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. Atticas14
    Mar 19, 2013
    8
    This is my amended review. The original game gave the game a 1 out of 10. It really seems that EA is taking steps to improve the gameplay experience, and even awarded a free game to those who purchased at launch. I got Dead Space 3 for free and I really appreciate the offer. The new Sim City is really fun to play as long as the server aspects don't get in the way. I'm sure it'll all getThis is my amended review. The original game gave the game a 1 out of 10. It really seems that EA is taking steps to improve the gameplay experience, and even awarded a free game to those who purchased at launch. I got Dead Space 3 for free and I really appreciate the offer. The new Sim City is really fun to play as long as the server aspects don't get in the way. I'm sure it'll all get ironed out eventually and I'll have tons of fun in the future.… Expand
  2. nopistons420
    Mar 11, 2013
    8
    incredibly addicting and well made city simulator. its not the same old simcity you used to play a lot has changed but in my eyes for the better. the core game-play here is so good and so addictive once you start its hard to put down. the multiplayer aspects of region play are also very satisfying when they work!

    there is a very fun and challenging game to be found trying to manage    incredibly addicting and well made city simulator. its not the same old simcity you used to play a lot has changed but in my eyes for the better. the core game-play here is so good and so addictive once you start its hard to put down. the multiplayer aspects of region play are also very satisfying when they work!

    there is a very fun and challenging game to be found trying to manage your city as it grows from a cozy little town into a full on metropolis.    … Expand
  3. greatpaperclip
    Mar 9, 2013
    8
    Now that I've been able to get in, I'm changing my score-it's probably a 9-maybe even a 10, without the previous issues. I'm having a lot of fun. Too bad about the launch, though
  4. GLaforte
    Mar 6, 2013
    8
    I managed to play the game correctly, by myself, for 2 hours last night.
    I was unable to play the multiplayer game with a friend, though.
    Today, with the new patches, I'm just unable to connect to the server.
    Feels like throwing money down a well would have been more beneficial.
  5. threepm
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    Yes it uses always on, yes it is having some hiccups... but so far this game is absolutely fantastic. A lot of the issues that people are complaining about I suspect will addressed in future patches.
  6. cadburry
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    A good SimCity that is different than it's predecessors, but still captures that typical SimCity feeling. It takes some time to get used to a few new approaches like the city size and the connected cities, but can get you hooked up in no time, leaving lots of options to optimize in later gameplay stages.I'd buy it again, no server problems as welI.
    I honestly don't get however people try    A good SimCity that is different than it's predecessors, but still captures that typical SimCity feeling. It takes some time to get used to a few new approaches like the city size and the connected cities, but can get you hooked up in no time, leaving lots of options to optimize in later gameplay stages.I'd buy it again, no server problems as welI.
    I honestly don't get however people try to give negative impressions without playing the game, or trying to manipulate the rating with multiple accounts that have copy&paste rants that repeat themselves.You don't have to buy, just let the people who enjoy it enjoy it.    … Expand
  7. madfox777
    Mar 5, 2013
    9
    Ratings based on DRM alone are ridiculous and make a false representation of how good the game is. The servers will get smoothed out, its release day. Its made to be a different game than SC2000 or SC4. Small map size is the only con so far of this game.
  8. gamesrus
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    apart from not be being able to connect t servers this sim city is everthing you could want from a new simcity game better graphics. real sense of care for my lttile sims. good amount of depth in the gameplay and stargery side to make you build city after city seeing how different staregrys change your citys look and feel. i used love buidling huge citys on simcity 4 but this sim cityapart from not be being able to connect t servers this sim city is everthing you could want from a new simcity game better graphics. real sense of care for my lttile sims. good amount of depth in the gameplay and stargery side to make you build city after city seeing how different staregrys change your citys look and feel. i used love buidling huge citys on simcity 4 but this sim city offers so much more but in a smaller place and people may complain about size of the build plots but a quality well built city with a real sense that its is a live is better than just being able to build more. in future they may even be able to add larger build plots but rember not all people have gaming rigs like mine and these massive build plots may be to diffuclt to run for many computers. 8/10 game but all the other bad scores made me give it 10/10 those people need to learn pateince and that simcity 4 was terrible lagging on realease and they sorted so they will sort the server issues to.… Expand
  9. Phear
    Mar 5, 2013
    9
    DRM isn't an issue for me so far. (It was for Diablo 3) The city maps are smaller then I am used to but once you start playing I didn't notice it that much. The game seem much more lively than then the previous versions which got boring after awhile. So far it has been real fun to play and can't to play some more after work.
  10. Nicotroll
    Mar 5, 2013
    9
    his game is awesome. I've never had that much fun in a simulation game since Simcity 4 to be honest.
    All in all, my experience was fantastic.
    I didn't experience any lag and everything worked correctly.
  11. Valuzion
    Mar 5, 2013
    9
    The small cities can be annoying at times, but its made up with the multiple city play because you should not be stacking everything into one city. Now complaining about any game about its server availability within the first day is just outrageous. Complaints about this can only come from people who have never played a game at release in the modern age of gaming. Even Blizzard in allThe small cities can be annoying at times, but its made up with the multiple city play because you should not be stacking everything into one city. Now complaining about any game about its server availability within the first day is just outrageous. Complaints about this can only come from people who have never played a game at release in the modern age of gaming. Even Blizzard in all their glory fail at release dates because holding massive servers when everyone jumps on at once does cause problems. The servers will be fixed and adjusted and everything will be fine.Already noticeable improvements have been made to the servers. Its a great game for anyone who likes management games and I'm sure once they fix the minuscule problems even the bad reviewers will love the game. I recommend to anyone who loves the SimCity franchise.… Expand
  12. gaxkang123
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    Very addicting game. Very enjoyable. I'm having a ton of fun. The simulation is extremely deep, like none I have ever seen and overall, the gameplay is fantastic!
  13. JennieP23
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    I've been playing with my boyfriend and we've had a TON of fun so far!! :D. We're both playing in one of the smaller regions available and we're both playing our own city. I have built a city that's heavy on education so my cities are very educated. My boyfriend on the other hand has a city that revolves around oil and exports. His city is big in industry and some of my sims commute toI've been playing with my boyfriend and we've had a TON of fun so far!! :D. We're both playing in one of the smaller regions available and we're both playing our own city. I have built a city that's heavy on education so my cities are very educated. My boyfriend on the other hand has a city that revolves around oil and exports. His city is big in industry and some of my sims commute to work in his computer processsor plant. It's fun toying around with all the different aspects of the game. One of the things I like a lot about the game is the simulation. The simulation is very deep and it's unlike any of the previous SimCity games...or any city building game really. Gameplay is fantastic of course. If you ask me, game is amazing really. Very fun and addictive. I'm very pleased with the game CHECK IT OUT!… Expand
  14. SteadyMercury
    Mar 5, 2013
    9
    Take the user scores with a grain of salt. The DRM is annoying... But it wasn't sprung on anyone. If your commenting on Metacritic you have enough of an online presence that you knew either from IGN or a city sim forum that this game required internet and Origin. Besides this is standard industry stuff now.... Along with day one DLC. I'm going to throw out a caveat here and say that dayTake the user scores with a grain of salt. The DRM is annoying... But it wasn't sprung on anyone. If your commenting on Metacritic you have enough of an online presence that you knew either from IGN or a city sim forum that this game required internet and Origin. Besides this is standard industry stuff now.... Along with day one DLC. I'm going to throw out a caveat here and say that day one DLC is just fine EXCEPT when it is an essential part of beating a game or gives an unfair advantage in competitive multiplayer. None of this DLC does that. Don't want it don't buy it. Feel like you should get it for free? Well there isn't any saving you then. As for shutting off the servers? EA won't shut down the servers so long as a vibrant online community still exists for the game. No they won't spend millions running servers for you and five friends but that's the reality of modern online gaming, it all has an expiry date. The gameplay mechanics are perfectly represented by the review sites. The smaller build sites are an optimization feature that keeps the game running better with good graphics and the more demanding simulation system on the less then perfect rigs people have out there. In return you get a nice mechanic as a trade off; namely cities can't have everything now, just like in the real world cities share resources due to space, population or money constraints. Hopefully bigger maps come eventually for those of us who can run them but I'm happy now. Now this game isn't a 100 as a few earlier professional European review sites stated. Nothing is 100. But on the flip side saying the game is great but day on DLC and the required internet connection that is clearly advertised make it a zero? That's a tantrum. The games a solid nine. Play it for the mechanics. It's great. If you want buy the day one DLC but doubtless there will be a sale eventually, thats what I'll be waiting for. Origin is what Origin is. Turn it off when your done with it and it takes like no space. I agree it could be a 9.5 if it had an offline mode and bigger maps available at launch but this game has a solid chance of becoming a classic.… Expand
  15. Dadadadadadadad
    Mar 5, 2013
    8
    Pros... Several additions to SimCity 4
    Better graphics than SimCity 4
    New multiplayer mode
    Cons... Tiny city size limit
    Must be online to play
    Crashes alot
  16. Naketam
    Dec 6, 2013
    9
    Even though Sim city has some problems and these problems are mostly solved I give 9 points from ten because I've never played better city building strategy. For me the reason why i am not giving ten points is that the places for building are so small.
  17. Wikantoro
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    As the patches made, as the time runs, this game becomes even better. There is almost no problem with this game such as server problem, glitch, bug, and now it comes with SINGLE PLAYER MODE, road tools, smarter sims (that drive vehicles not only in the shortest path) and other interesting things. So delete those negative reviews because that describe the old Simcity, not the nowadaysAs the patches made, as the time runs, this game becomes even better. There is almost no problem with this game such as server problem, glitch, bug, and now it comes with SINGLE PLAYER MODE, road tools, smarter sims (that drive vehicles not only in the shortest path) and other interesting things. So delete those negative reviews because that describe the old Simcity, not the nowadays Simcity.

    Sorry if I made some language mistake, because english is not my first language    … Expand
  18. joevsyou
    Mar 7, 2013
    8
    This is a TRUE 0 NOT spam. I can't play the game, unplayable. NOTHING more to say!

    Polygon website has reduce their score from 9.5 to 8. Most of these game websites are using SAME pictures for their review. I suggest you got trust them things currently going on ~amazon has Stop selling simcity ~polygon has reduce their review score from 9.5 to 8 ~EA offer refunds BUT then    This is a TRUE 0 NOT spam. I can't play the game, unplayable. NOTHING more to say!

    Polygon website has reduce their score from 9.5 to 8. Most of these game websites are using SAME pictures for their review. I suggest you got trust them things currently going on
    ~amazon has Stop selling simcity

    ~polygon has reduce their review score from 9.5 to 8

    ~EA offer refunds BUT then threaten to ban people accounts

    ~EA supposedly has hire Chinese workers to spam good reviews and has force a number of websites to close "create a account" for the meantime    … Expand
  19. loran1212
    Mar 7, 2013
    8
    I have now sat down with this game constantly for 2.5 hours, and at max got it to work for 20 minutes. this game, although it has nice visuals and from what i can see fine game play, is literally unplayable. it will probably become a whole lot better over the next few weeks. This will be my final lesson. I am not going to by another PC game until at minimum six months after launch.
  20. Stinius
    Mar 8, 2013
    8
    I'm not giving this game a 0 for a reason: The game itself is great. Apart from the connection problems and the always-online bullsh*t, the game is awesome. I'm enjoying it even more than previous SimCity games. For the time I can play it, that is, because I get kicked out of the servers all the time and I've lost my progress quite sometimes. But, if it would become possible to play thisI'm not giving this game a 0 for a reason: The game itself is great. Apart from the connection problems and the always-online bullsh*t, the game is awesome. I'm enjoying it even more than previous SimCity games. For the time I can play it, that is, because I get kicked out of the servers all the time and I've lost my progress quite sometimes. But, if it would become possible to play this game without EA's bullsh*t, it would by far be an excellent SimCity game.

    So, the game gets a 10, the always-online bullsh*t and not being able to save/load a 0.    … Expand
  21. stn1337
    Mar 11, 2013
    8
    The game is very addictive and fun to play. You just want to play more and more allt the time and it was a long time since I felt that feeling about a game.

    The game is very simple and basic tough, to the better for new player but to the worse for experienced players. The "play whit a friend" thing is a good idea, but doesnt play out well ingame. Me and my friend ended upp in different    The game is very addictive and fun to play. You just want to play more and more allt the time and it was a long time since I felt that feeling about a game.

    The game is very simple and basic tough, to the better for new player but to the worse for experienced players. The "play whit a friend" thing is a good idea, but doesnt play out well ingame. Me and my friend ended upp in different "zones" but still in the same region. So we could build our own cities.    … Expand
  22. Nitsuam
    Mar 7, 2013
    9
    Its a beautiful game when you can get on. Problem is you can't unless you can play games while at work or school (servers are not overcrowded 10 am to 2 pm eastern). I love the SimCity games and that includes this one when I'm able to play, but poor launch execution is not cool or acceptable. I will change my rating to a 9 out of 10 as soon as EA proves they can run this gameIts a beautiful game when you can get on. Problem is you can't unless you can play games while at work or school (servers are not overcrowded 10 am to 2 pm eastern). I love the SimCity games and that includes this one when I'm able to play, but poor launch execution is not cool or acceptable. I will change my rating to a 9 out of 10 as soon as EA proves they can run this game successfully. My only other problem is the always on connection but the detail of the simulation requires a better computer than what the average person has so it doesn't bother me that much.… Expand
  23. Mark2606
    Apr 13, 2013
    8
    When I saw the user score after I'd played the game for a week thinking they did a very good job on the game, I was thinking no way. Yeah, the server isn't ironed out, but overall I only had maybe two issues and they were temporary.

    Honestly, I've been through plenty of games that had issues on release date, but if you were to base your decision on how much fun the game is on a    When I saw the user score after I'd played the game for a week thinking they did a very good job on the game, I was thinking no way. Yeah, the server isn't ironed out, but overall I only had maybe two issues and they were temporary.

    Honestly, I've been through plenty of games that had issues on release date, but if you were to base your decision on how much fun the game is on a technical issue, you're stupid. Especially on a major title like this where you know making it right is a matter time.

    So, my first realization wasn't the technical stuff. Who cares. I set out on this game looking through 1 of 10 or 15 maps to start my city on. Let me tell you, when I was looking at those maps, the game didn't lead me to think "build a city", it was "build a continent".

    I got halfway through my continent when I started getting it. I'm thinking build a whole city on one grid. And, "wow, these are small grids." However, as I build my neighboring cities and my cities started interacting, it seemed natural to assume building "complete" cities on each grid was a critical error.

    That's when the grids stopped being small. One "city" would be (mainly) industrial, one residential, etc. If you look at the maps and study which cities are hooked together by road and rail. Those groups functioned more as a single unit with workers, police and fire working together.

    You can pick any map you want, and if you play the whole thing, and think of the entire continent being designed to function as your "megalopolis," small is definitely not what will be going through your head. If you're thinking you can try to jam your old strategies into a single grid, your frustration will probably put you in the dumb bunch who rated this game so poorly.

    This game is vast, dynamic, and nicely programmed. It's fun, fulfilling, and takes way more strategy than before. I haven't even scraped the surface tourism and trading strategies. So much to think about.

    So why don't I give it a ten? It is without a doubt in my mind the best iteration of the series. There are some things like schools. Once you build a university, schools as far as I can tell are useless. As a matter of fact, it looked to me like the total number of students simple migrated to the remaining educational facilities when I destroyed one.

    In effect, "lower than university" structures like elementary schools lowered the overall educational level of my city because the "total number of students" would simply be divided according to the number of schools you built... not the type. So after my university was built, by destroying my "lower than university" schools all the students would just migrate to the university thus always maximizing the education level.

    There are some of these types of things that would cause me to thump the designers heads. The issues are small, but that makes the game not perfect. And that's what a ten is.    … Expand
  24. Klubby
    Mar 5, 2013
    9
    Look beyond all the "0" reviews. Seems like there are a bunch of pissed off freeloaders who cannot play a game for free. The game is fantastic and improved on so many aspects from previous versions of the franchise. The new "bottom-up" approach is great. The way the Sims each have their own individual lives and are affected directly by what you do as mayor is amazing. TheLook beyond all the "0" reviews. Seems like there are a bunch of pissed off freeloaders who cannot play a game for free. The game is fantastic and improved on so many aspects from previous versions of the franchise. The new "bottom-up" approach is great. The way the Sims each have their own individual lives and are affected directly by what you do as mayor is amazing. The micro-managing of power lines and water pipes is long gone and everything is delivered via the road systems is a welcome added-edition. Get this game. Seriously.… Expand
  25. hoffymann07
    Mar 5, 2013
    9
    Note: Most of the reviews posted in the user section should be avoided, if not deleted. The people giving this game a terrible score are really the disgrace of the gaming culture, and not the DRM. Most people will be able to tell that the low scores are posted by people who have no actual imput of value. The game is great. Although it would be ideal to be able to play the game offline,Note: Most of the reviews posted in the user section should be avoided, if not deleted. The people giving this game a terrible score are really the disgrace of the gaming culture, and not the DRM. Most people will be able to tell that the low scores are posted by people who have no actual imput of value. The game is great. Although it would be ideal to be able to play the game offline, with online the game shines, and it can be seen why this was included. Lush visuals, appropriate music, and excellent sound draw you into the Sim City world, and the gameplay and mechanics will keep you coming back again and again.… Expand
  26. Klav
    Mar 9, 2013
    10
    I've been forced to leave another review. The first few days were horrid, but server issues are being worked out and for about 24 hours I've have uninterrupted game play. Let me tell you, this game is fantastic. Launch issues aside, I can't complain about this game. The social aspect is simply amazing. Graphics are wonderful although GPU utilization needs some work. The maps are great.I've been forced to leave another review. The first few days were horrid, but server issues are being worked out and for about 24 hours I've have uninterrupted game play. Let me tell you, this game is fantastic. Launch issues aside, I can't complain about this game. The social aspect is simply amazing. Graphics are wonderful although GPU utilization needs some work. The maps are great. Hopefully we will see the ability to expand cities in some future DLC. Overall, this is a must buy for all SimCity fans old and new. Don't hesitate.… Expand
  27. Digido
    Mar 10, 2013
    10
    Connection problems have been fixed. :P. Very impressive since the last game, even though some features were left out. People vote this down because of the connection problems, well they're fixed, so rewrite the review, because this game deserves a better score.
  28. BazingaUA
    Mar 18, 2013
    9
    9/10
    The game is just awesome. Graphics are really cute, and the game is not lagging at all. A haven't spotted any problems with servers, so thats not an issue for me. The only bad thing in the game is small city.
  29. AngryRob
    Mar 14, 2013
    10
    After spending over 80 hours constructing about 8 different cities each to a population of 100-250k, and with a few remaining very profitable and a few burning to the ground, i can say with all confidence that this is an excellent sim city game. not many games can suck so many hours of my life away in just the first 2 weeks of launch. sim city managed to do that, and it gets major kudos for that.
  30. bwheatley
    Mar 7, 2013
    10
    When i get to play the game i really love it. Though small city sizes are a pain, missing some of the features i liked (power,water lines, subway).

    But this always on stuff is really a downer. Maxis is still one of my favorite game companies but this might just put a dent in that luster for me.
  31. MoreBokeh
    Mar 17, 2013
    9
    Politics around this game: 1/10
    Technical restrictions of this game: 6/10
    The actual game if you can get over those: 9/10 This game is smeared by politics. It's like anti-global warming people trashing Happy Feet for it's agenda and not the actual film. Or a movie about gun control being slammed before it even hits theatres. There was no hope for this title, and you can see that in    Politics around this game: 1/10
    Technical restrictions of this game: 6/10
    The actual game if you can get over those: 9/10

    This game is smeared by politics. It's like anti-global warming people trashing Happy Feet for it's agenda and not the actual film. Or a movie about gun control being slammed before it even hits theatres. There was no hope for this title, and you can see that in the 0-day reviews that already have it at 1/10.

    If actually intend to buy the game (instead of pirate it, as it's impossible to pirate it, and partially a reason for the outrage) and play on a computer with guaranteed internet connection, it's amazingly engaging and captivating. This version SimCity is more like Tropico than SimCity 4. Instead of Tropico's outlandish humour, SimCity offers a sense of sleepytown magicalness or pretty tilt shifted skyscraper landlines. It's really cute, engaging, and more fleshed out than Tropico. It's a shame that the Tropico series can get 8/10's but SimCity gets a 1/10 due to politics, as a "blind taste test" of these games would yield SimCity as the better game.    … Expand
  32. wernytitans
    Mar 17, 2013
    10
    The game is tons of fun, and I've experianced no problems. The real score should be 9.5, but of course the internet overacted to this masterpiece after some server problems that had NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CONTENT ITSELF! Buy this game, it's worth every penny. Tons of fun, especially with friends.
  33. N7Maintank
    Mar 17, 2013
    10
    Despite the server problem earlier and a few bugs (the gift system kills me), despite the (stupid) DRM, despite the occasional failure to sync with the server, despite the absence of some of my favourite features in city simulation games (farm and underground etc.), SimCity is still the most well made and addictive city simulation game I've ever played. The amazing details of the city, theDespite the server problem earlier and a few bugs (the gift system kills me), despite the (stupid) DRM, despite the occasional failure to sync with the server, despite the absence of some of my favourite features in city simulation games (farm and underground etc.), SimCity is still the most well made and addictive city simulation game I've ever played. The amazing details of the city, the beautiful and dynamic infographics, and the occasional nostalgic elements (It brings tears to my eyes when I hear music from the Sims 1 starts playing when I click on certain buildings), nothing is confusing or redundant, I'd say the latest SimCity is Maxis at its climax.… Expand
  34. ansvver
    Mar 17, 2013
    10
    Server now ok, and the game it's so beautiful. I'm playng a lot of hour without connection problems.
    I'm building two infrastucture, with helpful of 2 my friend in a private region. The longevity is very long.
    Thanks a lot, maxis for this amazing game
  35. Glassbox
    Mar 17, 2013
    10
    The best game in its genre and raises the bar for it. Its only issue that it didn't release with day one DLC and season pass, but thats fine since I can wait.
  36. justcausetx
    Mar 6, 2013
    9
    I always find it funny when these site are overwhelmed by trolls posting ratings of 0 and 1 when they never purchased the game. Yes, the game had some issues at launch. Connecting to server but unable to claim a city, able to claim a city but the game crashed 2 mins later and no ability to invite a friend to a region. All these issues were resolved around 9 pm last night. If anyone hasI always find it funny when these site are overwhelmed by trolls posting ratings of 0 and 1 when they never purchased the game. Yes, the game had some issues at launch. Connecting to server but unable to claim a city, able to claim a city but the game crashed 2 mins later and no ability to invite a friend to a region. All these issues were resolved around 9 pm last night. If anyone has been through a Blizzard launch they will agree that these setbacks were nothing. People complaining about always on DRM, Hello and welcome to the 21st century. Everything is going this way. Unfortunately it is a necessary evil and wont be going away anytime soon.

    I must say this game is the most addicting one I have played in a while. It has been a good 3 or 4 years since a game has sucked me only for me to finally check the clock and realize I need to go to bed for work. I thought the city size was going to be a bad thing but it actually enhances the game play. You are able to start a second, third or even fourth city in your region.

    My first city is now over 50,000 residents and going strong. I have just started my second city in the region and can see myself being sucked in for a long time. Which is going to really put a damped on the Starcraft expansion coming out next week.    … Expand
  37. woromatt
    Mar 5, 2013
    9
    Don't see why everyone is bashing this game it's very fun. The city sizes are smaller but it focuses on making a specialized city to build up your region. Like I played for two hours so far and I have an industry and mining city and then I made a tourism casino city, later I'm going to develop a beachfront residential area. So each plot to develop is small but then you're alsoDon't see why everyone is bashing this game it's very fun. The city sizes are smaller but it focuses on making a specialized city to build up your region. Like I played for two hours so far and I have an industry and mining city and then I made a tourism casino city, later I'm going to develop a beachfront residential area. So each plot to develop is small but then you're also interconnecting and developing the entire region. Also for people complaining about being always online just get a better internet connection brah! I didn't have any issues getting into the servers today at all.… Expand
  38. lemacanul
    Mar 17, 2013
    10
    A great game which is a new start for this incredible studio Maxis. A new game totally different of Sim City 4, a total recast of the city management, awesome graphics and gameplay for hours of fun. One last word terrific
  39. Vittor
    Mar 5, 2013
    8
    The game is excellent. I loved that it is not a single player anymore, it's a great multiplayer experience. My main complaint is about the very small size of the town, but I can solve it by having multiple towns in the same region. The game is fun, runs smooth.

    I personally hate EA and origin and this is my first game bought there, but I'm not letting my hate interfere in my opinion on    The game is excellent. I loved that it is not a single player anymore, it's a great multiplayer experience. My main complaint is about the very small size of the town, but I can solve it by having multiple towns in the same region. The game is fun, runs smooth.

    I personally hate EA and origin and this is my first game bought there, but I'm not letting my hate interfere in my opinion on this game. Game's great.    … Expand
  40. Tomlius1
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    Do not listen to all these people reviewing the game as zero, the game is good but all these people are just about EA. And to the people who say its nothing like the originals, thats because its no longer the same game, its a complete reboot of the series and as for the small maps they said they will enlarge the maps in time
  41. jerudamaja
    Mar 6, 2013
    10
    this game is fun and certainly not desrving of 0-6 scores..come on people stop with the agenda.
    Makes me have to counter it with a 10 score.
    Its such a breath of fresh air in this game market. Everyone that is commenting that this should be a single player game is obviously thinking of past versions of the game. All the hard work and creativity this team has given should not be    this game is fun and certainly not desrving of 0-6 scores..come on people stop with the agenda.
    Makes me have to counter it with a 10 score.
    Its such a breath of fresh air in this game market.
    Everyone that is commenting that this should be a single player game is obviously thinking of past versions of the game. All the hard work and creativity this team has given should not be overshadowed by a vocal group of emotional nerds.
    This is not a forum for activism, its a review site for legitimate reviews. Play the game and enjoy all the great things about it instead of focusing on 3 things like some OCD child.
    Yes.. first day launch was bad, what did you expect Blizzard even screwed this up, and they have tons of experience in this realm.

    If your going to write something negative, please stop beating a dead horse, say something new.
    As a player I would much rather hear about problems you had or a bug report or something like that versus your unique way of repeating how boxes should be bigger, and DRM doesn't work, and online only why?!!!, in the same cut and paste way.    … Expand
  42. Kel
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    This game brings back the charm and magic of the SimCity series. It truly is a game worthy of the name, unlike the SimCity Societies and various DS/Wii titles. I was wary of the online only thing when I first heard about it, but I think it was done very well and it is not some 'Facebook game' as others have said. The interactions between cities is nothing like the spam your friendsThis game brings back the charm and magic of the SimCity series. It truly is a game worthy of the name, unlike the SimCity Societies and various DS/Wii titles. I was wary of the online only thing when I first heard about it, but I think it was done very well and it is not some 'Facebook game' as others have said. The interactions between cities is nothing like the spam your friends nonsense and micro-transactions to build things of value. Everything is there to build fully functional cities and the interactions between the cities is amazing. The deals between neighbors are sweet that they use up the excess of power, water, water treatment, and other services to make money for one city and save the other one the cost of building the services. If the mayor selling services wants to they can increase capacity to make sure that the other city will have enough or they can shut down capacity and make the other mayor find a different way to meet their city's needs.
    Region play can be either open to the public or private with just friends or only by yourself. You can work together to make thriving cities and great works. The interactions between the cities is very nice and detailed and has been stated by the developers during interviews, lays the groundwork for even more amazing regions and larger cities in the future. Right now though, the game is balanced very well for meaningful decisions in each city that affect the surrounding region and the small city sizes seem to actually be more meaningful than just a large urban sprawl with everything possible built into it.
    Overall it has personality and charm between the names of the sims, houses, businesses, and factories and the general atmosphere and mood of the game. The music and visuals change as your city changes in amazing ways.    … Expand
  43. depl0y
    Mar 12, 2013
    9
    The servers are now very respondent and the game is very cool.

    Still, a very bad launch, but I would like to ask users to update reviews accordingly.
  44. MythWaker
    Mar 13, 2013
    9
    Never written a review on here but feel this is worth it!! Ignore the 0 marks as this game is far from it. Let me put it in perspective came home from work at 4pm, loaded this game up and could not pull myself away for 8 Hours straight it was that good! Yes the cities are not as big as before but you soon forget that as the game is so deep and addictive. (EA have said bigger cities areNever written a review on here but feel this is worth it!! Ignore the 0 marks as this game is far from it. Let me put it in perspective came home from work at 4pm, loaded this game up and could not pull myself away for 8 Hours straight it was that good! Yes the cities are not as big as before but you soon forget that as the game is so deep and addictive. (EA have said bigger cities are coming, DLC no doubt) This game is gorgeous to look at and everything runs smoothly. Coming from a sim city background it didn’t take me long to pick up the basics and all these reviews saying you will fail on your first attempt I don’t think so! I found as long as you follow the basics everything falls into place start small and work your way up to big.
    The only issue and why I gave it a 9 is that I had to wait an hour when I installed the game before I could play due to the updates that were needed to patch onto the game and I don’t really like the whole Origin thing, but once you’re playing you soon forget.
    Buy this game you will not be disappointed I can already feel months of my life slipping away to this game its that good!!    … Expand
  45. Grafeaux
    Mar 5, 2013
    9
    Absolutely and amazing and engrossing and engaging game! I think all the user scores ae so low because the high score critics are too busy playing. I picked the Deluxe version on Origin yesterday. It downloaded 2 minutes before midnight and has worked flawlessly since. This is not Sim City 4 and it is not trying to be like it either. It is a game all to itself and should be rated asAbsolutely and amazing and engrossing and engaging game! I think all the user scores ae so low because the high score critics are too busy playing. I picked the Deluxe version on Origin yesterday. It downloaded 2 minutes before midnight and has worked flawlessly since. This is not Sim City 4 and it is not trying to be like it either. It is a game all to itself and should be rated as such. Always on online DRM thingy...yeah...ummm I am not sure what the problem is. I think some folks are just a little too paranoid. Who plays computer games and is not always online???? I say kudos to Maxis and EA for taking an interest in supporting their product on a regular basis.

    Now to the actual game. Beautiful. Detailed. Easy to play. Complicated choices. Choices that actually mean something to your sims and the city you are attempting to sculpt. The learning curve is not terribly steep, but figuring out how to manage things gives you a real sense of the stresses of being in city government. I loved Sim City 2000. I adored Sim City 4. I am enamored with Sim City. There is so much to do in one single city. I am not extremely concerned with the map size (the only reason this review is not a 10) because I haven't even been able to perfect my gameplay in a small singular city. I can't destroy my city and start over...boooohoooooo! This is forcing me to actually play the game. I have to figure out the mistakes I make. I can't just delete the city and start over fresh. I have to figure things out. Sounds kind of realistic to me...something like a realistic sim...hmmmm...Sim City! I have not spent much time in the multiplayer universe yet. I am more of a solo player and guess what that is what I have been doing all day. Solo play. So stop crabbing about the multiplayer aspect! I cannot express it enough for fans of Sim City 2000 and Sim City 4...get your hands on this and play it for what it is. It does not claim to be either of those two games. It stands on its own and it stands tall. When you have the smallest detail such as: the moving trucks that move your Sims in have spelled out on them 6AM you know it has to be a great game...a great Sim City game. Good work Maxis! Good work EA! 5/5 97% and two thumbs up    … Expand
  46. sykokila
    Mar 5, 2013
    9
    Sorry to disappoint all the naysayers of this game. But I really like it. It is a very deep city simulation that relies on relationships between cities in a region and not just one city. Yes, the game is online, yes your single city region is smaller than people from 10 years ago are used to, but I prefer to have fun in my life and not dwell on such trivial BS. My wife and I are having aSorry to disappoint all the naysayers of this game. But I really like it. It is a very deep city simulation that relies on relationships between cities in a region and not just one city. Yes, the game is online, yes your single city region is smaller than people from 10 years ago are used to, but I prefer to have fun in my life and not dwell on such trivial BS. My wife and I are having a great time and enjoying SimCity. A must buy for fans of the series and gaming. I would say it is not a buy if you are a pessimistic entitled whiner that doesnt enjoy games as much as enjoy spewing negativity in a public forum.… Expand
  47. Anitaaa
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    Playing with my boyfriend and a couple of other friends right now. We're playing on a 16 city region and it's a ton of fun. we're enjoying the game very much. I recommend it
  48. PureAqua
    Mar 5, 2013
    8
    I understand that DRM might be for problem for some people, but seriously you can't give the game 0/10 because of one element of the game that you don't like, regarding the city size limits; you are meant to build upwards and develop your city that way, build sky-scrappers, the developers intended to restrict the city limits to make you have to think through and choose your actions. TheI understand that DRM might be for problem for some people, but seriously you can't give the game 0/10 because of one element of the game that you don't like, regarding the city size limits; you are meant to build upwards and develop your city that way, build sky-scrappers, the developers intended to restrict the city limits to make you have to think through and choose your actions. The day 1 dlc is basically a skin pack for buildings and a preorder bonus, I wouldn't exactly call that day 1 dlc myself. Regarding to the "Oh my gash" Simcity has changed from Simcity 4, "Simcity 4 is so much better than this crap", the developers have adapted to appeal to a larger audience meaning that some elements of the game may have been altered. And I also don't personally like EA and DRM being used in video games but I don't hate on the game and give it a 0/10, it obviously deserves more score than 0/10. The game is greatly designed and has great interaction with different cities, the amount of work put in the game and the potential that can come out of this game is amazing, and still people hate the game because of one aspect.… Expand
  49. kazy
    Mar 6, 2013
    9
    Ignore the people complaining about the "always online" part, they do not get that we live in 2013 and everyone is perfectly capable of being always online. Sure, there are some server issues currently, but that's something to expect during a huge launch. EA does need to fix up their servers, and there is a "queue" (spoilers: it's just a reconnection timer, relaunch the game) to get onIgnore the people complaining about the "always online" part, they do not get that we live in 2013 and everyone is perfectly capable of being always online. Sure, there are some server issues currently, but that's something to expect during a huge launch. EA does need to fix up their servers, and there is a "queue" (spoilers: it's just a reconnection timer, relaunch the game) to get on the servers, even to play single player. But the thing is, there really is no "single player" mode. Even in what could be construed as a single player mode, you're invited to invite friends to take over other cities in the region.

    Definitely a fun game, no matter the DRM, and I found my self up way past when I should be playing it. Fun as all hell.    … Expand
  50. Squall87jp
    Mar 6, 2013
    10
    This game sucks! I can't even save the game, my game is lost because disconnected from the server! It 's frustrating! diablo 3 should teach that this is not the right way. How to ruin a brand
  51. CazzaCanola123
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    Such a great game. Everything is perfect! you dont wanna miss this. Graphics are amazing as usual and the gameplay makes you want to keep coming back. Playing with friends is the best experience but alone is great to. you have to get it.
  52. artbot345
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    Multiplayer is well integrated. A better and more fun simulation then previous games. Good and easy to use interface. Good graphics for high end PCs and runs well on my 2009 HP G60 laptop.
  53. kameeleon
    Mar 7, 2013
    10
    Just trying to balance out the vast amount of negative reviews. Since Metacritic doesn't require proof of ownership this whole section is useless anyway Or at least would be if people didn't read it and take user scores seriously. Anyhow If people have issues with DRM or online play then write a letter to EA or don't buy the game. Don't punish the dev's that poured their heart and soulJust trying to balance out the vast amount of negative reviews. Since Metacritic doesn't require proof of ownership this whole section is useless anyway Or at least would be if people didn't read it and take user scores seriously. Anyhow If people have issues with DRM or online play then write a letter to EA or don't buy the game. Don't punish the dev's that poured their heart and soul into this game for the past 5 years. There's a reason why it's sitting at 91% from the critics right now. This is the direction games have been going for years. Get over the fact that you'll have a harder time downloading it from the pirate-bay. This is going to be one hell of a game. P.S. I also find it amusing that a game that has only been publicly available for a few hours has so many negative reviews. Why don't you actually try playing it first?… Expand
  54. matthatter
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    Haters... sheesh. Game is great. Not the game developers' fault if EA can't keep it up. :)

    I haven't explored mult-play yet, but building up a city by myself was FUN.
  55. SolsticeGaming
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    Alright lets be realistic here, this game isn't even remotely close to a 5/10, as shown by the critics. This review forum is filled with more immature reviewers having a temper tantrum then anything else, And why would you complain that it requires an internet connection when it even advises you that in the description and on the box itself, but they didn't read that. Either way completelyAlright lets be realistic here, this game isn't even remotely close to a 5/10, as shown by the critics. This review forum is filled with more immature reviewers having a temper tantrum then anything else, And why would you complain that it requires an internet connection when it even advises you that in the description and on the box itself, but they didn't read that. Either way completely disregard what all these other reviewers say as the game is quite refreshing, it's been 10 years since the last one and it couldn't come any sooner. They also added a lot more and fixed many things from the previous games, like the road placement. The glassbox engine is neat, very little flaws and neat as you can see and interact with all the sims in the game. One of the biggest complaint is the server itself, i can almost guarantee if the publisher see's heavy log on rates they are just bound to increase it. The maps are indeed small but that's nothing to complain about as they have already promised bigger maps, and they will likely be free to heal the wounds of these hurt fanboys. So far it plays nicely and there are plenty of things to be done as well, lots of fun i might add. The save feature is lacked but have patience everyone. And most importantly, the internet itself. We live in a day and age where we could walk up and down the street and connect to at least 15 different wifi networks, password protected or not. Origin indeed sucks but ive gotten used to it at this point and frankly its not that bad, but when you put it up to heavyweights like Steam which have a crazy amount of innovative tools it's nothing. Yes it would be nice to have been on steam but the game is incredible and hats off to Maxis for the incredible game. Disregard the immature folk and just work on the flaws.… Expand
  56. Positron3006
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    It's brilliant!!
    The game design was helped by a city planner and it shows. You never stop having fun with it. I loved every single minute of playing it!
  57. gibbsman
    Mar 6, 2013
    9
    Granted EA screwed up with the whole server load issue, but the game itself is great. Very deep, very enjoyable and overall a great game. It's a great upgrade from SimCity 4 and certainly better than Cities XL.

    Is it perfect? no, definitely not, but it's very very good. Does "always online" suck? Sure it does. Are the cities small? yep, at least to begin with. Once the initial wave of    Granted EA screwed up with the whole server load issue, but the game itself is great. Very deep, very enjoyable and overall a great game. It's a great upgrade from SimCity 4 and certainly better than Cities XL.

    Is it perfect? no, definitely not, but it's very very good. Does "always online" suck? Sure it does. Are the cities small? yep, at least to begin with. Once the initial wave of launch traffic dies down nobody will think about these issues. Overall I would recommend this game to everyone. Please ignore the bad reviews on here as most are complaining about the server issues upon launch. While those do contribute to the game, the depth of the gameplay itself is not reflective of these launch issues. Let's give Maxis and the SimCity team some credit for all the hard work they did on a great game and not base everything on EA's lack of ability to have a smooth launch.    … Expand
  58. Zudeare
    Mar 18, 2013
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Let me start off by saying that this game is really good, but the main reason why this game is getting such awful scores is the launch (which i'm sure of many have heard about by now). followed by the fact that the city sizes are too small. but those issues personally don't bother me right now, it seems like most of the server issues have been fixed and since i never played other simcity titles, the small city sizes don't matter to me. i am sure that many people will utterly enjoy this game despite its flaws.… Expand
  59. ans247
    Mar 10, 2013
    10
    I just purchased this game over the weekend even though I heard the servers were having trouble. I know they will fix the servers soon so that was not an issue for me since most games have some issues around launch. I have not had any issues with the servers, I was able to play fine last night and today. I am having a great time! This is such a fun game that hours just seemed to fly byI just purchased this game over the weekend even though I heard the servers were having trouble. I know they will fix the servers soon so that was not an issue for me since most games have some issues around launch. I have not had any issues with the servers, I was able to play fine last night and today. I am having a great time! This is such a fun game that hours just seemed to fly by without me even realizing it. I let my husband try it on my computer since he was curious about it as well. He didn't expect to play it long and about 3 hours later he was still playing! It has such addicting gameplay that just makes you want to play for hours. Needless to say he purchased a copy shortly after. We are now looking forward to building cities together. Minus the server issues that people seem to be having, Maxis deserves praise for creating such a fun game. … Expand
  60. naxhi24
    Mar 6, 2013
    8
    Going into this game I had high expectations. Being a player of simcity 3000 and simcity 4 I expected this game to be a great game. When I played it, it fullfiled all my hopes and desires for the series. Now most people judge games hardly, one thing out of place and it gets a zero.
    The two biggest reasons are:
    Drm servers, which ea said they would fix. the size of the City and region    Going into this game I had high expectations. Being a player of simcity 3000 and simcity 4 I expected this game to be a great game. When I played it, it fullfiled all my hopes and desires for the series. Now most people judge games hardly, one thing out of place and it gets a zero.
    The two biggest reasons are:

    Drm servers, which ea said they would fix.
    the size of the City and region is smaller, which doesn't bother me because having too many cities in a region made multitasking hard, here I can easily manage the cities in my region without going back and forth every five seconds.

    The gameplay is also much simpler then simcity 4. In simcity 4, none of my cities lasted longer then a day, in this simcity I can easily keep my city going for a long time. The multiplayer is also a good feature because I can now play with other people, and enjoy it. Zoning is also easier, I don't need to do high density, low density, or any of that, I just need to put a road down and BAM, I get skyscrapers. Also the deletion of power lines and water pipes and making it flow by street is also a good bonus making it simpler then it's predecessors.

    Though all this simplicity makes the game to easy at some points, making it tedious to keep going. Though it's not a big deal, I can just make another region with a different play style, or blow up the current city with disasters. In all, simcity is a great game, though flawed in non gameplay components, I give it an 8 out of 10    … Expand
  61. tjejen
    Mar 5, 2013
    9
    Personally I haven't had as much fun playing in years. No I couldn't download at 12.01 but my pre-order told me 5th of March. I downloaded in minutes this morning, and when I had some free time today (which is still the 5th of March lol) I managed 3 hours of extremely enjoyable, uninterrupted playtime. No bugs, no crashes, just fun.
  62. FleetAdmiral
    Mar 6, 2013
    9
    Ok, first things first: Does it suck that you have to always be online, rely on unreliable servers, pay for DLC (which will definitely happen), and blah blah blah with this game? Yes. Does it suck that we are falling hook, line and sinker for these big business gimmicks? Yes. But, for me, being a gamer, it is the price to pay so I can play...at least now-a-days. Is it worth it? YouOk, first things first: Does it suck that you have to always be online, rely on unreliable servers, pay for DLC (which will definitely happen), and blah blah blah with this game? Yes. Does it suck that we are falling hook, line and sinker for these big business gimmicks? Yes. But, for me, being a gamer, it is the price to pay so I can play...at least now-a-days. Is it worth it? You be the judge...everyone is different. I mean, look at Metacritic (no offense Metapeeps), in order to even write or comment on here, you have to sign up, give them your email addy, birth date, blood type, first born, etc (ok, kidding on those last few...I don't want to get any Meta-lawsuits). Why? Cuz they want to just keep things organized? No way! They want to email you stuff that makes them money. I don't like it, but I put up with it (and also check the box that says "don't send me your crap"). Why do I do this, because I'm "paying for the service." I weigh the pros and cons and figure, "ok, I like Metacritic, so I'm willing to give you my email address, etc, so that I can use your site." So, the same thing goes with EA and all they're BS. I don't like it, but it's the price to pay. For those who are just protesting, good for you. But sadly nothing will happen, guys. I mean, if Occupy Wallstreet didn't really do anything, do you think Occupy EA is really going to do anything? Pick your battles. Instead of protesting, design your own stuff. Competition is how you "change" big business, not picketing. Now with that all behind me, here is the truth about the game a real score to get a sense of what this game is really like (with above problems "ignored"...or just not worried about). If you like Sim City games, you will like this game. If you like city building games, you will like this game. If you like being creative, you'll like this game. This is a cool, fun game. The graphics are modernized Simcity graphics. Do they look like Battlefield 3 graphics? No, but they're not going for that here. What they're going for is Simcity graphics, and they look good (and for some reason they just make me happy). The music and sound fx are great, too. As for game play, being able to zoom in and really get a VERY good sense of how things are going, is really amazing. The simulation is out of this world. I am surprised the game runs so smoothly considering how much computing all that unique simulating must take up. To be honest, I think that is why the map sizes are so small. They just can't run that sort of simulation on a map the size of the ones in Simcity 4. Which leads me to map size. Yes, they're small, and at first (before really playing), I was bummed out about it. But then I started doing what I think the Maxis people wanted us to do, and that is specialize cities, and make your region be one big city. So, instead of setting aside one area of my map for industry, the other side for residential, etc, I use one map for things like power, water, etc, and the others for things like education and big buildings...or whatever else you want to do. If you go at this game with that sort of goal, you really start to not mind the smaller plots (but hopefully future DLC give us bigger plots). Other than that, the game is a lot of fun. On a fun factor scale, it's a solid 10. Most people say prayers or kiss their wife good night right before falling asleep....losers like me found themselves thinking about this game and what I'd do differently next time I played, before going to sleep. So, be warned, you will waste hours and hours on this game. In conclusion and in my opinion, get the game...it's really fun. Yes, the required-to-play servers will eventually be turned off, but that won't be for a long, long time (there will probably be a new Simcity by then). In the meantime, you'll be able to enjoy a lot of time playing this very fun game.… Expand
  63. legend2360
    Mar 7, 2013
    9
    The game is great!
    Yes, there is a problem with the server, but it is related to the protection and the large influx of players, of course, this is temporary. Just need to wait.
    As the saying goes: "Forbidden fruit is sweet."
    Rate 9 of 10.
  64. azgoodaz
    Mar 17, 2013
    10
    Amazing Game, Dont listen to people who rate it under 6. SimCity is getting fixed and better everyday with Servers, Bug, and Glitches being fixed. So people rate better and think better.
  65. jdh5153
    Mar 22, 2013
    10
    Don't believe the hate. This game works fine at this point, it looks great and is an absolute blast to play. If you like sim games, there's no reason you won't love the new Sim City. Interacting with a region is great fun and watching your city grow is just as fun as ever.

    Sim City is a must buy.
  66. yannos
    Mar 8, 2013
    10
    Whenever I see a low rating for a restaurant on Yelp, I go ahead and look at the reasons for people's marking them down. I don't really think "the waiter had a cold," "the music was too loud," or "I went to a wings place and the nachos were awful" are valid criteria to measure the food...

    I understand that people are disappointed/mad. I am DEFINITELY disappointed/mad. But the game is    Whenever I see a low rating for a restaurant on Yelp, I go ahead and look at the reasons for people's marking them down. I don't really think "the waiter had a cold," "the music was too loud," or "I went to a wings place and the nachos were awful" are valid criteria to measure the food...

    I understand that people are disappointed/mad. I am DEFINITELY disappointed/mad. But the game is FANTASTIC! It's a brilliant update of the core game and genre to current-day parameters. The ambitions to create a shared experience is something I always wanted to see in SC4, and the ability to manage some (or all) of the cities in a region is exactly what I loved doing in that older iteration (one town for dirty industry, one for tech, one for dense commercial, etc.).

    Origin/EA has done a mortifying job unrolling a very ambitious project. Surely they should provide all who purchased the game ahead-of-time some sort of consolation, even if it's just token in size. Upgrade us all to deluxe, or give us credits to buy future DLC. Anything!

    HAVING SAID THIS: I feel terrible for everyone who made this game and has worked to get the servers optimized. How affected are our lives, really? The creators and administrators (not to mention the PR reps) are A) pariahs to the entire gaming community, B) working as hard as they can to fix the problems (albeit way too little, too late) C) soon to be out of a job (some will be black-sheeped for it all, of course). Again, what is that pain against our minor-to-moderate annoyance?

    Long-winded way to say: Please rate the game, not the way the launch has gone. Creative criticism would speak so much louder than this double-barreled hatred.    … Expand
  67. humanpixel
    Mar 7, 2013
    8
    SimCity is an excellent game, when it works. I was fortunate in that I was able to play the game for about 12 hours before the server issues started. I know that once they resolve the network issues, this will be revered as one of the best SimCity games yet. Some people take this way too seriously. It's just a game. These types of things are to be expected. I understand the frustration,SimCity is an excellent game, when it works. I was fortunate in that I was able to play the game for about 12 hours before the server issues started. I know that once they resolve the network issues, this will be revered as one of the best SimCity games yet. Some people take this way too seriously. It's just a game. These types of things are to be expected. I understand the frustration, but networking issues shouldn't reflect poorly against the stand alone game dynamics, which are really amazing. We are a nation of addicts and you can tell which posters are struggling to deal with not getting their fix. I've waited for years for this game. A few more hours won't kill me.… Expand
  68. JP1991
    Mar 7, 2013
    8
    Lets be honest here, yes the DRM sucks. However, the gameplay doesn't. I don't think the game deserves such low scores from bewildered customers, many of whom haven't actually played the game yet (thanks to the crappy DRM).

    However, had these hacks actually played the game, they'd realize...man, this is a really great game. Its the classic SimCity game. Hits all the right notes, great    Lets be honest here, yes the DRM sucks. However, the gameplay doesn't. I don't think the game deserves such low scores from bewildered customers, many of whom haven't actually played the game yet (thanks to the crappy DRM).

    However, had these hacks actually played the game, they'd realize...man, this is a really great game. Its the classic SimCity game. Hits all the right notes, great graphics, and, when it works, region play with other people is actually quite enjoyable. The ability to pick and choose a specialization is a neat twist to the series, also the ability to "share" your public services (such as fire, police, and medical) offer up great strategy when playing with friends online (allowing you to maybe not purchase that $15000 upgrade at the fire dept, for something more useful...like a trade depot). Oh, and the ability to upgrade your buildings, well that's pretty sweet; not enough fire coverage in your city? Well, instead of buying a whole new fire dept, why not upgrade the one you've got? A great game mechanic, if you ask me. The only problem I have with the gameplay on this version of SimCity...well, is the map size. It's nothing like SC4, with HUGE maps to fill up to your hearts content...no, not this one. You've got a small plot, use it wisely. That takes away from otherwise a superb game.

    8/10; Negatives being the small maps and the crappy DRM...

    See through all this BS, the DRM alone doesn't warrant a bad review alone. It's a shame these imbeciles can't get past that.    … Expand
  69. Aceshot88
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    DON'T LISTEN TO THE BAD REVIEWSssss!!!!!!! The game is awesome, if u love the old Simcities then there is no reason u shouldn't love this one, all this stupid talk about the DMR is for people who don't understand the difference between hating a game and hating its publisher, if ur a real computer gamer and live in this era u should have no problem being online all the time, and as forDON'T LISTEN TO THE BAD REVIEWSssss!!!!!!! The game is awesome, if u love the old Simcities then there is no reason u shouldn't love this one, all this stupid talk about the DMR is for people who don't understand the difference between hating a game and hating its publisher, if ur a real computer gamer and live in this era u should have no problem being online all the time, and as for origin, I haven't seen a problem with it and it been playing the game for 9 hours. Yea maps are a little smaller, but the interaction between the region proves exactly why that is. Instead of building a city and dumping it, this type of game play gives each city purpose and a direction, making it way more in depth then controlling one big city.… Expand
  70. CloudTheValkyre
    Mar 10, 2013
    10
    A pretty fun game. Everybody says that the DRM is a problem, but i'm sure that they will have the issue sorted out eventually. It certainly is a improvement on the older games.
  71. DXR
    Mar 5, 2013
    9
    I'm having a grand time I find it hard to believe there are 300+ legit negative reviews. They revived a classic flawlessly. Only thing missing are larger areas (which they say will happen) Regardless, the smaller city sizes really make you think and strategize about using your space and trading with neighbors. It makes it so no one city can have everything in it. Overall I'd say itsI'm having a grand time I find it hard to believe there are 300+ legit negative reviews. They revived a classic flawlessly. Only thing missing are larger areas (which they say will happen) Regardless, the smaller city sizes really make you think and strategize about using your space and trading with neighbors. It makes it so no one city can have everything in it. Overall I'd say its worth buying! As for the DRM, welcome to the 21st century. If you've ever pirated a game, which I admit I have, you contributed to this result. It isn't that much of a drag. It really enriches the social capabilities, anyhow. You can really see how much work went into the artwork and mechanics which I really appreciate as a gamer.… Expand
  72. LeVoiceOfReason
    Mar 5, 2013
    8
    I'm really disappointed with this game and DRM. All I wanted to do was go camping or to a tropical beach and bring my computer to play my favorite sim game on my laptop pc. Crybaby gamers who only want to pirate games, shouldn't be playing games if they can't afford them. Never once have I had an issue with DRM. To be fair the game has been toned down and more "Sim"ified but there is a lotI'm really disappointed with this game and DRM. All I wanted to do was go camping or to a tropical beach and bring my computer to play my favorite sim game on my laptop pc. Crybaby gamers who only want to pirate games, shouldn't be playing games if they can't afford them. Never once have I had an issue with DRM. To be fair the game has been toned down and more "Sim"ified but there is a lot more depth added that is seriously needed for the series. There are elements of Civ involved where you can communicate with your neighboring cities, which just happen to be your friends from your friendslist. The game runs incredibly smooth for how far you can zoom in and out of your city. If you don't like DRM start voting with your wallets, this idea was not up to the developers and coders. It's a sort of a poetic justice when gamers gripe about too much control in a game where the goal is to control. I don't play games while camping.… Expand
  73. Commodent
    Mar 8, 2013
    8
    My reaction to servers being down a few hours: meh, I'll come back later then.
    Other's reaction: NOOO, this game isn't working and it will probably never do so ever again! It's a fraud and I demand my money back. I'll just rate this game a zero before I go kill myself.
    Seriously, stop being such impatient and accept the fact that all online games (yes, Simcity is an online game) is    My reaction to servers being down a few hours: meh, I'll come back later then.
    Other's reaction: NOOO, this game isn't working and it will probably never do so ever again! It's a fraud and I demand my money back. I'll just rate this game a zero before I go kill myself.

    Seriously, stop being such impatient and accept the fact that all online games (yes, Simcity is an online game) is suffering at launch. Unless you're a bunch of retards (which I sometimes think you are), you knew what you were buying.

    Sorry, for the strong words, but you guys really make me pissed.    … Expand
  74. svict4
    Mar 8, 2013
    9
    So many people are going on about the business model for this game.. and fine, you are totally right, the launch sucked and that's because of the DRM.. but the actual game is awesome!! I haven't had so much fun in a simulation game, and that's why it had positive reviews by critics. Got a problem with launch yourself? How about you just breath deeply, sit back for 2 days or so and give itSo many people are going on about the business model for this game.. and fine, you are totally right, the launch sucked and that's because of the DRM.. but the actual game is awesome!! I haven't had so much fun in a simulation game, and that's why it had positive reviews by critics. Got a problem with launch yourself? How about you just breath deeply, sit back for 2 days or so and give it another try. I have had flawless play time for the past 4 or so hours.. giving that it is 2-3 days after the initial release. You shouldn't not-buy a game because it is DRM. If the game is good, then buy it and give it a rating based on how the GAME is, not how the business model is. It's fair to take aim at the company for doing the DRM, but the game itself shouldn't suffer if it is up to scratch.… Expand
  75. CaelFrost
    Mar 5, 2013
    8
    While I would love to give it a 10 to help balance out the ridiculous knee jerk reaction of the mob, I have standards and ethics. I enjoy the game, I understand the problems but do believe they should have been anticipated and planned for. There are features like one way roads and overpasses that are important to citybuilding that aren't included.

    However its a deep game, the simulation    While I would love to give it a 10 to help balance out the ridiculous knee jerk reaction of the mob, I have standards and ethics. I enjoy the game, I understand the problems but do believe they should have been anticipated and planned for. There are features like one way roads and overpasses that are important to citybuilding that aren't included.

    However its a deep game, the simulation is beautiful and it satisfies my inner nerd. Here's to hope that they continue to put genuine effort into it without money gouging for DLC too much.    … Expand
  76. Rodymetal
    Mar 9, 2013
    9
    Just want to review after seeing 0s and 1s, I know most of users gave it bad because of DRM or several connection problem of the servers, but I think we are here to review that game itself. For me, it is the best city builder game available in market right now, there is no competition, the system of building is great, easy and very informative, city runs in dynamic way, yet it is very easyJust want to review after seeing 0s and 1s, I know most of users gave it bad because of DRM or several connection problem of the servers, but I think we are here to review that game itself. For me, it is the best city builder game available in market right now, there is no competition, the system of building is great, easy and very informative, city runs in dynamic way, yet it is very easy for the player to get all information, interface is great, graphics cannot get any better, sounds are superb, very enjoyable game for any city builder. Thanks to the developers that they removed the annoying things that was in previous game, like the water pipes and electrical towers, now those things are always automatics, and focuses on the fun things only, the only problem which most mentioned is the city size is small, but I think it is not a big issue since you can keep connecting other cities in the same region and get interacted with each other. 9/10 (excellent job Maxis)… Expand
  77. Auticus
    Mar 6, 2013
    8
    I was initially put off by the meta critic scores for this game and was leery, but then realized that on the internet everyone is entitled and that it doesn't take much for someone to rage and drop a "0" for a score over the slightest infraction. As such I went into the game with an open mind.

    A good chunk of the bombs being dropped on this game by users is the complaining of the    I was initially put off by the meta critic scores for this game and was leery, but then realized that on the internet everyone is entitled and that it doesn't take much for someone to rage and drop a "0" for a score over the slightest infraction. As such I went into the game with an open mind.

    A good chunk of the bombs being dropped on this game by users is the complaining of the needing an internet presence to play it. This being 2013, is not a new thing. We can hate it all day long but the end of the day it comes down to piracy and a company wanting to protect their software from being freely shared across the world. I take it as something that is annoying but at this time required, and as much venom spewed at EA for implementing this can equally be spewed at the people who pirate everything that caused this to have to be put in place.

    Sweeping away all of the online presence complaints we get to the meat of the game, which is what I care most about. I was able to log in, the server was down a couple of times but resolved itself within minutes of my loading, and I played pretty much all night.

    I am a huge fan of the series, and I have to say that my impression of Sim City 5 is that it is a fairly solid title. It kept me entertained for most of the night and had me doing the "just another 5 minutes" that few games seem to be able to do for me.

    I enjoy seeing my city in 3D now. The simulation aspect is like it has always been, or seems to be. I think as a Sim City game it does what it has always done, and that was what I personally was looking for. The only gripes that I really had focused on lot sizes, but that's not something that will make me not want to play it. Its also something that I feel can be addressed with an expansion, which I am sure will follow much like the SIMS do (I even see some interactivity between the SIMS and SIM CITY as it was in the past with predecessors of the game)

    So I say if you are a fan of the series, or are looking for a solid city building simulation, this game delivers what it says it will. The DRM crying doesn't affect the game to me. It's an anti-piracy method that is in place because that's the world we live in. Love that or hate it. If you hate DRM, don't buy the game. As to requiring the servers being up all the time to play and in "X years the servers will be gone and you won't be able to play", I leave the logical fallacies out of the review. Jumping to conclusions doesn't really serve a review very well.    … Expand
  78. TheVashi
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    Actual game play does not represent the average user rating here. The game is amazing and very entertaining i played it for hours straight. Its challenging and easy at the same time. Many people complain about map size but the multi-city feature makes it better, you can share resources from city to city (Electricity, Oil, work force population, jobs) so its makes the game team based.Actual game play does not represent the average user rating here. The game is amazing and very entertaining i played it for hours straight. Its challenging and easy at the same time. Many people complain about map size but the multi-city feature makes it better, you can share resources from city to city (Electricity, Oil, work force population, jobs) so its makes the game team based. However one downside is the connecting to the internet but that has nothing to do with game play, soon as they get there servers in line the game will be set to go. Overall a great game don't let the negative score push you away from this game.… Expand
  79. Karnonos
    Mar 6, 2013
    10
    Absolutely the best iteration of the Sim City series. It's nothing short of genius, and insanely addictive. I've not had any problems with servers or DRM.
  80. rodier
    Mar 7, 2013
    10
    If you look on reviews of almost everyone here who did red rating.. they are just doing this on all games. Putting negative score on games to decrease rating. Metacritic should ban them all. This game is epic. No problems with DRM here.
  81. Kaminocloners
    Mar 6, 2013
    10
    Absolutely love this game. I haven't had any problems other than being addicted. It is really easy to learn and use. The always online feature really adds to the dynamic of cross city deals and the cooperative nature is great. I sent excess fire trucks and police cars to a neighboring city experiencing a zombie epidemic. I highly recommend this game.
  82. Deathmaker79
    Mar 7, 2013
    9
    The game currently has huge server problems, but if you can play it is quite good. Currently i did not find it very hard and the only thing that i do not like is that the regions are quite limited in size.
  83. RunsreyM
    Mar 6, 2013
    9
    A lot of stupid reviews as usual on the user reviews. If you bought this game thinking that it wasn't ALWAYS ONLINE, you're an idiot. Been playing this game a ton since it became available i was able to download it amazingly fast which was a nice suprise. I figured with so many people trying to access it, that it would take a long time to get. Got right into the game with my origin accountA lot of stupid reviews as usual on the user reviews. If you bought this game thinking that it wasn't ALWAYS ONLINE, you're an idiot. Been playing this game a ton since it became available i was able to download it amazingly fast which was a nice suprise. I figured with so many people trying to access it, that it would take a long time to get. Got right into the game with my origin account info. Love that aspect and how you can see others around you with their origin accounts as well. I've had ZERO que wait times and the game loads fine almost every time. I had one instance when i came home for lunch and had to log out of origin and then back in to get into the game. Took me all of 30 seconds. Firstly, on the game play itself. It's smooooottthh. Everything you need is right there and easily accessible. you can scroll in and view your city at the sim's level, which is really cool. The map sizes are smaller for a reason. In SimCity 4 i would first lay out just a massive amount of farming and then build a small city center from there and then slowly build into a metropolis. With SimCity 5 it forces you to really analyze how you want your city laid out and how to make it look asthetically pleasing as well as economically viable. The specialization is probably the best idea in the game. The first city i build is not so pretty so i had to start demolishing sections of town as i was making it more of a cultural center for tourism (I'm saving casino's for last as i think they'll be a lot of fun). It really emphasises on basic theory behind specialization. For instance, with culture i wanted places easily accessible to tourists so i built a nice bus system with close stops all around the attractions. Then i decided to build some nicer commercial areas around and my revenue just went through the roof! Now i'm trying to build a highly educated city with top research so this means with top research/gadget production i need a really good market and way to export my goods while keeping the land value around these areas. These are all things that SimCity makes you think about! An oxymoron to put it is that it's so much easier to play, however it's much harder to master than previous simcity games. If you let go of the old you'll love this game. I even wake up a bit earlier before work to put in 30min into my city. There are so many cool little nitches with this game i won't go through all of them. Better to discover on your own!

    For the downsides, some of the road building can be annoying. I want to build a road in a certain way and the game will snap it in particular ways sometimes. I like things to be exactly how i like them in my city as i usually want it a certain way so something else will fit well within that area. Ie. i wanted to build a really nice park center within my high income sims and because the roads wouldn't work exactly how i wanted them within the park it didn't look at natural (Asthetically pleasing as i had envisioned). The other downside to me is that it's easier to manage your city funds. I remember in SimCity 4 you could really get yourself in trouble. In 5 it's really easy to keep your income up to where you're always in the black. For example, in prior sims i would be really sketchy of taking out a bond/loan. In 5 i'll take out a bond, build some homes, infrastructure, and/or other revenue generating ventures and never really worry about it. I'd like a bit more thought into taking out bonds than what is currently there.    … Expand
  84. SimoxTav
    Mar 6, 2013
    8
    While the "Always On" connection requirement could be strict for someone (not for me, but it's however an "unwelcome" feature), the only thing I would like to see improved (thanks to my uber PC config) is the city size. I've been a gamer for SO MANY years that I found simply silly to complain for servers saturation in the first week of launch. The US servers were satured just because manyWhile the "Always On" connection requirement could be strict for someone (not for me, but it's however an "unwelcome" feature), the only thing I would like to see improved (thanks to my uber PC config) is the city size. I've been a gamer for SO MANY years that I found simply silly to complain for servers saturation in the first week of launch. The US servers were satured just because many guys from EU, waiting for their launch used the VPN and connected to US servers to have people to play with. IMHO before the weekend the issue will be fixed. And no, this simcity isn't a simple "single player" game at least not this time.… Expand
  85. Jammin411
    Mar 6, 2013
    8
    Ok, the launch was less than a complete success. I had issues with crashes, server outages, even installation issues. The bad aside, this is a good game that takes city building to the next level. A lot of work has been done on improving the graphics, gameplay, and maps as a whole. Small things like rounded streets, free zoning and rezoning, and towns that are actually profitable andOk, the launch was less than a complete success. I had issues with crashes, server outages, even installation issues. The bad aside, this is a good game that takes city building to the next level. A lot of work has been done on improving the graphics, gameplay, and maps as a whole. Small things like rounded streets, free zoning and rezoning, and towns that are actually profitable and can be built in a few hours rather than days. The idea of having neighbors who can share resources like fire stations, police stations, ambulances, and even resources is a great addition to the game. Overall an excellent game that had a rough launch, but is worth the cost and time of playing.… Expand
  86. CypherLH
    Mar 8, 2013
    9
    I would give this game a 10 if not for the server/launch issues they are having. I also don't like the lack of a local save option. Setting those issues aside, when the game works it is AMAZING. I loved Simcity 4 and this is better than it, hands down. The sheer amount of content and the stunning level of detail and power of the simulation engine are astounding. Also, the ability toI would give this game a 10 if not for the server/launch issues they are having. I also don't like the lack of a local save option. Setting those issues aside, when the game works it is AMAZING. I loved Simcity 4 and this is better than it, hands down. The sheer amount of content and the stunning level of detail and power of the simulation engine are astounding. Also, the ability to customize/expand the plop-down buildings is a huge leap in functionality for SimCity. Its too bad the launch problems and online-only are giving the game a bad rep.… Expand
  87. JohnKrisfalusci
    Mar 10, 2013
    8
    Listen, get past the server problems, random crashes, and the queues and when you DO play like I finally did I have to say I LOVE this game! I spent at least 6+ hours straight and I wasn't even aware until I was starving because I had skipped lunch and dinner. You know the devs are working like they said they would because on those new servers, I had no problems in connection. (However,Listen, get past the server problems, random crashes, and the queues and when you DO play like I finally did I have to say I LOVE this game! I spent at least 6+ hours straight and I wasn't even aware until I was starving because I had skipped lunch and dinner. You know the devs are working like they said they would because on those new servers, I had no problems in connection. (However, the 1st and 2nd servers are still very busy). You know the game is good when you spend hours doing a million and one things, and even after all this, you don't feel burned out or bored like many other games out there. Each time I play this game, I can't help but smile because it's like a brand new game everytime! That is my honest opinion and I give it a 8.1. It could have been a 9.1 easy! In conclusion, once this whole login/ server busy/ queue issue gets worked out, this game will become another classic and fan favorite! ^_^ Cheers.… Expand
  88. kazannova
    Apr 30, 2013
    10
    i love this game thy made it simple and nice you learn is you play. its kinda sad that after you spend a lot of time building your city you realize at the end that you didnt build the roads in the right way and you need to destroy everything to re-build the roads to increase the dinsaty of the area. but its wayyyy better then the old ones
  89. Mp1p
    Mar 6, 2013
    10
    Well, I have played just over 20 hours and this game is great. I like the region options, although I wish the overall per city map is bigger, my largest city has a population of 120,000. The options are Good all around although the game is a resource hog. Yes the requirement for always online sucks but people should pay for there work. Trading between regions is cool, as you can make aWell, I have played just over 20 hours and this game is great. I like the region options, although I wish the overall per city map is bigger, my largest city has a population of 120,000. The options are Good all around although the game is a resource hog. Yes the requirement for always online sucks but people should pay for there work. Trading between regions is cool, as you can make a city and dedicate garbage, water, electrical, sewage, trading etc. Bigger maps are required and Iam happy. Always online but there is a lot more positive the bad in this game.… Expand
  90. winwanwon
    Mar 5, 2013
    8
    I have no problem to play this game. EU West server is OK. Gameplay is great and make me addicted so don't care about it always online. enjoy the game.
  91. Strategist1979
    Mar 6, 2013
    9
    Yes the DRM really sux but that is about the only bad thing I have to say about this game. Games that always have to be connected to the internet is just going to be a reality moving forward so get used to it. There is a tone of complexity in this game. If you are a micromanagement glutton, this is the game for you.
  92. Derythor
    Mar 8, 2013
    9
    So, after buying the game last night, even after reading scores of reviews and commentary on Origin, EA, and DRM server issues, I have to say I'm very happy I didn't listen to the negative scores. The game itself is a 9/10 for me on a couple of basis. For one thing, the lack of in depth public transportation option is a tad annoying. I'm a huge fan of monorails and subways in the classics,So, after buying the game last night, even after reading scores of reviews and commentary on Origin, EA, and DRM server issues, I have to say I'm very happy I didn't listen to the negative scores. The game itself is a 9/10 for me on a couple of basis. For one thing, the lack of in depth public transportation option is a tad annoying. I'm a huge fan of monorails and subways in the classics, and miss building them. For another, I bought a physical copy of the game. When using the disc to install a portion of the game, it causes graphical errors where there is no terrain, but you see buildings. It's an easy fix, just download it. So, after fighting my way through the server base, thinking it would be more fun to hit my phallus with a hammer, I was pretty upset. Then I got into my region. I paused it, set my preliminary road network, wind plant, and zoned, then unpaused it. Fellow gamers, I've been waiting for an online SimCity since SimCity 2000 Network Edition where I played one multiplayer game with a school chum, that is nearly 15 years and I have to say, this game is art. Once I fought through all that, the moment I watched the Price family buy their mobile home, and search for a job in my buddy's neighboring city, it was all worth it. I won't judge the game for it's Server issues, that's the company's fault not the game. I'm not here to stroke EA's ego, lord knows that company needs to hide in a cave in the Sahara waiting for future archeologists to rediscover them. But the game itself brings me back to the original SimCity, playing it on a DOS run computer, waiting for my grandmum to bring me tea. I highly recommend this to any true SimCity fan. So, as I eagerly await the work day to end, I leave you with one more thing to say. "Simcopter 1 reporting heavy traffic"… Expand
  93. Mo-teur
    Mar 9, 2013
    8
    This Review is purely based on when I am able to play, which is NOT that hard to do, you had to work a little bit day one but yeah, had problems with almost every Multiplayer servers on day one. When you get to play this game, it's pure fun, it's not half as complex as the 4th was yet has a really nice dept to it. Maps are Smaller but adds to the difficulty, you can't pop 20 nuclear powerThis Review is purely based on when I am able to play, which is NOT that hard to do, you had to work a little bit day one but yeah, had problems with almost every Multiplayer servers on day one. When you get to play this game, it's pure fun, it's not half as complex as the 4th was yet has a really nice dept to it. Maps are Smaller but adds to the difficulty, you can't pop 20 nuclear power stations anymore just because. you have to THINK about where you will be planting every little ''paid'' buildings since you wont want to destroy it and leave your city without water for 1-2 hours. Didn't have the chance to build a great work yet but i think it's a really nice idea to have such thing, great boost for the ''region'' yet you need to work for it. Regions are not a bad idea and I think even solo players will enjoy it. If we take Sim city5 against the 4th without any mods and patches (the current state of the 5th) The newest title has no need to be jealous and is a really good game if you give it a real try.… Expand
  94. punkologist
    Mar 13, 2013
    8
    Well I only just got the game so I missed all the excitement of the server issues The always on internet requirement is still annoying though, especially as I'm moving house and will have no internet for a week! It would have got a 9 otherwise. Having said that, i do like the multiplayer aspect. I'm in a clan and we have our own region so it will be fun to pollute everyone else's citiesWell I only just got the game so I missed all the excitement of the server issues The always on internet requirement is still annoying though, especially as I'm moving house and will have no internet for a week! It would have got a 9 otherwise. Having said that, i do like the multiplayer aspect. I'm in a clan and we have our own region so it will be fun to pollute everyone else's cities :)

    The game itself is a joy to play. I thought I would hate the smaller map sizes but so far it hasn't really bothered me as much as I thought it would. The graphics are superb and it is extremely addictive.

    To get this up to a 10, all that is needed is trains (as in local trains and subways not the region ones), large maps (so you can have realistic sprawling suburbs) and the ability to play totally offline.    … Expand
  95. astrosteve
    Mar 9, 2013
    8
    So, what to make of SimCity? I've been playing SimCity since 1989, when the first one came out. Yes, this game is radically different than the other SimCity games. I've read a lot of reviews that seems to be blasting the game for not being exactly like 4. I think this is an unrealistic expectation. The first change, and something I really can't defend, is the always online requirement. ItSo, what to make of SimCity? I've been playing SimCity since 1989, when the first one came out. Yes, this game is radically different than the other SimCity games. I've read a lot of reviews that seems to be blasting the game for not being exactly like 4. I think this is an unrealistic expectation. The first change, and something I really can't defend, is the always online requirement. It makes no sense. I am happy to report that as of 3/8/13, I've been able to connect with minimal problems. It's still unacceptable, as EA could turn those servers off at any time. I seriously doubt they'll be maintained for more 4-5 years. I was conflicted as to if I should deduct points from my score for the DRM. It's not really the game itself, but it impacts the game. After considering it, I ultimately decided the game loses 1 point for the DRM.

    As for the game play itself, it's enjoyable. While zoning looks different, it's still similar. For instance, I've found if you make roads in a square configuration and lay residential zones around the entire interior, it functions very similarly to the old zoning system. Of course, you can't make the squares too large or this breaks down. The guide lines are your friend for properly placing the roads.

    Another issue mentioned is the size of the lot. Yes, I admit it's small but I find that it's actually not as constricting as one would imagine. I played for about 4 hours on Llama speed for most, but not all, of the time. (I've never enjoyed any of the SimCities on high speed) I had less than half the map filled up, so it doesn't go by quite as fast as some other reviews on here claim. I suppose if you ran it on Cheetah speed the entire time, the time to build might be reduced.

    I eventually started up a second city as I realized I had screwed the first one up beyond fixing unless I wanted to shell out several hundred thousand simoleons to fix it. I did not want to do this. And that brings me to the next part: The "region grid" with the multiple city sites. I like this idea, actually. Very rarely in real life do you get a city that functions entirely on its own. They always need to bring things in from outside, and I found this system to work very well. My first city had a large excess of power, so I bought some for my second city. The first city sometimes sends over cops or ambulances to help out. Sometimes an arsonist escapes from the first city and tries to burn down the second. I'm actually enjoying this very much, and like the idea of making a series of interconnected cities.

    People complain about the lack of infrastructure, and I can understand that. I enjoyed optimally placing power wires. I'd make them incredibly redundant. 4 or 5 power plants with a giant tangle of lines so no one can ever lose power without destroying the power plants. Sure, that was fun, but not really a necessary component of the game. I don't see the loss of infrastructure control as a big thing overall.

    Do I like what the old SimCity games had to offer? Definitely. Do I like what the new SimCity offers? Absolutely. It's a different perspective at a game. It leans just a little towards the casual and, quite honestly, that makes the game better. I can see why hardcore SimCity gamers would hate this, and that's fine. Not everyone will. I may have played SimCity since the start, but I don't consider myself a hardcore fan. Once every few years, I'll pull one of the games out and play them for a few weeks, then put it away and pull it out again a few years later.

    People also complain about Day One DLC. I don't see a problem with it. I like the concept of DLC so long as it doesn't take away from gameplay. What's the day one DLC? The ability to make European-looking cities. (Place a Double Decker Bus Station, for instance, and everything starts looking British.) That's completely visual. It's fine. If the ability to place Industrial Zones was DLC... well, then I'd have a problem. But it isn't, so I don't.

    The way I see it, it comes down to this: If you like SimCity the way it was, and I can absolutely see why someone would, go play that. SimCity 4 holds up wonderfully even by 2013 standards. You want something different? Just as engaging and addictive? Then give SimCity 5 a try. The best endorsement I can give the game is this: I started playing at 10pm a few nights ago. After I played for a while and looked at the clock, it was 5am. Yeah, it's _that_ sort of a game.

    So, final score? Without the DRM, it'd get a solid 9/10. I'd like to see a few changes (variable sized cities would be nice, maybe the ability to place farmland again) but the game is great as is. However, as I stated earlier, the game loses 1 point for its obnoxious DRM. Final verdict is 8/10.    … Expand
  96. Sedwick
    Mar 26, 2013
    10
    Despite everyone complaining about server ques and such I have been able to log on instantly every time. I don not find the criticisms of this being a "single player game" because it's not; the game has been built around the concept of people in a region building cities and sharing (novel concept) their resources to complete challenges or construct great works. Everything about this gameDespite everyone complaining about server ques and such I have been able to log on instantly every time. I don not find the criticisms of this being a "single player game" because it's not; the game has been built around the concept of people in a region building cities and sharing (novel concept) their resources to complete challenges or construct great works. Everything about this game suggests a multiplayer game. When you set up your city in a region you rely on other cities for quicker city growth, electricity, water, supplies and in some cases, workers. I have played for about 10 hours so far and have had so much fun playing this. Yes, there is the odd graphical glitch and technical oddities but nothing worth me not buying this game. I think this game challenges the world to cooperate instead of competing to expand your city to the maximum which obviously the population is not able to cope with.

    10/10 EA! I also like the free copy of MOH:W That I got with the purchase!     … Expand
  97. Kraazi
    Mar 6, 2013
    8
    Honestly, reading the reviews I expected to be have problems with SimCity at launch, but in fact the experience was quite enjoyable. Took a bit over an hour to download and install, which is lengthy but exceeded my expectations for a release day download. Once installed, the 3 available US servers were predictably full during US prime time, so I figured better to avoid the queue and takeHonestly, reading the reviews I expected to be have problems with SimCity at launch, but in fact the experience was quite enjoyable. Took a bit over an hour to download and install, which is lengthy but exceeded my expectations for a release day download. Once installed, the 3 available US servers were predictably full during US prime time, so I figured better to avoid the queue and take a potential performance hit choosing an EU server with space available until load dies down over time. In fact, there was no performance issue at all. Played about 5 hours with one crash, after which I got right back in. If the EU server with my game on it happens to be full during their off hours later and I can't get back to cities I've started, Ill be less pleased.

    The game mechanics so far are great. If you are concerned about city size, you are doing it wrong. The game is designed to have multiple specialized cities in a region working together, not one sprawling metropolis doing it all. It feels like people who complain about this don't understand the mechanic or are stubbornly ignoring to try to play the same style as the previous titles. If you are one of these people, you're gonna have a bad time. In my play time I managed to get an industrial town off the ground and the use its resources to get a casino/residential/commercial town going. The mechanics of sharing resources and services between cities is fun and probably gets pretty challenging to manage in large regions. If you choose a 16 city region, running out of space should be a very distant concern. It can be a bit of an annoyance having to jump to and load another city to tweak some service you are sharing (add more truck bays or what have you), then jump back to the city you are working on. If I got it going on that SSD I've had my eye on, even that modest annoyance would probably become negligible.

    I knocked off a couple of points for the annoying always online DRM, despite the fact that it has yet to cause me any issues. I doubt I will play much, if any, on public regions because, quite frankly, if the people who are writing these reviews are the people playing the game, I don't want to play with any of you!    … Expand
  98. simcool
    Mar 6, 2013
    10
    This is a really fun reboot of the simcity franchise. The multiplayer side of the game actually improves gameplay. It's interesting to be able to claim an abandoned city and improve someone else disaster.
  99. Rickjedebeste
    Mar 7, 2013
    9
    Yes, Online DRM is stupid, I know. But that doesn't mean that if you manage to get in the game, the game is horrendous. Actually I found it very enjoyable. Starting off with a complete set of regions, all with different kind of landscapes, you're going to make your first connection to the rest of the world and from there, it's all yours. You can even expand buildings, like a city wasn'tYes, Online DRM is stupid, I know. But that doesn't mean that if you manage to get in the game, the game is horrendous. Actually I found it very enjoyable. Starting off with a complete set of regions, all with different kind of landscapes, you're going to make your first connection to the rest of the world and from there, it's all yours. You can even expand buildings, like a city wasn't enough. Only flaw I have is that I kind of miss the terrain tools and at a 50.000 population, some problems start becoming serious. I had to place ten water towers across the city for example and all my buildings became poor, dirty appartments just because I had too much industry. But I can't really blame myself because the cities are a bit to small. But that's no problem; they already promised to patch that problem in the future. Other than that, the game is really enjoyable and one of EA's best in years (Sims 3 get's kind of outdated at the moment). Multi City play is very fun and the online leaderboards, SimCity World, is also very enjoyable. 9 out of ten, because the game deserves more than a 2.0! And that DRM flaw: don't blame EA, but the damn pirates!… Expand
  100. zenmaster_rem
    Mar 8, 2013
    10
    Yes, I also had problems yesterday to find a server. Yes, I wasn't happy as well, that the server didn't work.

    BUT, now, the game works well and i love it! I played it now for 3-5 hours and I need to say, that i don't want to stop playing it. It makes a lot of fun to build up your city and see how your city is growing and growing!
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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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]
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