simplest available) after a while becomes tedious and bothering to doing it properly becomes all too hard.

    Nice zoom gfx down to person level from the height of a jet only keeps you interested for a short time and although the game has huge potential it falls short in longevity. Too much effort in eye-candy seems to be the norm these days.

    It got 76 hours in total and this is from someone who played Eurotruck 2 for nearly 600 hours. Go figure...    … Expand
  7. DevPeter
    Oct 26, 2013
    5
    Bought this game this morning, but was disappointed that it couldn't run lag-free. I even tried lowering the graphics setting to its lowest point but it still lags. The trailer for this looks amazing and even some of the game play done by others. If I can run The Sims 3 on its highest settings, I could have done the same for this game. Some people cannot afford a graphics video card yaBought this game this morning, but was disappointed that it couldn't run lag-free. I even tried lowering the graphics setting to its lowest point but it still lags. The trailer for this looks amazing and even some of the game play done by others. If I can run The Sims 3 on its highest settings, I could have done the same for this game. Some people cannot afford a graphics video card ya know. Being a simulation game, I'll just rate a 5/10 on this.… Expand
  8. Gezzer
    Apr 3, 2013
    6
    This looks like it could be a great game but it's really complicated, much more then the first one was. It has a lot of improvements over CiM, but some of it's drawbacks. It's now gridless, which is good, but the metro lines are like the rail lines in the first editor, very finicky on how they'll link up. So add that to the gridless and I found laying out track very frustrating. TheThis looks like it could be a great game but it's really complicated, much more then the first one was. It has a lot of improvements over CiM, but some of it's drawbacks. It's now gridless, which is good, but the metro lines are like the rail lines in the first editor, very finicky on how they'll link up. So add that to the gridless and I found laying out track very frustrating. The ability to have lines auto resolve (kind of like what Sid Mier's Railway tycoon did) would really help.
    Each line needs a depot, which adds a new element, but connecting depots to all your lines with the exception of the bus, could be a bit of a pain.
    The new elevation system is much more powerful but less intuitive. Instead of simply clicking on a depth icon you use the page up or down to change elevation, which you have to pay close attention to because so far I've seen no way to tell what elevation everything else is. You also will still see all the roads when you go lower which I found a bit weird, it be nice to be able to toggle this behavior.
    I've also found that it's a bit harder to make sure your tram is running in the right direction. The tutorial (so far) and manual don't give nearly enough information and guidance on how everything fits and works together. Like many European games it's really detailed and has a ton of depth. And like many European games it will take a bit of work to really master. For some that will be a challenge to others a PITA. I'm just not sure which one I'll be. If you loved CiM you'l most likely like this one, and possibly love it once it grows on you. If you only liked CiM I'd give it a pass. And if you've never played CiM, I'd give it a shot before this one.
    The one good thing is that with CiM they was improvements made to the game as time went on. Hopefully Paradox will see the area's that need to be improved and do their utmost to fix them.    … Expand
  9. Zachhockey2
    Apr 2, 2013
    6
    This game needs a bit of work. I had high expectations, but I was unable to play the game for more than a few hours before becoming frustrated, mainly with the UI. Fingers crossed that the dev team will stay behind it and push out updates.
    For starters, attempting to build an underground metro is torture. Roads and metro tunnels get in the way of viewing track, and unlike CiM 1, you have    This game needs a bit of work. I had high expectations, but I was unable to play the game for more than a few hours before becoming frustrated, mainly with the UI. Fingers crossed that the dev team will stay behind it and push out updates.
    For starters, attempting to build an underground metro is torture. Roads and metro tunnels get in the way of viewing track, and unlike CiM 1, you have to build the track first and then station second. Which is slightly frustrating. Fortunately, many community members are pointing out these and others to the devs on the official forums in hopes that they're improved on in the near future.
    I enjoyed CiM 1 and I hope to see this release in the franchise improved upon to, well, the point where it feels like it's actually a finished game. At this moment (release day), I feel a little to frustrated by it to play. Fingers crossed!
    Good to see it's release wasn't quite as botched as SimCity's! Although it did have a hiccup or two.
    Hopefully I'll be able to bump up my rating soon.    … Expand
  10. 10k_Volts
    Apr 21, 2013
    7
    For a $20 game, you can't expect everything, but Cities In Motion 2 does have quite a lot running for it which is good. If you like meticulously planning public transport then you're simply not going to find a better game. There is perhaps a lack of content in terms of maps and vehicles etc. which might put off some but the core game still does work and it really does look beautiful, IFor a $20 game, you can't expect everything, but Cities In Motion 2 does have quite a lot running for it which is good. If you like meticulously planning public transport then you're simply not going to find a better game. There is perhaps a lack of content in terms of maps and vehicles etc. which might put off some but the core game still does work and it really does look beautiful, I did spend a good few hours just admiring the scenery before I even started laying down routes.

    But your routes aren't limited to the tracks you place, you can also put roads wherever you please, create new expressways that link right into the heart of your city or divert traffic from problem roads. At first glance you don't realise the full scope of what you can do here and if building a utopian city where everybody can get where they want to go with the greatest of comfort, ease and luxury then this game will give you that opportunity, provided you have the skills necessary.    … Expand
  11. I_Am_Turok
    Oct 1, 2013
    7
    A solid 7 for this game, with issues that prevent a higher score. Why buy this game? It is really nice to look at, for a city sim you get a feel of permanence of the needs of the city, has no bugs (for me), and is a relaxing pleasant way to spend an hour or two designing bus/tram/metro lanes and stops. But, it's worth noting why you shouldn't spend over $20 on it nor give it a higherA solid 7 for this game, with issues that prevent a higher score. Why buy this game? It is really nice to look at, for a city sim you get a feel of permanence of the needs of the city, has no bugs (for me), and is a relaxing pleasant way to spend an hour or two designing bus/tram/metro lanes and stops. But, it's worth noting why you shouldn't spend over $20 on it nor give it a higher score. 1) Metro & road building is painful. 2) The game is not difficult, the UI and how they implement stuff has made it so. 3) It's slightly sim-city lite by allowing building of roads to expand a city, I would prefer them to focus on fixing building better metro lines instead. 4) Music is pretty bland. 5) The campaign mode lacks AI competitors to push you along more. 6) The various graphs and general information provided is useless, pointless or just never touched. 7) Stop telling me ticket prices are too high/low, I choose based on what I want. And in the same vein 8) have an ability to turn off notifications, or at least the sound that goes with each. In summary, the core of the game is good, beautiful and nice to play. Most strategy fans should be able to get 50-100 hours enjoyment out of it. It's just a shame that it's the outlier issues off poor UI and poorly implemented elements that bring frustration in at each play, limiting the sit down value for me to about an hour each time before I have to quit.… Expand
  12. ArtanisDude
    May 31, 2013
    6
    This is a fairly good game, the graphics are good. But to me, it doesn't seem to have ENOUGH. I got bored of it pretty quick, mostly because of all the constant lag I had been experiencing. The game is also very complicated and the tutorial I find is very un helpful. I would tell you guys to try CiM1, and make sure you like that ALOT before getting CiM2.
  13. heime2003
    Nov 16, 2014
    5
    definately improvements from CIM 1 but same issues still exist
    new timetable functions well to prevent 3-4 buses from move together
    its easier to manage routes and cargo capacity pros: - new timetable solves most glaring issue CIM 1 had. - watching 100+ people waiting for their bus/ train is very fun and awe inspiring cons: - again graphic in game keeps me from playing this game    definately improvements from CIM 1 but same issues still exist
    new timetable functions well to prevent 3-4 buses from move together
    its easier to manage routes and cargo capacity
    pros:
    - new timetable solves most glaring issue CIM 1 had.
    - watching 100+ people waiting for their bus/ train is very fun and awe inspiring
    cons:
    - again graphic in game keeps me from playing this game more than 20 min
    i had to turn off adv lighting, AA and ambient conclusion but still it tired my eyes out very fast
    - in next game, it needs better route tools and better interface that make managing huge transportation in half million city easier    … Expand
  14. Nicholaz
    Dec 3, 2013
    5
    This could be an awesome game, but after ten or so hours of trying it makes me want to pull my hair out.

    The city looks great, the idea is great, but over all it falls short. My overall impression is that it was rushed to release and simply is not finished. Or that the people behind it are lacking the skill to turn a fantastic idea into a great software product. In parts, it looks like    This could be an awesome game, but after ten or so hours of trying it makes me want to pull my hair out.

    The city looks great, the idea is great, but over all it falls short. My overall impression is that it was rushed to release and simply is not finished. Or that the people behind it are lacking the skill to turn a fantastic idea into a great software product. In parts, it looks like someone took a game from the 90's, tried to build a good modern game and stopped about 70% of the way. If you don't believe it, look at the loading screen and the tutorial.

    My main concerns are twofold. For once, the user interface (besides being ugly) is just frustrating as hell. Some simple tasks like changing a bus schedule take 10 or 20 clicks, windows get in the way (I was constantly moving windows around that opened in the middle of the screen covering what I wanted to see), and keyboard shortcuts for functions that you use all the time are simply missing.

    Within an hour I had about 10 ideas of how to make building about two times more effective. I would accept this as a prerelease game, where the studio says "it still have to go a long way and we're looking for feedback" but not as a full product.

    Then the building. Making routes for bus is somewhat fiddly but building tram routes is utterly frustrating. E.g. I was laying tracks then couldn't connect them, or I could connect the tracks, but then when building a tram route on them the system would say, it could not get a route from one tram stop to the next.

    In addition to that, there is some odd thing with the general timing. A bus tour around four blocks takes two hours of game-time (starts in game clock at 12:00 and arrives at 14:00) which makes the whole schedule building somewhat arbitrary (I mean, how can you simulate a work person who commutes 3h to work, one-way). As a result, people are going to work or shopping at midnight and stuff like that, so the effect of trying to build a schedule is totally un-immersive.

    Over all I must say, the game has very nice in game graphics and a great idea, but the whole execution is half baked. If you expect to be able to effectively build your stuff or to get a halfway realistic simulation, don't buy it.    … Expand
  15. Baltifru
    Apr 19, 2020
    6
    Once you have overcome the numerous interface and game understanding problems, you get a nice sim game and you can enjoy looking at your city growing and these thousands of people moving around.

    But until you reach this point you will face many problems: 1) When you start the game for the first time, it is nowhere written "CLICK HERE FOR THE TUTORIAL". I was lucky to launch a sandbox    Once you have overcome the numerous interface and game understanding problems, you get a nice sim game and you can enjoy looking at your city growing and these thousands of people moving around.

    But until you reach this point you will face many problems:

    1) When you start the game for the first time, it is nowhere written "CLICK HERE FOR THE TUTORIAL". I was lucky to launch a sandbox game first and to discover that the tutorial was actually there...

    2) For a while I could not understand why vehicles don't leave depots, until I understood that when you set a new schedule for a line, you must click "OK" at the bottom of the window and not just close it.

    3) Constructing a metro line is very painful. Sometimes you can just not find any depth/height at which you can build a road at a given planar location, and the game just won't tell you until you try. The underground view should be there to help you with this, but it just doesn't. I wonder why there is an underground view at all since the camera cannot go below the ground level.

    4) Last but not least, and what I found most annoying in this game: deadlocks. As in any good transport networks, you will at some point build two/three/more lines that cross each other, with some depot around. It has happened twice already in one single game that vehicle A tries to leave the depot, but is blocked by vehicle B, that is block by vehicle C, itself blocked by A from going into the depot. At this point, not only the game doesn't try to solve the problem, it does not even tell you that there is a problem at all. You eventually start to see an accumulation of vehicles at the same place, realise the problem, and... don't really know what to do, except destroying one whole line and rebuilding it from the start, which is very frustrating.

    CIM2 is still kinda nice to me, but the problems cited above are too much of a pain to encourage me to invest time in it.    … Expand
  16. Fallconex
    Dec 17, 2020
    7
    A very interesting realization of transport sim ideas, but there's a lack of content and could have been done so much more!
  17. KevLooney
    Apr 29, 2022
    6
    6/10. Game is unintuitive with poor UI design. I didn't know up from down. Bad game

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. PC Gamer
    May 21, 2013
    70
    Fiddly at times, and cursed with a lousy tutorial, the intricacy and scale of Cities in Motion 2 eventually shines through. [July 2013, p.74]
  2. Pelit (Finland)
    May 13, 2013
    86
    Cities in Motion 2 is great upgrade of the previous Cities. Bigger, better, but also much, much easier. [May 2013]
  3. CD-Action
    May 13, 2013
    50
    The biggest problem with Cities in Motion 2 is that this game is extremely user-unfriendly. Gameplay is sluggish even with the highest time compression and the interface contradicts ergonomics and intuition. [CD-Action 06/2013, p.80]
See all critic reviews »