SimCity

 PC
User Score
2.2

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 4557 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 602 out of 4557
  2. Mixed: 428 out of 4557
  3. Negative: 3,527 out of 4557
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  1. Broyax
    Jun 30, 2023
    0
    Une version sensiblement modernisée du fameux ‘SimCity’ est sortie en 2013, entièrement en 3D désormais et assez jolie, même maintenant en 2023 ! j’étais tombé en tout cas sur ce SimCity dans un bac à soldes, bien après son lancement… pour un euro et un Mars ou bien c’était juste deux balles, je ne me souviens plus…

    J’avais vu les mauvaises notes, les très mauvaises notes qui faisaient    Une version sensiblement modernisée du fameux ‘SimCity’ est sortie en 2013, entièrement en 3D désormais et assez jolie, même maintenant en 2023 ! j’étais tombé en tout cas sur ce SimCity dans un bac à soldes, bien après son lancement… pour un euro et un Mars ou bien c’était juste deux balles, je ne me souviens plus…

    J’avais vu les mauvaises notes, les très mauvaises notes qui faisaient de ce ‘SimCity’ une immense déception et surtout un gros jeu de merde ! je crois que les gens ralaient surtout (et à juste titre) sur cette daube d’Origin puisque SC était lié à cette daube et ne pouvait évidemment pas marcher sans elle. J’avais donc posé le boîtier sur l’étagère, puis il est resté ainsi… jusqu’à aujourd’hui.

    Parfois, même les jeux de merde peuvent trouver leur rédemption et devenir éventuellement… et simplement médiocres ! (cf Cyberbug woke 2077 par exemple !) au fil d’innombrables patchs… Mais là, le problème demeure : pour jouer en solo, il faut être connecté à internet ! bien que parfois. le jeu semble fonctionner en solo et hors-ligne mais c’est sans compter sur cette méga bouse d’Origin !

    Non, que dis-je, ça a changé -je ne sais pas quand- mais c’est ‘Ea App’ désormais ! les concurrents de Steamprout ont connu des hauts et des bas mais se sont toujours améliorés avec le temps… même le lanceur d’Ubichiottes -malgré ses changements de nom- fonctionne correctement… encore que… justement, ubichiottes con-nect fait une màj, puis un message d’erreur apparaît… GOG pour sa part est devenu bien pratique et reste le seul sans saloperie de DRM ! Quant à Epic truc, il pourrait être… digne de confiance ?! -non, faut pas déconner, c’est la succursale de Tiktok, le renifleur communiste !

    Mais Origin qui était assez daubé, est remplacé par ‘Ea App’ encore plus daubé ! en mode hors-ligne, tout disparaît de l’interface, hormis les liens des jeux censés fonctionner… hors-ligne ! or, ça ne marche qu’une fois sur deux ou sur trois et de fait, la daube SimCity ne veut fonctionner que quand la daube EA App est con-nectée.

    Donc, va chier EA la worst company et si vous ne supportez plus le windaube 7, vous n’avez qu’a le dire ! pareil pour Ubichiottes qui vient de foutre en l’air son lanceur, devenu une simple nullité. Le PC, l’obsolescence et la soumission programmée par une bande de mange-merdes au service de la corpo Grosoft qui veut fourguer encore plus de windaubes 10/11 ! (ce sont des gros renifleurs eux aussi, d’ailleurs).

    Donc, si vous avez acheté un jeu à un temps ‘T’, eh bien à un certain moment, à savoir plus tard (mais inéluctablement), le jeu ne fonctionnera plus ! pareil pour cet étron no man’s sky par exemple, qui marchait avec 7 mais l’un des patchs l’a transformé en jeu windaube 10 ! et tu peux donc aller chier. Et après, ils vont se plaindre du ‘piratage’… nan mais… sans déconner !    … Expand
  2. Crimson9
    Dec 24, 2022
    0
    Another example of EA greed butchering a franchise. Very depressing. This is a downgrade from simcity 4 in every way.
  3. Mythdon
    Nov 16, 2021
    4
    The only thing about SimCity (2013) that stands out to me is the fact that it's in 3D, but other than that, it's overall lackluster, even for a SimCity. The ControlNet complicates the game so much without adding any fun to it, you're stuck only with only a few premade regions that are so small (and can't add or make your own custom-made regions, like you could in SimCity 4) makes thisThe only thing about SimCity (2013) that stands out to me is the fact that it's in 3D, but other than that, it's overall lackluster, even for a SimCity. The ControlNet complicates the game so much without adding any fun to it, you're stuck only with only a few premade regions that are so small (and can't add or make your own custom-made regions, like you could in SimCity 4) makes this version of SimCity feel so limited. Besides being in 3D, being in Sandbox Mode and adding ControlNet, it's mostly just a rehash of the previous SImCity games while also being a major step-down. It's still a fun game to play but if you're wanting a more serious, more detailed kind of city simulation, I heavily recommend SimCity 4 or Cities: Skylines over this disaster of a not city building simulation.… Expand
  4. Misterdiony
    May 18, 2021
    4
    SimCity was one of my hype games and I bought it on release day years ago. They managed to not let people play the game ON RELEASE DAY. Well, after some time a lot was fixed but the game remained underwhelming. Good for all city building enthusiast, 2 years later another company took the chance to create a city builder that the community wants - and is to this day successful with it. MoneySimCity was one of my hype games and I bought it on release day years ago. They managed to not let people play the game ON RELEASE DAY. Well, after some time a lot was fixed but the game remained underwhelming. Good for all city building enthusiast, 2 years later another company took the chance to create a city builder that the community wants - and is to this day successful with it. Money is not everything, but for EA it is.… Expand
  5. Robims
    Apr 5, 2021
    4
    1. The traffic without the Airships DLC is awful.
    2.The city's can be very small. (If you want to have fun with the game for a long time then you're devinitely wrong here.)
    3. The game is bad optimized. (I have a good pc and the game only runs with 40 FPS.)
    4. The graphics are too playful.
    5. The game is to easy.
  6. EliRayK
    Feb 27, 2021
    0
    Boring game Not Much To Do The Game Is Too Easy I'll Never Play Simcity Again
  7. guitarmaniac004
    Feb 1, 2021
    4
    March 5th 2015, the day EA **** up one of the best city building game series of all time. What the hell were they thinking?
  8. ORIOLE
    Jan 30, 2021
    2
    It's bad as they said in 2013, developers never played older Sim CIty.
    Finite and scarce resource, you are obliged to follow the steps the developers planned for your gameplay, it starts with coal in early game and obligatorily change to clean energy in late game, there's no choice.
    Small minigame maps that compels you to construct Mega Towers to compensate the small space, no farms, no suburb.
  9. Alekol
    Jan 14, 2021
    0
    The game is just awful, not realistic. EA didn't take care of the servers in the online game. A city is just a square, and when it ends, another city will be needed ...
  10. DawnOfSili
    Dec 14, 2020
    4
    Terrible game. Total betrayal of the city builder genre. It runs terribly, and the company in charge (EA) completely ruined any chance of this game living longer than 6 months.
  11. BowLL
    Nov 22, 2020
    4
    after playing this game, i regret it a bit.

    this game has great graphics, catchy music, decent game mechanics when you're building a city. but HOLY crap, looking at the other reviews, i'm definitely disappointed with the fact that online playing is broken, and it's created by EA, so you KNOW that EA doesn't give a freaking crap about refund. they just want you to literally keep the    after playing this game, i regret it a bit.

    this game has great graphics, catchy music, decent game mechanics when you're building a city.
    but HOLY crap, looking at the other reviews, i'm definitely disappointed with the fact that online playing is broken, and it's created by EA, so you KNOW that EA doesn't give a freaking crap about refund. they just want you to literally keep the game for what the game price is.    … Expand
  12. neddread
    Nov 16, 2020
    0
    This review is made in 2020, and it is purely based on gameplay.
    So 7 years after launch (which I went through, it was a nightmare) and I reinstalled after a long time away to see if it had improved....it has not.
    The buildings still look really nice, but the snapping build method it uses ends up making the city looking random and ugly with big holes that don't fill in with anything, and    This review is made in 2020, and it is purely based on gameplay.
    So 7 years after launch (which I went through, it was a nightmare) and I reinstalled after a long time away to see if it had improved....it has not.
    The buildings still look really nice, but the snapping build method it uses ends up making the city looking random and ugly with big holes that don't fill in with anything, and the holes are too small to put anything in them. The balance of the game is still very broken and you can be left with a city that goes nowhere. Example: It will inform you that there is a worker shortage but insist you should increase building shops and industries.
    The tiny size of the cities are still an issue and after a few hours you've filled up the space and playing more becomes boring. Sure you can get another city going in the region, but it's not the same as having a massive, bustling city we used to make in the old simcity games.
    And that's why I reinstalled this clusterflip, because I bought Simcity4 from GOG and was blown away at how much better it was in comparison.
    Such a disappointing experience from a title that used to be the best in it's class.
    Buy any other version of this series except this one.    … Expand
  13. SrCre
    Mar 10, 2020
    4
    [ ] Perfect
    [ ] Awesome
    [ ] Good
    [x] Good Bad
    [ ] Fail

    Não vejo necessidade em escrever um longo texto analisando uma arte, a nota é apenas um conselho para saber o quanto ela vale para sua vida.

    I see no need to write a long text analyzing an art, the note is just a piece of advice to know how much it is worth in your life.
  14. GoodMorningAss
    Jan 29, 2020
    0
    the server is full, he give me a choice to choose another server but the save on new server is not sync, that mean you have to play a new game in every new server what a stupid design, I agree
  15. MazrimTaim14
    Oct 14, 2019
    1
    Tried to played it on release. couldn't play a single player game due to unnecessary multiplayer set up. Had it at 0.

    Played the game finally and got not a city builder game but more on a block builder game. Cant even get the size of Manhattan. Had it still at 0. Played years later and it seems like i can rate it at 2 or 3 but found out the crashing of loss of net connection was a    Tried to played it on release. couldn't play a single player game due to unnecessary multiplayer set up. Had it at 0.

    Played the game finally and got not a city builder game but more on a block builder game. Cant even get the size of Manhattan. Had it still at 0.

    Played years later and it seems like i can rate it at 2 or 3 but found out the crashing of loss of net connection was a deliberate part on the developers and also contrasted this game to Cities Skylines. The game this should have been then we find ourselves at 1.

    I know people complain that every release of NBA2K, Fifa or COD are the same every year but those are released EVERY YEAR. we get city simulators every 4 to 6 years so I cant complain if it is not THAT different from the previous game. Quality of life improvements and feedback from player suggestions can go a long way.    … Expand
  16. Nekellor
    Aug 1, 2018
    3
    Нормальная музыка. Ужасная картонная графика. Неправдоподобное, легко изменяемая система развития города. Забагованность, вылеты. И просто скучно. На один присест.
  17. Pogrebnyak880
    Apr 18, 2018
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Я ожидал что simcity 5 будет лучше чем прошлая часть, но как то состоялся релиз и поиграл, хрен тебе. Как только я купил эту игру в Ориджине и скачал, у меня при запуске сначала выдавалась ошибка, что из-за чего мне пришлось перезапускать игру. Вообще лучше купить Cities: Skylines.… Expand
  18. Mascalzone
    Jul 8, 2017
    2
    I agree with the mean of the user score, even if I'm a professional reviewer and I've to give it a vote near 6 (55). I TRIED to play it at day one with the problems you witnessed. Then tried to play it after update 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0. No way, SimCity is fundamentally broken. A piece of s**t, in other words. Will Wright, please make it properly (better than SC4!) via Kickstarter, we'll finance it.
  19. Toxsick
    Feb 3, 2017
    0
    This review won't be very detailed. It's simple: Buy cities skyline. Leave this crappy bunch of scripts on the shelf.
    It's simply better in every single way except for the online part. And anyways, in sim city you can't build cities but only small districts, i think more info is not even necessary.
  20. Stephenicus
    Jan 29, 2017
    1
    This new SimCity game completely ignores and butchers all standards set by the previous games. Rather than having diverse city-scapes with mixtures of dense, medium and low zoning areas, ranging from farms to suburbs to down down metros, you get a very dense, very congested square. Industry is limited to a single edge of the square, so sims don't get sick, and anything extra you might wantThis new SimCity game completely ignores and butchers all standards set by the previous games. Rather than having diverse city-scapes with mixtures of dense, medium and low zoning areas, ranging from farms to suburbs to down down metros, you get a very dense, very congested square. Industry is limited to a single edge of the square, so sims don't get sick, and anything extra you might want to build, like the Statue of Liberty, or even a hospital, requires the destruction of something else because every space becomes occupies within the first hour of playing a city. Every city is the same size, and building anything outside of the limited squares is off limits, even in the worlds themselves. Other Sim City games let the players edit the worlds. Not this one. This SimCity game is extremely limiting, and I curse EA for destroying yet another awesome franchise.… Expand
  21. reviewfrom19842
    Aug 31, 2016
    1
    Horrible awfully boring game a shameless way for EA to get more money it might be fun for about 3 minutes but that's it..............................
  22. Lore91
    Apr 3, 2016
    0
    the most ugly game ever played in my entire life!
    Most defective of all humanity
    most fail every existing thing
    Do not buy it, if you've already bought yourself a refund!
  23. Avalon011
    Mar 30, 2016
    0
    This game has one serious design flaw, what happens when the city runs out of water? Water in Simcity is the most precious commodity in the game but theirs no way to replenish the water once it runs out which isn't long. As of the latest patch 10.3 the sewer treatment plant no longer produces water! They broke the game.

    Even EA of all people saw fit to shutter Maxis.
  24. rhansonn
    Mar 24, 2016
    0
    This game has a lot of issues... Online multiplayer is pretty much unusable, unable to share anything with your neighboring cities without sitting around for an hour waiting for it to come through, whether its sharing resources, or unlocking something for your region, it just doesn't work.

    When you claim a new city plot, you will have to wait a very long time to gain access to all of    This game has a lot of issues... Online multiplayer is pretty much unusable, unable to share anything with your neighboring cities without sitting around for an hour waiting for it to come through, whether its sharing resources, or unlocking something for your region, it just doesn't work.

    When you claim a new city plot, you will have to wait a very long time to gain access to all of the unlocked features in the region. (I tend to claim a city, send some money from a neighboring city, and go do something else for a couple hours while the city slowly gains access.)

    City plots are incredibly small, compared to it's predecessors, its unreasonably tough to work with.

    Road options are just terrible, apparently major highways have traffic lights now-a-days, the designers threw away any possibility for realistic road layouts; one-way streets, high-way junctions, on/off ramps. This really just doesn't make sense.

    MegaTowers tend to up and fail after a few gameplay months. "There's no school" - it's right next to you. "Theres no shopping" - it's right below you, and said store is begging for shoppers. This isn't due to traffic issues, or a wealth mis-match, its an obvious defect.

    They game looks great - but is a blatant fail in terms of usability.

    Once again I find myself losing confidence in EA.    … Expand
  25. Silverzapper
    Jan 31, 2016
    2
    This game is the perfect example of what happens when you rush a game out for sales alone. The city sizes are tiny and things don't work how they're supposed to. The sims are terribly programmed causing one of my roads to be stuck in gridlock and the other almost completely empty. Once I reached a high enough population my sewage system stopped functioning and my city was ruined. When aThis game is the perfect example of what happens when you rush a game out for sales alone. The city sizes are tiny and things don't work how they're supposed to. The sims are terribly programmed causing one of my roads to be stuck in gridlock and the other almost completely empty. Once I reached a high enough population my sewage system stopped functioning and my city was ruined. When a game requires mods just to work you know it's a bad game. Don't buy this. It's bad even with mods.… Expand
  26. gordonbays
    Jan 19, 2016
    0
    I play this game since psone and i can guaratee that Sim City 5 is the worst game of the serie. I mean, it doesn't even have a name! Some people call SimCity 5, other Sim City 2013.
    This game sucks, the map is very, very small. The water is limited. New resources wont last few hours!

    Pros: polished graphics, thats all!
  27. jsoo
    Jan 2, 2016
    0
    This game is so bad compared to Simcity 4. The map where you can build on is way too small, there is no agriculture available, there are no driving missions, the graphics are disappointing, the cooperation possible between cities is **** and there are no ordinances as in Simcity 4 in the game. I recommend not to play this game, if you want to play SImcity you should play Simcity 4. SimcityThis game is so bad compared to Simcity 4. The map where you can build on is way too small, there is no agriculture available, there are no driving missions, the graphics are disappointing, the cooperation possible between cities is **** and there are no ordinances as in Simcity 4 in the game. I recommend not to play this game, if you want to play SImcity you should play Simcity 4. Simcity 5 is crap, Simcity 4 is great though!!!… Expand
  28. LordSolidus
    Dec 12, 2015
    1
    Simcity is the worst simcity game ever, NO challenge, easy as hell, small maps (too small), multiplayer is wortless, too many ppl just enter your region and leave after about 1-2 hour's and don't return
    DO NOT BUY
  29. saris1
    Aug 3, 2015
    1
    What were they thinking? So to keep out pirates they screw paying customers. Nice. Guess what? The pirated version actually works properly and doesn't depend on servers that crash your game all of the time.

    So... I paid and got reamed. Pirates did not pay and got a playable game.

    Nice work EA, well done.
  30. iduncan91
    May 20, 2015
    0
    EA destroys every good thing they get their greedy hands on: SimCity, the Sims, Battlefront. If you want a city building game go purchase Cities: Skylines. SimCity is dead and Cities: Skylines has been built to replace it because face it, EA rapes whatever they can get their hands on.
  31. mearlam
    May 15, 2015
    0
    Playable now after they fixed a load of things but the maps are still way too small to even bother trying.

    Go get cities sky lines if you want a good city building game.
  32. Exwin0880
    May 14, 2015
    3
    This game is so bad, it destroyed the studio that made it.

    RIP Maxis, another company who's soul has been destroyed by EA for the price of a few box sales.
  33. tsakiym
    May 14, 2015
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I do not have to say anything more. But i need to write one hundred and fifty characters. i think my score can describe it............................… Expand
  34. CoSm1c_gAm3r
    Apr 6, 2015
    1
    DRM forcing me to have not only internet connection but would not allow me to play if I have no internet connection. This is sick. Imagine that company bankrupts then what?! I can throw away game?! Or they will be so good chaps and will remove DRM before full bankrupt?! I dont want to find out. DRM forcing on me all the time connection to internet while I play is absolutely no go for me. IDRM forcing me to have not only internet connection but would not allow me to play if I have no internet connection. This is sick. Imagine that company bankrupts then what?! I can throw away game?! Or they will be so good chaps and will remove DRM before full bankrupt?! I dont want to find out. DRM forcing on me all the time connection to internet while I play is absolutely no go for me. I would not spend even 0,5 euro on that kind of hidden THIEVERY. I bought sim city 4 deluxe on steam because I like sim games but this time I am forgetting that simcity genre still exist. GOODBYE maxis.… Expand
  35. Terminal-Rex
    Mar 24, 2015
    2
    Looking for a decent modern city building game??

    Buy Cities: Skylines. It is everything that EA failed to deliver with Sim City, basically after playing Skylines the flaws in this game are amplified for all to see. This was not the game everyone wanted and expected, sorry EA but I won't be looking back.
  36. Titannumber20
    Mar 15, 2015
    3
    All the good things that this game has managed to achieve are overshadowed by the poor design choices made and the technical issues. Simcity is not even the best city simulation game in the market, that honour belonging to Cities:Skylines.
    Simply put, do not buy.
  37. gonzalo123
    Jan 19, 2015
    2
    It's a modern version of the predecessors. I will start with 5 points, and then i will add or take off points.
    Pro's:
    1-The user interface is small and good. (+1 point) 2-The answer time in the servers are good. (+1 point) 3-The game has goals. Achievements. (+1 point) 4-Is addictive. (+2 points) Con's 1-The lag is annoying. (-1 point) 2-The servers are full. (-1 point) 3-You    It's a modern version of the predecessors. I will start with 5 points, and then i will add or take off points.
    Pro's:
    1-The user interface is small and good. (+1 point)
    2-The answer time in the servers are good. (+1 point)
    3-The game has goals. Achievements. (+1 point)
    4-Is addictive. (+2 points)
    Con's
    1-The lag is annoying. (-1 point)
    2-The servers are full. (-1 point)
    3-You can't skip the tutorial. (-1 point)
    4-Too many updates, almost all days, the wait time is annoying. (-2 points)
    5-Painted cardboard graphics. (-1 point)
    6-2 square kilometers to build. (-2 points)

    The game is very bad, not recommended.    … Expand
  38. JEMaster102
    Dec 29, 2014
    0
    I feel as if the SimCity game is not worthy of buying. Receiving annoying errors stop me from continuing my game. In fact, I couldn't start a game because of update errors when I go to the start up menu. It's INSANE! I first bought SimCity through Origin and tried to play it. IT NEVER WENT PASS THE TITLE SCREEN. So, I decided to refund the game so I can get my money back. Receiving myI feel as if the SimCity game is not worthy of buying. Receiving annoying errors stop me from continuing my game. In fact, I couldn't start a game because of update errors when I go to the start up menu. It's INSANE! I first bought SimCity through Origin and tried to play it. IT NEVER WENT PASS THE TITLE SCREEN. So, I decided to refund the game so I can get my money back. Receiving my money, I went to a store to buy another copy (hoping the first copy was a bust). I install it on my computer, and the same thing happens. It comes up with errors complaining about slow internet connection and that it's keeping the game from updating. My internet connection is full bars, so that wasn't the problem. I began to search the internet to see if people have solutions to this problem. I have tried everything, and still, the game won't load. Many people are having the same problem as me and the fact that EA is not trying to fix it makes me doubt the entire game. I recommend that if you want to blow your money on something that won't work, you can to the right place, because SimCity deserves a 0.… Expand
  39. Odogreviews
    Dec 6, 2014
    4
    Sim City is an OK game. The graphics are beautiful and so is the music. There isn't much too this game. The game is limited in what it can do. The maps are too small for you to build cool interesting big cities. The online DRM is not the reason why it has this rating it is because it has a lack of content. At least the game is playable right?
  40. Tubey
    Nov 26, 2014
    2
    Oh dear, what a massive disappointment! I avoided this when it was released due to the widespread bugs - but I heard they'd been fixed and it was available cheap so I gave it a shot.

    To be perfectly blunt, this game does not hold a candle - even today - to Sim City 4. It's laughable in comparison. Everything has a gloss on it which gives a distinctly cartoon-like feel, completely    Oh dear, what a massive disappointment! I avoided this when it was released due to the widespread bugs - but I heard they'd been fixed and it was available cheap so I gave it a shot.

    To be perfectly blunt, this game does not hold a candle - even today - to Sim City 4. It's laughable in comparison. Everything has a gloss on it which gives a distinctly cartoon-like feel, completely ruining immersion in the simulation. It doesn't look "bad" as such, but it isn't what I'm looking for in a city simulator; why micromanage something that doesn't take itself seriously? Don't get me wrong, adding a bit of fun and quirkiness has always been a feature of the Sim games, but that can be done by the context of the game (such as the llama references and such) rather than with the graphical look.

    The maps are so small that it should be called Sim Village. They even managed to ruin the UI, which was one of the only weaknesses in Sim City 4 - it's now outright annoying.

    So even at a low price, I can't recommend this title. Sim City 4 is available on GOG and is comfortably the superior game in pretty much every respect.

    In summary, Sim City and Sims 4 shows how far EA have fell with this franchise. Both are cash cows for the gullible, and I won't be caught out again.    … Expand
  41. jakaclank
    Nov 24, 2014
    0
    I'm a huge Simcity 4 fan and love other builder games, but this game must have been my biggest mis buy ever. Not looking at all the bugs (in general and on line, as for me I can't even play on line...), it's just plain ugly, you never feel accomplished with you childish looking city, there's not really any variety in each city you make, very limited building options, everything looks theI'm a huge Simcity 4 fan and love other builder games, but this game must have been my biggest mis buy ever. Not looking at all the bugs (in general and on line, as for me I can't even play on line...), it's just plain ugly, you never feel accomplished with you childish looking city, there's not really any variety in each city you make, very limited building options, everything looks the same, and very American, not everything is made out of cardboard.., the buildings don't connect well, there are gaps everywhere (you must at least be able to choose how dense your city is), income overview sucks as does everything that has to do with economy, your city can have up to 6 different specializations which aren't worked out very well, again the building possibilities are very limited and you get bored with it once you built it once, mostly you can also only specialize in one of them because your city region is so small (Las Vegas isn't only specialized in gambling, they have to manage culture, mining and eduction as well as gambling.), and why is gambling even a major specialization? Is it really just to remake Las Vegas? If you really wanted to, they should have made gambling an option in tourism and focused more on trade and economic options. The only good thing about this game is the music, which stops you from throwing down your computer as you wait for an endless loading screen. I had such high hopes for this game, but it was a huge letdown. I just don't understand how simcity 4 (an 11 year old game) can still bypass any building game today, even all the simcity succeeding it..… Expand
  42. PedroGamer
    Oct 31, 2014
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The tutorial is the only thing that´s good in the game. However, when the game really begins, I was really mad, cause the only thing that you can build are streets and roads, but if you place it wrong or put too much, you lose money, time and waste of tutorial process. What´s worse, everything is BLOCKED until you place the roads the correct way.… Expand
  43. AbsoluFab
    Oct 28, 2014
    0
    This game should have never been called SimCity. Very tiny maps. They took off the game everything that can look like city items. Very disappointed. Support and management teams just keep denying they failed. Do not buy it.
  44. californianhat
    Oct 15, 2014
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. No Scenario Terrain generator LOL @ EA. Beyond. Absurdity. I can just imagine the Product Managers at EA right now when they were making the game. "Hmmm. Let's make really bad decisions! I'll be awes-some."… Expand
  45. SovietUnion38
    Oct 14, 2014
    1
    Минусы-плюсы:

    + Красивая, приятная графика + Интеграция между городами + Большое разнообразие домов и построек А теперь минусы, их куда больше и они существеннее: - Даётся слишком мало места для развития города. Это ужасно. мне не нужна интеграция между 10 городами, мне нужен режим в котором даётся одна большая территория для развития одного большого города, места очень сильно    Минусы-плюсы:

    + Красивая, приятная графика
    + Интеграция между городами
    + Большое разнообразие домов и построек

    А теперь минусы, их куда больше и они существеннее:

    - Даётся слишком мало места для развития города. Это ужасно. мне не нужна интеграция между 10 городами, мне нужен режим в котором даётся одна большая территория для развития одного большого города, места очень сильно не хватает, что б построить от души.

    - Главная проблема игры - пробки. Причём разработчики сами эту проблему и создали - нельзя создавать развязки-развилки дорог в городе (как на автомагистралях), нет дорог с односторонним движением, нет более широких дорог.

    - Даже при настолько малой территории для развития игра очень требовательна к железу.

    - Одной ядерной электростанции с макс количеством энергоблоков бывает недостаточно для очень крупного города (т у п о с т ь)

    - Территория около зданий бывает не "приклеивается" к ближайшей/им дороге/ам. Некрасиво смотрится.

    - Молчу про крупные проекты. Идея интересная, но её вы, разработчики, развили очень плохо.

    - Хреновая интеграция между городами (лень описывать)

    - Раздражает пиздец как ленивое население - при наличии 20 тыс разных вакансий 10 тыс человек так и остаются безработными (при условии ур. вакансии равен уровню жителя)

    - Электричество распространяется очень медленно - чушь, ибо скорость электричества равна 250 тыс/км, а не как в игре.

    - Та же тема с водой и канализацией. Не думаю, что в реальной жизни дела с водой и канализацией обстоят так же.

    Столько возможностей можно было реализовать, а разработчики не оправдали ожиданий, и, позже, выпустили дорогущие DLC.    … Expand
  46. crishy
    Oct 3, 2014
    2
    Summary and Veredict: Very poor game even after the forced online mode era gone once and for all. It is a case in point that shows graphics are not everything.

    Modding might make this game much better with time (like it did for SC4) but considering EA right now appears to be not as friendly towards it as it was when SC4 was released (so they can release their overpriced DLCs in the    Summary and Veredict: Very poor game even after the forced online mode era gone once and for all. It is a case in point that shows graphics are not everything.

    Modding might make this game much better with time (like it did for SC4) but considering EA right now appears to be not as friendly towards it as it was when SC4 was released (so they can release their overpriced DLCs in the first place), the crippled region play without terraforming and lack of creative control, all these factors but make this game very boring after a couple of hours of play.

    Definitively not worth the 60$+ it cost at launch and still not the 20$ it costs right now unless you are a very casual player just looking to play town mayor with some pretty 3D graphics once in a while. If you want to go anywhere further in the field of city simulator use that money to get either SC4 or Cities XL.

    Pros:

    - Decent full 3D graphics.
    - Roads can now be built curved, elevated, etc.
    - Improved simulation of town's inhabitants. (may or may not be important depending on your style of play). Nice with the bus and ground rail transit options the game offers.
    - Online mode can make for some fun moments with friends though this was already possible in SC4 in a slower and more cumbersome scale.
    - Upgradeable buildings.

    Cons: Pretty much everything else.

    - Ridiculously small town sizes. More like small neighborhoods. In paper "2 x 2" km wide (or about 1.25 mi by 1.25 mi) but considering that roads take much more space than they used to in SC4 or in real life, the maps appear to be much more smaller than that. Using roads as reference, maps are about 0.5 km wide. So yea, the 2 x 2 km SC city has about 1/16th of the area of a medium tile city in SC4 (which is supposed to be 2 x 2 km wide as well) and 1/4th of the smallest cities in SC4 that are 1 km wide. There is a mod that increases their size a bit but with region and lag problems described below, use it at your own risk.
    - The above would be not such a big deal if they were side by side like SC4 had but alas the towns are spread apart and there is nothing in between them but a few roads linking them together. After building your towns - which can be done in less than an hour easily in each town, and in a day or two in all towns inside a region - you are left with a terribly unrealistic looking region with packed squared shaped towns scattered in a region of blank space. You cannot even add extra city connections.
    - Building sizes in contrast appear very small relative to the roads they border. Even SC4 had size scaling problems (roads and buildings) but yea, they go to a whole new level in SC.
    - Cities can achieve populations similar to their counterparts in older games, but that just makes your cities appear even more unrealistic and silly than they are already appear to. For example, a 350k city would have 1.4 mil people per square kilometer in SC, using the size above, in SC4 medium city same population 56k, while the densest cities have about 100k to 20k.
    - No ability to create new maps or even terraform whatsoever. Towns appear in the region locked in place and you cannot even change their location. So if you dislike that big hill or that piece of river bed inside your town or a new region altogether you are pretty much screwed.
    - Curved roads create big spaces of wasted space, a very minor problem on its own but considering you do not have a lot of space to begin with, often you are left wondering why build them in the first place? Speaking of which no freeways or one way roads to begin with. Even gridded layouts have plenty of wasted space.
    - Zone density way too simplified and is based off only on the type of road used to zone them, further stiffling creative control. Since buildings are based off the road they are beside at if you demolish the road you also end up demolishing the buildings... Everything has to be beside roads, even parks.
    - No subways or agriculture. Not that they would fit in in 0.5 km wide towns anyway.
    - Lag problems when your city gets more and more populated. Suddenly, trying to simulate 350k+ people on a game daily basis does not appear to be that enticing...
    - The game was online mode only (for a game that screams single player over and over again) for over a year and had huge server issues in the first month or so after its release. While they bear no weight on how the game is right now after the offline patch it is outrageous that we had to wait a year for that to happen at all. Especially considering that they lied that this was impossible to begin with.
    - Overpriced DLCs that offer very little for your buck. SC4 has plenty of similar mods and plugins that are completely free to begin with.

    Pros or Cons depending on your style of play:

    - Increased options for trade of goods and services between towns. Some of them I find them quite unrealistic though. At least it mitigates (minimally) the small town sizes.
    - Water and power built automatically under roads.    … Expand
  47. TheExtraGuy
    Sep 30, 2014
    4
    Compared to Sim City Societies it's a lot better and at least acts like a Sim City game, but compare it to Sim City 4 and it's just an executive meddled piece of software that doesn't deserve to be considered a Sim City game. While there are some very interesting concepts with in the game like the statistics system and the fact you can have curved roads, as well as some of the conceptsCompared to Sim City Societies it's a lot better and at least acts like a Sim City game, but compare it to Sim City 4 and it's just an executive meddled piece of software that doesn't deserve to be considered a Sim City game. While there are some very interesting concepts with in the game like the statistics system and the fact you can have curved roads, as well as some of the concepts within the Glass Box game engine itself, however I don't think it's at all perfect and I certainly don't think it works well when it should.
    Gone is the easy and free placement of buildings, parks, etc. gone is the simple zoning... and in it's place are a lot of empty spaces that you can't fill because everything is bound to the road system.
    There's also annoyances with the fact that so early on in a serious game you can lose money just by building roads and not have enough money to buy police, fire and medical services which your city will desperately need early on.

    I go on about the littlest of details but that's what made the previous games successful, the little details that you can change and dictate yourself because it's your city, not EA's city.
    I really hope in the future somebody just buys out maxis and gives them free reigns over the work they used to produce. There is so much potential in the Sim City franchise and long times fans like me have been dreaming of a true sequel to Sim City 4... but it's sad that publishers these days particularly EA just care about appealing to a wider audience to get tons of money and doing it in the least amount of effort possible.    … Expand
  48. wolfe1924
    Sep 14, 2014
    2
    I loved sim city 4 a lot, for some reason when I play this im not sure if its because im more stupid now or something but I don't understand the game cant grasp around it very well. the building on the zones especially has to be connected to the road to build the zone instead of previous versions you could just make zones then worry about roads later and how zones take a certain size imI loved sim city 4 a lot, for some reason when I play this im not sure if its because im more stupid now or something but I don't understand the game cant grasp around it very well. the building on the zones especially has to be connected to the road to build the zone instead of previous versions you could just make zones then worry about roads later and how zones take a certain size im not sure just rubs me the wrong way.

    even after the tutorial this games learning curve seems really streamlined but yet oddly steep at the same time im trying to figure out if the games just to different so I don't understand it or don't like it or what. I gave this game 3 chances spaced out a couple between each and well still makes me want to hurl to be honest.

    I got this game after all the online crap got sorted out so have nothing to say about that overly. the city size is small as all other people have said you need to make other cities to help your city cause you cant build a mega metropilis on this small lot (sims reference :p ) where on sim city 4 you could make wonderful huge cities even on smaller areas with everything packed into it it had a hard learning curve to get a good economy and money in the positive but it made so much more sense.

    conclusion this games not good for majority of sim city players will not like this at all, I can see more sim players liking this over sim city players (not insulting sim players by the way) it looks pretty and that's about it this game feels like a demo of sim city 4 just prettier is all. instead of building a huge city with every building in it sometimes almost 1 million people they give you this dumb downed little plot of land to make a small town (it feels like it anyways) I regret buying this game I tried to like it but even how they changed the interface of building and nerfed city size I try to like it but I cant.

    final advice if your still considering this game after all these reviews people have done make sure you watch tons of review videos, gameplay videos etc learn everything you can about it at first glanced looked pretty good seemed somewhat similar but after I installed it started it up waited 3 hours for updates ontop of that started the game itself made my little plot of land and puked in my mouth it seems.

    First review for a game on here (sadly this one) and all those reasons up there is why its a 2/10 for me.    … Expand
  49. jeffindenver
    Sep 13, 2014
    0
    Every once in a while, I try to play the game. Then I soon remember how pointless trying play it really is. It's fundamentally flawed. Why? To make the city function, you have to build an absurd road network that does not come close to reality, and because you will always be constrained by the itsy bitsy area.
  50. Zipprian
    Sep 9, 2014
    2
    I am sure it has been said a million times, but any fun this game provides is killed by the small map size. Your map fills up extremely fast and then you really can't do anything else.
  51. okamimiyazaki
    Sep 3, 2014
    0
    A bad game made even worse by DRM and forced online play. What a way to ruin a perfectly good series that will probably never be the same. Thanks EA, you did it again.
  52. FudgeSociety
    Sep 1, 2014
    0
    Bad EA, I was part of the beta. I was going to buy this game. I specifically came here to be a statistic for a negative review. Could not connect. Sims were a mess. Traffic was broken. The list goes on and on. And even though for the most part they fixed it now, that does not justify releasing a game like that. Good luck selling games with a business method like that, last game I purchasedBad EA, I was part of the beta. I was going to buy this game. I specifically came here to be a statistic for a negative review. Could not connect. Sims were a mess. Traffic was broken. The list goes on and on. And even though for the most part they fixed it now, that does not justify releasing a game like that. Good luck selling games with a business method like that, last game I purchased from you was Battlefield 3, and probably will be my last EA game ever.… Expand
  53. FuzzyPuppy
    Aug 25, 2014
    1
    I really was excited for this game. And I continued to be excited for about 30 minutes after I started playing. The moment that I logged on it was like a ghost town. The maps are tiny. And what's with the constant Zombie outbreak and getting your city demolished by meteors? Huge let down, as I've been a really big fan of their past games. Too bad.
  54. skelling_jen13
    Jul 19, 2014
    1
    Seeing as every time I try to start the game it says, "servers unavailable," this is the worst waste of money I have ever had the mistake of buying. Do not buy the game, I can only imagine its a scam if every time I try to play it won't let me.
  55. Rome
    Jun 13, 2014
    1
    I really tried to like SimCity. I really honestly tried. But it's just not working well. The mountains of problems is huge, even now more than a year after release date. Not calling the game "Sim City 5" but just "SimCity" is very appropriate; because it clearly does not continue the success of it's predecessors.

    The list of issues is huge: - Cities not buying the required amount of    I really tried to like SimCity. I really honestly tried. But it's just not working well. The mountains of problems is huge, even now more than a year after release date. Not calling the game "Sim City 5" but just "SimCity" is very appropriate; because it clearly does not continue the success of it's predecessors.

    The list of issues is huge:
    - Cities not buying the required amount of power and water even though there is plenty of water and power to receive from the cities I have setup contracts to buy from. Forces you to utility buildings in your main city wasting valuable space and land value.
    - Tourists suddenly not coming to your city for no good reason at all, after you've had great success with tourist for a long while and made no changes. Suddenly they just not come anymore destroying your income completely forcing you to re specialize. Which is NOT fun.
    - Water tables drying out and not refilling unless you friggin build a sewage treatment plant just next to your water pump. What the hell is that about?! Like the only way to get clean water is from a sewage treatment plant... Rivers not having any positive effect on water table at...
    - Tiny city sizes...
    - Enormous traffic jams on intercity highways and absolutely no way of improving or building more. Only one road connection to intercity highway causing at times great traffic jams in your city at that road junction.
    - Street cars getting stuck and not moving. Can be 'fixed' by removing and readding section of road in front of street car depot, or sometimes streetcar depot needs to be removed. Not fun.
    - Cities got lost due to EA's crappy servers. Many many thousands of players experienced this.
    - Gifts of goods, like plastic and such, from one city to another cannot even be partially deliver if receiving city does not have storage to receive the whole lot in one go. The deliver truck will be forever stuck in the intercity highway until receiving city builds storage big enough to receive the delivery in one go. Who at Maxis/EA thought that was a good idea?? How hard can it be to implement partial delivery...?
    - Deliveries of goods to great works get stuck in the intercity highway traffic jam and often the delivery disappears or roam for a very long time.
    - Cities of Tomorrow DLC prevents you from claiming cities other players with this DLC have constructed and left, forcing you to buy DLC...
    - While music is not actually bad, it is a pathetic attempt compared to the genius godly sound track of Sim City 4 (search Sim City 4 OST on Youtube if you haven't heard it before). Bu tin that sense SimCity's music does fit the rest of the game.
    - All buildings, both zonable buildings and utility buildings etc. will demolish when just at single patch of road along it's side is demolished. I don't get why that is necessary and it only serves to needlessly complicate rearranging city structure. For example a road can be just next to a utility building and the module to place does not have any other space to be than on the same space as the road. Demolishing the road and replacing it elsewhere and replacing the utility building makes space to place the module on that exact same side. It's crazy that you can't do this without demolishing the whole main building structure.
    - Crappy low value with very limited content DLC's that sell for high prices
    - Great work sometimes not receiving any power (even though your cities clearly has lots of excess power) effectively destroying the whole purpose of great works.

    I could go on and on and on but whats the point. I don't even want to talk about the (few) positive aspects. F*** you EA, go to hell and leave our games alone    … Expand
  56. TheKingJpiter
    May 27, 2014
    1
    EA made a crapy game full of crap it has a small city sise game breaking bugs and it's boring an creativity in your city is small and the forced mult- player aspect is bad why do you need internet all the time with internet but luckly single player was added and cities of tommrow dlc was added and why sim city is 60.00 dollars plus tax and if you buy the dlc pack you also have pay 30.00EA made a crapy game full of crap it has a small city sise game breaking bugs and it's boring an creativity in your city is small and the forced mult- player aspect is bad why do you need internet all the time with internet but luckly single player was added and cities of tommrow dlc was added and why sim city is 60.00 dollars plus tax and if you buy the dlc pack you also have pay 30.00 dollars plus tax and the crapy drm stuff… Expand
  57. thanaton
    May 15, 2014
    0
    I just can't get past the small maps even if they try to spruce it up with great graphics and music Simcity simply doesn't feel fun to play with how small the maps are.

    BIGGER MAPS!
  58. koh
    May 11, 2014
    0
    Its 2014 and this game still sucks. Yeah there is an offline mode now. But the maps are still super small which completely removes the city aspect. This wouldn't be a huge deal breaker if the city tiles where right next together giving it a city look from the region view. But even this still hasn't happened. So what you get is a bunch of small blocks full of sky scrappers scattered throughIts 2014 and this game still sucks. Yeah there is an offline mode now. But the maps are still super small which completely removes the city aspect. This wouldn't be a huge deal breaker if the city tiles where right next together giving it a city look from the region view. But even this still hasn't happened. So what you get is a bunch of small blocks full of sky scrappers scattered through out the region.… Expand
  59. isradv
    May 8, 2014
    1
    This is a horrible version compared to its predecessor Simcity 4. Boring, without remarkable improvements and high resources-consuming. I would never buy this game again.
  60. AdamE
    May 4, 2014
    0
    I bought the deluxe (or whatever) edition before the game was release because I am a huge simcity fan. I've tried the game on several different occasions but even with the patches (which do help) the game is terrible. The biggest issue for me personally is how small the maps are - the other simcity games felt way more epic. I loved seeing my cities grow to be huge. You just end up withI bought the deluxe (or whatever) edition before the game was release because I am a huge simcity fan. I've tried the game on several different occasions but even with the patches (which do help) the game is terrible. The biggest issue for me personally is how small the maps are - the other simcity games felt way more epic. I loved seeing my cities grow to be huge. You just end up with tiny cities that are connect with congested highways. I would not recommend this game to anyone, even if you are a diehard fan of simcity like I used to be.… Expand
  61. munjeni
    Apr 17, 2014
    2
    1.EA..that greeeedddyyyy bastards..that's all i will say about that
    2.Graphic : Graphic is beautiful..for sim city and CoT , from 1-10..pure 9
    3.Servers : i mean..realy ??? realy ??? 3-5 or more hrs of work and then "unable to load city..try later" or similar..if..but that's BIG IF you load your city after crash you are damnnnnn lucky - from 5 cities,at least 2 times on each has crashed    1.EA..that greeeedddyyyy bastards..that's all i will say about that
    2.Graphic : Graphic is beautiful..for sim city and CoT , from 1-10..pure 9
    3.Servers : i mean..realy ??? realy ??? 3-5 or more hrs of work and then "unable to load city..try later" or similar..if..but that's BIG IF you load your city after crash you are damnnnnn lucky
    - from 5 cities,at least 2 times on each has crashed and i was able to load..gues how many ?? 1.. ONE.. (later when crash this one goes to hell to..what a surprise.. -.-)
    4.Borders : you (if you lucky (online)) will play about 3-5 hrs if you screw with the game..if not,you wil play 2 hrs at most,for ofline ..same..per one city
    5.Graphic design of menu : easy to navigate and clearly
    6.Bugs : I will not even start with this..damnnnn
    7.Would i recomend this game : Helllll NOOOOOOOOO..play 3 or 4---->3 are my favorite,4 is nice for verryyy big city..
    8.If you have nerves for to damn bugy game and you want to play realy let say smal part of city (town)..buy..otherwise..don't even bother with this piece of crap
    One more thing : EA - thank you for ruin my favorite game and take my money for **** -.-    … Expand
  62. dennispublic
    Apr 16, 2014
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Spolier alert: This game sucks very very badly.

    I registered on this site only to warn people about this game. I own hundreds and hundreds of games and I can honestly say this is the worst $45 I've ever wasted. This game is horrible, horrible, horrible. Never mind all the DRM problems, even with out them is a horrible game. In all my years of gaming I have never hated a game as much as I hate this one. Not only do I want my money back, I want to be reimbursed for the time I wasted. I would however pay another $45 if I could spit in the developers' faces.

    This game is pathetic and I will never ever by another game from "Origin".    … Expand
  63. evry1isacritic
    Apr 15, 2014
    1
    Wow. I should have listened to the 3000+ negative comments instead of buying this game. I bought it on sale for $20 thinking "It's not that bad. People are just whining."

    Nope. The internet was right. It is THAT BAD. Not even having an offline mode is going to fix this game. The maps are TREMENDOUSLY SMALL. You'll have a hard time getting your population up to a few million    Wow. I should have listened to the 3000+ negative comments instead of buying this game. I bought it on sale for $20 thinking "It's not that bad. People are just whining."

    Nope. The internet was right. It is THAT BAD. Not even having an offline mode is going to fix this game. The maps are TREMENDOUSLY SMALL. You'll have a hard time getting your population up to a few million UNLESS you have all low wealth residential zones. If you want to maximize your zones, you would have to build a VERY BORING AND VERY BASIC grid system for it to work.

    The designers made a VERY poor choice in forcing you to specialize in only one thing in your city. You'll then have to ABANDON it after you spend hours building it up and start all over again in a different city in the region. There are youtube videos out there that show you how SMALL the maps are. TRUST THOSE VIDEOS. IT'S VERY SMALL.

    The interface and graphics are very well executed but there are just too many flaws in this game as many have mentioned (poor AI, poor traffic routing, etc).

    I've only played this game for 20 hours and am already sick of it. You'll enjoy simcity 2000 more with its outdated graphics than this game.    … Expand
  64. jerrylee22
    Apr 12, 2014
    0
    This game is an absolute failure... It does not even compare to SimCity 4 in its soundtrack, gameplay, or entertainment value. I do not believe that SimCity: 2013 should have been made because it is an absolute abomination to the Sim name -- lacking in all of the good things, and overrun by the bad things. Everything good about SimCity was sucked out in this 'rebirth' and everything badThis game is an absolute failure... It does not even compare to SimCity 4 in its soundtrack, gameplay, or entertainment value. I do not believe that SimCity: 2013 should have been made because it is an absolute abomination to the Sim name -- lacking in all of the good things, and overrun by the bad things. Everything good about SimCity was sucked out in this 'rebirth' and everything bad that you could imagine was added.… Expand
  65. starwalker
    Apr 7, 2014
    1
    EA should effectively FIRE the whole Game Design team for ruining a franchise and the trust of it from what Maxis had. Period.

    EA is doing a great job of killing well known Franchises down to nothing. Good Job EA. Good Job.

    And I'm talking about the offline experience, not even online.
  66. captainthrall
    Apr 5, 2014
    3
    This game was, is, and always will be fundamentally broken. The city sizes are WAY WAY WAY too small. You fill the map in literally one hour of playing. It's a single-player game that requires you to play online on some horribly buggy and slow servers.
  67. MitchC9
    Mar 31, 2014
    4
    I'll make it quick and simple.

    It's a good game ruined by game-breaking bugs. EA has shown little interest in fixing these bugs. As a result you will end up needing to restart your city/region or accepting sacrifices due to bugs.

    Be aware.
  68. IGNsus
    Mar 25, 2014
    0
    Wow? From whence do I begin?

    Let's start by examining the critic score vs. user score. Never have I seen a more blatant example of EA exerting its advertising muscles and coercing good reviews. Is there actually anything good about this game? EA flat out lied about the game needing an Internet connection to play. Joke's on them, as usual. By enforcing a connection, they over-flooded    Wow? From whence do I begin?

    Let's start by examining the critic score vs. user score. Never have I seen a more blatant example of EA exerting its advertising muscles and coercing good reviews.

    Is there actually anything good about this game? EA flat out lied about the game needing an Internet connection to play. Joke's on them, as usual. By enforcing a connection, they over-flooded their servers so no one could play at launch. Nice job.

    You guys know about the horrendous routes Sims take to work already. You guys have all seen the hilarious terrain bugs, too. Ultimately, this game does not even deserve a 1 for the design decision of having a single city block constitute a "city". I hope EA lost millions on this game; that, however, is probably wishful thinking. Judging by the quality of this product, I doubt EA even spent a million on it. They just spent most of the budget advertising and callously deceiving die-hard Simcity hopefuls.

    I bought Battlefield 4, but I guarantee you it'll be the last EA game I am ever, ever going to buy.    … Expand
  69. baalroo
    Mar 24, 2014
    2
    It's actually quite surprising how truly bland and un-sim-like this game is. Going in I really thought the complaints of "the cities are too small" and "the simulations are too simple" were just the cries of EA haters and non-sim-enthusiasts complaining for the sake of complaining. The truth is, the haters are right. After an hour of playing, you'll feel like you've already seen and doneIt's actually quite surprising how truly bland and un-sim-like this game is. Going in I really thought the complaints of "the cities are too small" and "the simulations are too simple" were just the cries of EA haters and non-sim-enthusiasts complaining for the sake of complaining. The truth is, the haters are right. After an hour of playing, you'll feel like you've already seen and done pretty much everything there is to see, and you're unlikely to ever feel truly engaged. The game is cold and indifferent, moves at a snail's pace, but yet after about an hour you'll have most of the city plot filled up with stuff. There's just very little content, and even less reason to care. This game is a terrible let down.… Expand
  70. Wolfie1987
    Mar 24, 2014
    4
    I love SimCity 2000, SimCity 3000, SimCity 4, The Sims, SimCopter, et cetera. EA Ruined Maxis, this game stinks. SimCity 2013 is a scam and EA is the snake oil selling con artist. Disgusting.
  71. Cannily
    Mar 2, 2014
    1
    SimCity is a great idea with a bad engine.
    Maxis is an innovative developer with an evil publisher.
    So what does this mean? The engine is rubbish because it can't simulate a city. Each citizen lives in the nearest free home in relation to his position at the moment he wants to go home. Thus each citizen lives each day in a different home and because every citizen does this, there is    SimCity is a great idea with a bad engine.
    Maxis is an innovative developer with an evil publisher.

    So what does this mean?
    The engine is rubbish because it can't simulate a city.
    Each citizen lives in the nearest free home in relation to his position at the moment he wants to go home.
    Thus each citizen lives each day in a different home and because every citizen does this, there is always a huge traffic jam, because every citizen goes to the same home, than to the next and so on.
    This is also true for work, shopping etc.
    In conclusion the roads ware always full and a city with more than 10.000 people (which aren't exactly 10.000 units, more 100 or so) will not work, the jams will hold your trucks which are needed for your production line. Of course, fire trucks and the other public service cars will stuck in traffic too. They don't get an extra lane, the even have to wait if the lights are red and no car will make room for them. Thus your city will burn down. Because of the engine, every truck will drive to the next fire, not to a fire with no truck already moving in.

    But never the less this game is fun to play, until you notice, that you can't optimize the roads and your public service because of the broken engine.

    So if this was it, I would give this game a 4 or 5 out of 10, because it will take you a while to notice.

    But EA lied about this game and is still lying because the are selling it as a simulation of a city. But this game does not simulate anything.
    The even bring out DLCs and AddOn which make the problems worse or are simply overprices and/or bring ingame advertising with them instead of fixing the engine (maybe it's not possible).
    The maps are ridicule small sized and the DRM is a pain, because the benefits (trade with neighbor cities) are not working proper.

    So I give this game a 1, it is more a 0 but if you naively think that your city planing is the issue, like me, it is fun to play a while until you notice the limits of this fake simulation engine ;)    … Expand
  72. Bob_Log
    Mar 2, 2014
    0
    I am a long time fan of the "Sim" series (Simcity **, SimCopter, etc..) hell I even pre-ordered the first Sims game on release (although I traded it for Quake 3 shortly thereafter). When I saw this Sim City come around, I had all the hopes that this game would be more SimCity and less; The Sims play: Sim City. Unfortunately, the game is like "The Sims play Sim City with horrible gameI am a long time fan of the "Sim" series (Simcity **, SimCopter, etc..) hell I even pre-ordered the first Sims game on release (although I traded it for Quake 3 shortly thereafter). When I saw this Sim City come around, I had all the hopes that this game would be more SimCity and less; The Sims play: Sim City. Unfortunately, the game is like "The Sims play Sim City with horrible game breaking social media functionality that you don't want".

    I mean this in the sense that all atmosphere that you would find in an original SimCity title is lost, do not come here looking for experiences paralleling the games of the past.

    Unfortunately though, the game has little in the way of redeeming qualities outside the beautiful visuals and music. It's simply equivalent to a Farmville-like game app or Facebook minigame, it is not even close to a stand alone title.

    Never mind the fact that simple things that should be included in the core game are pay-to-play DLC's. This game will forever be a milestone and example of all that is wrong in the gaming industry today. Nevermind all the ridiculous Origin/Online only play, bugs, limited city size (smaller than any previous game and more like Sim Town) and the Agent system that they tout as a boon to this genre of gaming, which simply restricts everything you'd like to do in the name of "actual people" running around as individual agents.    … Expand
  73. georgoi123
    Feb 26, 2014
    0
    EA knew the game would not work at launch.

    Background: 1. EA was aware of the number of games sold by preorder and presumptively capable of being able to calculate sales at launch. This is one of the primary functions of their marketing department. 2. EA did not adjust download capacity at launch to meet these requirements. 3. EA did not adjust server capacity to meet the on-line    EA knew the game would not work at launch.

    Background:

    1. EA was aware of the number of games sold by preorder and presumptively capable of being able to calculate sales at launch. This is one of the primary functions of their marketing department.
    2. EA did not adjust download capacity at launch to meet these requirements.
    3. EA did not adjust server capacity to meet the on-line play requirements at launch or subsequent to launch.

    Conclusion:

    1. EA deliberately launched a game which they knew they could not fully (or even in part, apparently) support.
    2. EA deliberately sold a game which they knew its customers would not be able to play in full or in part for some period of time, to be determined, after launch.
    3. As many have pointed out in the past, this is effectively fraud. Deliberately selling a product that does not work is unacceptable in almost any industry, and should be considered criminal.
    4. These actions show once again that EA treats its customers with complete contempt. It has been rated as the worst company in America in 2012 for good reason.

    Solution:

    1. Do not buy this or any other games from this EA.
    2. Do not buy this or any other game requiring on-line play for single player games.

    This is the only way they will pay attention. As long as we continue to give them money, they will continue to perpetrate this fraud. Hit them in the wallet and they will wake up in a hurry. Do it now, before these greedy companies ruin what is left of the gaming industry.    … Expand
  74. shywen2004
    Feb 16, 2014
    0
    Game was poorly made. Marketing tactics were deceiving and unethical. We were told that the game was build around an "always online" experience and offline single player mode is just not possible. And here we are almost 1 year later with the impending release of an offline mode. Next, we're probably going to get bigger maps and EA expects us to forget what they said during those pressGame was poorly made. Marketing tactics were deceiving and unethical. We were told that the game was build around an "always online" experience and offline single player mode is just not possible. And here we are almost 1 year later with the impending release of an offline mode. Next, we're probably going to get bigger maps and EA expects us to forget what they said during those press release? Glad I cancelled my pre order the moment I heard of always online DRM.… Expand
  75. justchuck
    Feb 1, 2014
    4
    It certainly had the potential to be a really great game--worthy of the SimCity franchise. But it fell short by an "always on" DRM...I'm sorry, an unnecessary connection to an EA server. Now that wouldn't be so aweful IF EA made 100% sure their servers are always functional and can handle the traffic--of course there's always the chance something may happen with your isp too. Anyway, itIt certainly had the potential to be a really great game--worthy of the SimCity franchise. But it fell short by an "always on" DRM...I'm sorry, an unnecessary connection to an EA server. Now that wouldn't be so aweful IF EA made 100% sure their servers are always functional and can handle the traffic--of course there's always the chance something may happen with your isp too. Anyway, it was completely unnecessary to make the game work and caused many problems.

    Now on to game play, which the raw gameplay itself I found to be very good--detailed buildings, individual sims, etc. I also enjoyed upgrading buildings and working toward certain goals to unlock more options in the game. However, as others have pointed out, the maps are smaller than I would have liked and there's no option that gives you larger maps.

    Overall, the game was okay but it could have been a whole lot better.    … Expand
  76. alexanderyou
    Feb 1, 2014
    3
    There are many great features in this game: beautiful graphics, multiplayer (kinda), and that's pretty much it. The many faults I found in this game are: 3x the price for a third the content, almost completely unbalanced and impossible to fulfill late game requirements, and very limited options compared to the vast amount of buildings present in previous simcity games. I have simcityThere are many great features in this game: beautiful graphics, multiplayer (kinda), and that's pretty much it. The many faults I found in this game are: 3x the price for a third the content, almost completely unbalanced and impossible to fulfill late game requirements, and very limited options compared to the vast amount of buildings present in previous simcity games. I have simcity creator on the Wii and it has more content...… Expand
  77. Type4101
    Jan 13, 2014
    0
    Electronic Arts ruins yet another franchise, and yet another developer. It is hard to see how Maxis could recover from this nightmare of a game--a cash grab counting on the SimCity name, and nothing more--and we have likely seen the end of the SimCity franchise. Tiny maps, broken mechanics (even almost a year after launch) and dumbed-down casual gameplay makes this one of the worst gamesElectronic Arts ruins yet another franchise, and yet another developer. It is hard to see how Maxis could recover from this nightmare of a game--a cash grab counting on the SimCity name, and nothing more--and we have likely seen the end of the SimCity franchise. Tiny maps, broken mechanics (even almost a year after launch) and dumbed-down casual gameplay makes this one of the worst games ever made, when compared to the classics of SimCity's past.… Expand
  78. PartyTurtle
    Jan 13, 2014
    3
    I was soooooo excited to play this game with all the famous people playing it and all, but when I bought it and it crashed on me and it deleted it and tried to redown load it and it sad it wouldn't because some on else bought it. sooooooo angry and no refund for $69.99.
  79. MrBla
    Jan 10, 2014
    0
    Wow this game is a huge fail. It's not even a full game. If you want a full game you must buy this base-game(it's like a demo) for 60$ and then you forced to buy each building individually(it's called DLC), but it's not DLC, it's the content and features which was cut from the full game.
    DO NOT BUY THIS CRAP. DO NOT SUPPORT EA.
  80. notapaidcritic
    Jan 9, 2014
    3
    This game really is a turd. I bought it a week after release. Stopped after realizing the simulation was broken. Waited for 10+ patches. Updated around Xmas. Played enough to get 4 cities in a region and start building the Solar Farm. Freight, trade, resources going to storage lots (trade depot) , storage lots (ports), shared resources from neighbors; FLAT OUT BROKEN. I have twoThis game really is a turd. I bought it a week after release. Stopped after realizing the simulation was broken. Waited for 10+ patches. Updated around Xmas. Played enough to get 4 cities in a region and start building the Solar Farm. Freight, trade, resources going to storage lots (trade depot) , storage lots (ports), shared resources from neighbors; FLAT OUT BROKEN. I have two coal mines, coal in lots, yet somehow my smelters and coal power plants never have coal. Same instance with every resource going to any destination. Alloy to Great work, ore to smelter, plastic to processor factory...

    Thought the issue may lie with transit. However.... Traffic is not causing this issue. Sold all resources, closed depots/lots/ports re-opened, re-worked all streets and transit to eliminate all red/yellow areas on streets and somehow the resources/freight take 3 three days to move. REALLY? Ok, I'm laughing now because it's absurd.

    My first PC game was SimCity 2000. I was in 5th grade or something. I'm 28 now and have loved each installment since. What used to be a wonderful city simulation has gone very wrong. (Insert EA blame here).

    No, but really....EA..... Maxis and Dice were phenomenal before you became their publisher... I wish they hadn't sold out. Gaming companies that are successful today, listen to their community. EA has not been doing that. For anyone thinking about buying Simcity 2013. Please do not, until you read a review in 5 years that says that came is actually functioning correctly. If that ever happens.

    3 for graphics, sound, and the developers effort. - 7 for gameplay, DRM, lies, ruining franchises, inflated prices, bad patching, DLC, and BF4 bugs.    … Expand
  81. BarimLee
    Jan 7, 2014
    0
    I just wasted my money into EA's trash. So many bugs still in it, and there is no advantage of ONLINE play and just poor play style. The datas that I choosen are not connect directly into order. Packages for Huge building is not supplying as they just reach that construction site.
    More than that, CITIES ARE TOO SMALL
    it's not SIMCITY. it's TOWN, SIMTOWN.
  82. Narkul
    Jan 4, 2014
    0
    Ah! the Simcity reboot. A broken interactive screensaver. Let your imagination fly on the tiniest simcity maps ever. Watch traffic come to a halt and back up on the single roads connecting your cities. Watch your cities grow without any industrial zones. Watch EA take your money while your thinking that the latest DLC will fix this game. Ahh! the fun you'll have playing when your internetAh! the Simcity reboot. A broken interactive screensaver. Let your imagination fly on the tiniest simcity maps ever. Watch traffic come to a halt and back up on the single roads connecting your cities. Watch your cities grow without any industrial zones. Watch EA take your money while your thinking that the latest DLC will fix this game. Ahh! the fun you'll have playing when your internet goes down. Amazing social multiplayer experience. You must buy this game to really experience how bad it is, and then have fun trolling the five people that like it on the simcity forums.… Expand
  83. Canettieri
    Jan 2, 2014
    0
    Each update, a new launcher error! Always need to search in the web how to fix this errors... if you find a way!! Don't buy this game, i'll lose your money!
  84. IceBlood
    Dec 31, 2013
    1
    The game is 9 months old now and the agent system still doesn't work. Vehicles are disappearing and ghost town phenomena still exists. Power and water usage is raising cumulatively even the city plot is cleared completely. Students disappears and vehicles just disappears. The game is broken but Maxis is making new content instead of fixing the game. There is also plenty new bugs likeThe game is 9 months old now and the agent system still doesn't work. Vehicles are disappearing and ghost town phenomena still exists. Power and water usage is raising cumulatively even the city plot is cleared completely. Students disappears and vehicles just disappears. The game is broken but Maxis is making new content instead of fixing the game. There is also plenty new bugs like unremovable street car tunnels.… Expand
  85. Magnetarizgin
    Dec 30, 2013
    3
    Suits in charge have runed another franchise, why do people that probably hate videogames think they know better than us? Easy, they may think they are superior to us and they dont respect us at all... Suits also seem rushed in t making a new videogame crash, I don't know, maybe they want to kill videogames alltogheter in the firstplace so their normal perfectly fine hoobies return onceSuits in charge have runed another franchise, why do people that probably hate videogames think they know better than us? Easy, they may think they are superior to us and they dont respect us at all... Suits also seem rushed in t making a new videogame crash, I don't know, maybe they want to kill videogames alltogheter in the firstplace so their normal perfectly fine hoobies return once again to supremacy?? Whatveter, the future for this inustry is grim if we keep enabling this retards.… Expand
  86. Dusty_Hayes
    Dec 30, 2013
    0
    SimCity 2013 is greedy money grabs & anti consumer practices like this that is the reason why EA has earned and deserved the Golden Poo award two years running EA stop turning games into services that nonbody wanted
  87. guest91111
    Dec 28, 2013
    0
    This game is, like most other EA games (I know Maxis made it, but EA did parts of it), terrible. But EA brought this to a whole new level of terribleness, by putting always online DRM on this game. They said you have to be online, which is nonsense; People have changed the code and made it possible to play offline! Furthermore, the graphics are reasonable, 3D is ok, maps are tiny,This game is, like most other EA games (I know Maxis made it, but EA did parts of it), terrible. But EA brought this to a whole new level of terribleness, by putting always online DRM on this game. They said you have to be online, which is nonsense; People have changed the code and made it possible to play offline! Furthermore, the graphics are reasonable, 3D is ok, maps are tiny, menuscreen is worse than Big rigs over the road racing's one.… Expand
  88. TheFrapRap
    Dec 26, 2013
    0
    This game was fun for the first 10 minutes. Until it said I wasn't running my town right and it said it could repair it. So I click ok. And it take you back to the main menu. NOW it does it every 5 minutes not saving the progress to my town. They said they'd fix this over 9 months ago. Really EA really?
  89. zeNap
    Dec 16, 2013
    0
    I can not believe how people would actually give this a perfect score. It's completely rubbish compared to the previous game. Always some kind of a problem with the servers and not to talk about the "citties" you're supposed to build. In SimCity 4 you had the chance to build a real city unlike in this game where you can build a village. I regret spending money on this game so if anyoneI can not believe how people would actually give this a perfect score. It's completely rubbish compared to the previous game. Always some kind of a problem with the servers and not to talk about the "citties" you're supposed to build. In SimCity 4 you had the chance to build a real city unlike in this game where you can build a village. I regret spending money on this game so if anyone thinks about buying ths game: Do not. You're better off downloading/buying SimCity 4.… Expand
  90. bassgirl90
    Dec 14, 2013
    3
    Why I rated this game a 3:

    The best part of this game is the graphics and audio; however, the biggest part of any game: gameplay is seriously lacking, and EA as usual has not listened to the consumer. Pros: Beautiful graphics and great audio Cons: Small map sizes, severe traffic control problems, enormous structures, residential is not dense enough for map size. Unfortunately the    Why I rated this game a 3:

    The best part of this game is the graphics and audio; however, the biggest part of any game: gameplay is seriously lacking, and EA as usual has not listened to the consumer.

    Pros: Beautiful graphics and great audio
    Cons: Small map sizes, severe traffic control problems, enormous structures, residential is not dense enough for map size.

    Unfortunately the map size in relation to the structure sizes makes it incredibly difficult to fit in enough residential space in addition to city specialization structures and standard infrastructure i.e. water pumps, city hall, power plants, trash disposal, mining operations, electronics factories, casinos, and universities. If they wanted to make them so big, then they should have given us bigger maps.

    The other glaring issues is that trade is near impossible once your city becomes large enough. There is literally one entry into the city. This results in a major bottleneck for traffic and causes major backups. This problem will result in lost or inconsistent input of revenue causing cash flow problems. I believe that this results mostly from the fact that all city transit options flow on the roads and there is no subway to speak of to help offset some of the travelers. I extensively used subways in SimCity 3000 Unlimited and rarely had real traffic control problems.

    Don't waste your money on this disappointment like I did.    … Expand
  91. monkeylion
    Dec 14, 2013
    0
    This game sucks, servers issues, updates that take forever, no terraforming, forget about small cities because i wouldn't even dare to call them cities, they are just small towns with an inflated population counter, JUST DOONT WASTE YOUR MONEY
  92. Stigggggggy
    Dec 9, 2013
    2
    Really looked forward to this game, but it just does not deliver to what it once was. If you want that old-school SimCity feel? Look elsewhere, you are gone so regret buying this game.

    Ill gibe em 2/10 for the effort yeah effort of ruining a perfect franchise...
  93. ICE_MAN_3rd_ID
    Dec 8, 2013
    3
    I bought the disk version from GameStop without knowing that it was a downloadable always online only game. Had I known that, I would have never bought the game. But, alas, I have spent the money. I like the other SimCity games so I said "I'll give it a try". Bad mistake. The traditionally 1 player game is now based on multiplayer gameplay. Thanks for ruining everything that I love EA.
  94. Cnic
    Dec 4, 2013
    2
    I wish I'd checked these reviews before I went out and bought this game, thinking SimCity would be great as it always has been. First off with DRM, this doesn't affect me so much as I really always have connection but if the EA servers fail I have paid £40 to do nothing. It's not a city builder, it's a small town builder. The sizes of the plots are ridiculously small. How can you build aI wish I'd checked these reviews before I went out and bought this game, thinking SimCity would be great as it always has been. First off with DRM, this doesn't affect me so much as I really always have connection but if the EA servers fail I have paid £40 to do nothing. It's not a city builder, it's a small town builder. The sizes of the plots are ridiculously small. How can you build a city in a 2km by 2km grid?

    What I was expecting was something along the lines of SimCity 4 but with new features/better graphics. There's a few new features but i'd say there's less features overall. Ea have taken out highways and subways and to build an airport you're going to have to destroy half of your "city"

    Honestly so disappointed with this version of SimCity. Going to play SimCity 4 to try and recover from burning £40.

    Don't buy...

    Added review:

    After 8 or so months i decided to come back to this game, still disappointed. If you look at their Facebook almost every comment is from people who want bigger maps. Surely the next update has to be bigger maps? no. I don't understand why a game company would so blatantly ignore their fanbase. Surely they would actually make money from this?

    To add to it when i patched i couldn't play because the server was unavailable... I think i'll take a point off my previous score.    … Expand
  95. Probes
    Dec 3, 2013
    0
    Too small city areas and you have to be connected to a server at all times. Very bad implementation of a good concept. EA should be forced to refund this product or deliver a real single player mode with larger city areas.
  96. ChrisLight
    Dec 3, 2013
    1
    Better graphic doesn't mean better game,the game is downgrade of Simcity 4.The online DRM is the worst thing ever because the server always full.I prefer my Simcity 4 than this Simcity...
  97. Atraxerxes
    Dec 2, 2013
    2
    Honestly, buy SimCity 4 instead.

    The newest SimCIty should be called SimGraphicsCity instead. The only thing better about this version is that the shadows and lighting effects are cooler. Gone is the ability to create large sprawling cities with downtowns and residential neighborhoods. What really made the previous games fantastic was the amount you needed to micro manage. For god's    Honestly, buy SimCity 4 instead.

    The newest SimCIty should be called SimGraphicsCity instead. The only thing better about this version is that the shadows and lighting effects are cooler. Gone is the ability to create large sprawling cities with downtowns and residential neighborhoods. What really made the previous games fantastic was the amount you needed to micro manage. For god's sake, you had to lay water pipes and electrical lines.

    Did you like subways? yeah forget about that, it's gone.

    Remember how there were other cities you could interact with but it didn't matter? Well this is almost all about interacting with neighboring cities.

    Honestly, it feels like Farmville 2.0 at times. Here let me gift my neighbor a garbage truck.

    The only thing I can say that really stops this from being a complete turd is that the Info-porn graphic overlays are amazing.

    Oh yeah, and forget about playing this game on your laptop on the commuter train, or any place where you don't have internet access. You need to be constantly logged in for it to work.    … Expand
  98. Janpi
    Dec 1, 2013
    3
    smh. So how does EA screw this up? The "always on" doesn't bother me much, its just that I can't even play the game without feeling frustrated. Traffic patters all screw up, cities being square and small. I don't understand why there is a city, and then next to it there's nothing just plains, no suburban, no rural towns, just trees and a road. Resource sharing is awful.
  99. DownBusiness
    Nov 27, 2013
    3
    I really wanted to like this game. And the first couple of hours are nice. Its not broken because the game is playable. Its just bugged.

    Always online DRM is really bad.
    Servers are really bad: either its full or saves dissappear.
    Cities are too small.
    Still buggy after all this time.
  100. Shulkster
    Nov 24, 2013
    4
    Sadly, i was disapointed by SimCity. I expected alot, and i was let down. You are forced to be online all the time, and then the servers are not working. What a great start. Anyway i forgave Maxis and after they fixed their servers i gave it another try... It is just so messy and buggy. It really seems unfinished to me.
    Missing support and not listend to the beta Testers SCREAMING:    Sadly, i was disapointed by SimCity. I expected alot, and i was let down. You are forced to be online all the time, and then the servers are not working. What a great start. Anyway i forgave Maxis and after they fixed their servers i gave it another try... It is just so messy and buggy. It really seems unfinished to me.
    Missing support and not listend to the beta Testers SCREAMING: "BIGGER MAPS!!" those are the things that make me tell you:
    Dont waste your money on this one, Seriously.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
21
#21 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
64

Mixed or average reviews - based on 75 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 75
  2. Mixed: 39 out of 75
  3. Negative: 10 out of 75
  1. PC Master (Greece)
    Jun 5, 2013
    65
    Given enough patches and DCLs, SimCity might eventually become the game that should have been on its release and justify the ambiguous choices that its developers made. [May 2013]
  2. Games Master UK
    May 9, 2013
    68
    Hints at great things but is limited by small cities and promises it can't deliver on. [June 2013, p.80]
  3. Hyper Magazine
    May 9, 2013
    40
    There's more problems with this game than I have words. Looks great though. [June 2013, p.80]
See all critic reviews »