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. ahunter10
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Not only should you not buy this game (it flat out does not work), you should also discredit any Review Site that gives this game a passing grade.
    It is a failure.
  2. by97aa
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    I cannot play the game due to server issues for 3 days. I want a refund, but EA says that is not an option. How can you give a good rating to a game that is not playable? DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!
  3. kitkat
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    I'd gladly rate the game properly, if I could play it. Paying 90$ for a game I can't play is absurd. Don't cause yourself unneeded headaches and just stay a way for a while. I'm sure they'll get this sorted out eventually and at that time I may come back and re-rate it, but this is a farce.
  4. sund
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    cant play the game!
    if you log, sometimes crashes
    if you try to create, the serveres cant handle you request
    even playing the tutorial, if you must change the city, the tutorial stops
  5. Cipero
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    Not sure how any professional review can give this game a 10/10. Reviews should be taking game features into account, and considering the biggest feature of SimCity is it's Online mode, a 10 is laughable. So all of those 10s you see are coming from bad journalists who aren't doing their jobs correctly., just so you know because the game is good, but doesn't work. Quite honestly, SimCityNot sure how any professional review can give this game a 10/10. Reviews should be taking game features into account, and considering the biggest feature of SimCity is it's Online mode, a 10 is laughable. So all of those 10s you see are coming from bad journalists who aren't doing their jobs correctly., just so you know because the game is good, but doesn't work. Quite honestly, SimCity could be the greatest game of all time, but you'd never know it unless you are lucky enough to get past the gauntlet of problems caused by poor development decisions. I'd stay far away from this game until they do an overhaul on the system.… Expand
  6. Adz7991
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Right, so after owning this poor excuse for a game (sorry, EA, how dare i presume to 'own' this game, i am merely allowed to play it occaisionally due to your good graces) for about 24 hours, I have been unable to play it AT ALL. I have not been able to even access the tutorial! I have been able to get into the Getting Started screen, about 3 times after continuously trying for almost allRight, so after owning this poor excuse for a game (sorry, EA, how dare i presume to 'own' this game, i am merely allowed to play it occaisionally due to your good graces) for about 24 hours, I have been unable to play it AT ALL. I have not been able to even access the tutorial! I have been able to get into the Getting Started screen, about 3 times after continuously trying for almost all of those 24 hours, but the tutorial just says unavailable at this time and to try again later. When is later? 2-3 weeks? Or half an hour? Occasionally, after failing to launch the tutorial, it will take me to the start screen, where the Play button and the SimWorld buttons don't work. All I have gotten for my $80 purchase so far is a pretty installer screen, another icon on my Origin account and a holographic box the CD came in. Somehow, I feel ripped off. If I released a product, then shipped an empty box with a note saying "terribly sorry, but we experienced technical issues so you'll get the product in a couple weeks" after promising a certain shipping date, I would not be in business very long. I estimate I have spent roughly $2000 on Maxis products alone through EA from Sim City 2000, 3000, 4 and every The SIms game with all expansions plus microtransactions, but this $80 on Simcity5 will be the last Maxis and EA receive from me. I will no longer purchase University Life, or any other expansions or stuff packs, and the excitement I felt over the announcement of The SIms 4 is now dead. I and the whole gaming community require a profound apology for this debarcle, may I suggest upgrading everyone who has bought this fancy icon a free upgrade to the digital deluxe edition as well, or at the very least some sort of refund. EA should feel very proud of one thing though. I'm sure this will go into the history books as the worse product launch in history. Congratulations.… Expand
  7. sexconker
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    This game is broken. I would advise anyone who has not purchased it to refrain from doing so for at least a month (until April 1st 2013). There are so many server issues that the game is unplayable in its current state. Even when you are able to get on and play, you'll run into game-breaking bugs and you'll have to restart your city.

    Thanks to always online DRM and EA's terrible    This game is broken. I would advise anyone who has not purchased it to refrain from doing so for at least a month (until April 1st 2013). There are so many server issues that the game is unplayable in its current state. Even when you are able to get on and play, you'll run into game-breaking bugs and you'll have to restart your city.

    Thanks to always online DRM and EA's terrible quality control, one of the most famous franchises in the industry has been turned into a turd.    … Expand
  8. neophilus
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    EA disabling "non-criticcal gameplay features" to try to save their servers just proves they've sunk this game with useless crap that nobody asked for. No existing SimCity fans wanted an online-only multiplayer based city building game that has a fraction of the available building space as previous games in the franchise.

    Everyone loved SimCity 4 all they had to do was update the    EA disabling "non-criticcal gameplay features" to try to save their servers just proves they've sunk this game with useless crap that nobody asked for. No existing SimCity fans wanted an online-only multiplayer based city building game that has a fraction of the available building space as previous games in the franchise.

    Everyone loved SimCity 4 all they had to do was update the engine and reskin it and they would have had the perfect game. Instead the bloodsucking leeches at corporate forced this DRM-disguised-as-value online connectivity that they are obviously too incompetent to execute properly. It smells like some desperate bid to fight piracy but the only people who are going to suffer are paying customers while the pirates will probably crack some much better version of this dumbed down excuse for a city building simulator. SimCity 4 will never die, it will flourish long after the corpse of SimCity DRM 2013 "The Great EA Cashgrab" has decomposed into the rotten corporate hole it was spawned from.    … Expand
  9. aruken
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Let me start by saying that I am a fan of SimCity from the very beginning. It brought be a lot of enjoyment over the years since my early childhood.
    Let me tell you next I could not care less about the always online/DRM thing, even thought get you city rolled back partially or even completely is very annoying. And it would have been very annoying if I wanted to play during holidays etc    Let me start by saying that I am a fan of SimCity from the very beginning. It brought be a lot of enjoyment over the years since my early childhood.
    Let me tell you next I could not care less about the always online/DRM thing, even thought get you city rolled back partially or even completely is very annoying. And it would have been very annoying if I wanted to play during holidays etc where I don't have an internet access.

    I said 'would have been' because I won't play this wretched game ever again. This is a the biggest insult a SimCity fan could ever have to deal with. I sure was not ready for this...thing...

    No terraphorming, really tiny city sizes (I mean unbearably microscopic), no budgeting possible, no water management, no subway... It is just too much

    Long story short: don't ever buy this thing, you are going to regret it terribly. This is basically a scam.
    Just forget about it, move along, this never happened.    … Expand
  10. JPLazyNinja
    Mar 7, 2013
    2
    If you can't guess why, please look above or below me. Its the SAME. DAMN. ISSUE. Its one thing to have a bad game, its another to gave an unplayable game.
  11. Tweak
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Do not buy this game! Not because of it's DRM, not because of it's server issues, but because EA has openly stated that they WILL NOT refund your money when they fail to deliver the product that you paid for. I have been unable to even play the TUTORIAL level because the server crashes every time I attempt to play, and I have been trying to play for 3 hours across two days. EA doesn'tDo not buy this game! Not because of it's DRM, not because of it's server issues, but because EA has openly stated that they WILL NOT refund your money when they fail to deliver the product that you paid for. I have been unable to even play the TUTORIAL level because the server crashes every time I attempt to play, and I have been trying to play for 3 hours across two days. EA doesn't deserve any money from anyone because of such blatant disregard for their customers.

    For those of you that think "Server issues are the norm, don't blame the company", this is a terrible mentality to have. Companies can easily afford to have enough servers in place to handle the load, they just don't care to spend the money on them. Don't encourage companies to have this kind of behavior.

    For proof, here is the link to EA's return policy: https://help.ea.com/article/returns-and-cancellations    … Expand
  12. VelvetVelour
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Have not been able to play a all. Tutorial stopped functioning half way because it couldn't load city because server was full. Have not been able to play ever since.
  13. Reavings
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    I would first like to say that the few minutes of personal play and videos, such as those on youtube, portray a great game. Now for the good stuff... it is a glitched pile of excrement that requires a third party program and servers that do not work. I have suffered threw crapy launches before with WAR and SWTOR (both EA games maybe there is a pattern...) Now there may be a day when thisI would first like to say that the few minutes of personal play and videos, such as those on youtube, portray a great game. Now for the good stuff... it is a glitched pile of excrement that requires a third party program and servers that do not work. I have suffered threw crapy launches before with WAR and SWTOR (both EA games maybe there is a pattern...) Now there may be a day when this game could be a 9 or even a 10 but it is not that game, it is the game that i have on my computer now that does not work. Point, break, period. Any and all arguments on the contrary are farts in the wind.… Expand
  14. cameronrogers
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    I bought it, but then took it back. Walmart DID allow me to take it back. Thank god they did. First of all, lets list the pros:
    PROS:
    Graphics Thats all. Now cons: -Small cities. EACH CITY is smaller then the small city in Simcity 4. Not a joke. -Aggressive Anti Piracy. It seems like EA wants to shoot themselves in the foot. This is just terrible. It requires the server to be    I bought it, but then took it back. Walmart DID allow me to take it back. Thank god they did. First of all, lets list the pros:
    PROS:
    Graphics

    Thats all.

    Now cons:
    -Small cities. EACH CITY is smaller then the small city in Simcity 4. Not a joke.
    -Aggressive Anti Piracy. It seems like EA wants to shoot themselves in the foot. This is just terrible. It requires the server to be connected too, so 24/7 internet is a must. Look online, the massive flood of people is causing the game to not be playable due to server requirements. Lol fail. -Server is basically DOA. You cant connect at all. I wanted to enjoy it, i really did. But you know what? Im 100% done with EA, Maxis and all franchises from this company. They ruined Dead Space 3 for me, now Simcity. Whatever EA. I will be sure to spread this review all over. You wont get away with ruining Simcity.    … Expand
  15. QuarianEngineer
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Only EA would make a single-player game that requires online DRM. This game completely deserves a zero because I can't even play it, and I have been trying to play for the past 3 days.
  16. Hitmehard
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    The game is fun, refreshing and detailed. WHEN IT WORKS.
    It doesn't work, the servers are off-line 9 of out 10 times and when they go offline mid-session you get booted out of your game.

    0/10 for a extremely bad launch. Had this been a game without the need for "always online" it'd been A+ for sure.
  17. smiley73
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Worst game launch in my 20+ years of gaming. I would return the game if possible. Maybe that's why EA bothered to launch an unprepared platform. The game was completely unplayable during the first day (crashed constantly). On the second day, the game was palyable only in fifteen minutes increments, before the servers went down. Now into the third day post-launch, the servers have beenWorst game launch in my 20+ years of gaming. I would return the game if possible. Maybe that's why EA bothered to launch an unprepared platform. The game was completely unplayable during the first day (crashed constantly). On the second day, the game was palyable only in fifteen minutes increments, before the servers went down. Now into the third day post-launch, the servers have been taken down for maintnenance at 5pm eastern standard time, with no expected complete time projected on the EA forums. Real good business there. I think I will vist the BBB website next.… Expand
  18. Bump
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    I spent $80.00 for a game I can't even play the single player. So disappointing. You would have thought EA had done something like this before....how can you possibly use DRM that doesn't even allow single player? And the issue of the two price options, either buy half a game or how it was intended to be played at $80.00!! They're losing gamers every minute because of so many poor choices.
  19. Lagweed
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    All servers around the world are overloaded and can't be logged into without a wait, and when I do get in it can't load my city. Maxis robbed us all blind and proceeded to shove a proverbial wire brush into the rectums of all it's fans. Even when I do manage to play the game seems broken, certain types of buildings like casinos stop working and the only way to fix it is to restart the gameAll servers around the world are overloaded and can't be logged into without a wait, and when I do get in it can't load my city. Maxis robbed us all blind and proceeded to shove a proverbial wire brush into the rectums of all it's fans. Even when I do manage to play the game seems broken, certain types of buildings like casinos stop working and the only way to fix it is to restart the game and go through the horrid login/loading process again. Thanks for nothing Maxis, I am no longer a fan… Expand
  20. Infinitia
    Mar 7, 2013
    4
    The best summation of the anticipated SimCity is this: It has potential but its problems far outweigh its majesty.

    The SimCity franchise has taken some of its former elements and brought them into a more modernized environment. I was ecstatic to see that the cities influencing the demands of its surrounding neighbors stuck around. Unlike the previous installments the player is given    The best summation of the anticipated SimCity is this: It has potential but its problems far outweigh its majesty.

    The SimCity franchise has taken some of its former elements and brought them into a more modernized environment. I was ecstatic to see that the cities influencing the demands of its surrounding neighbors stuck around. Unlike the previous installments the player is given the opportunity to build roads that turn and work around the terrain as opposed to being pre-selected arraignments. While the terraform option had been removed the new layouts make it so that the challenge of working with the terrain offered is a more balanced challenge. Other benefits include not having to re-zone, and power lines, the staple that could make the ideal city a pile of garbage because there was not enough space to place power lines have been eliminated. While this simplifies construction it is one simplification that most would see as beneficial as opposed to detrimental.

    Unfortunately these few positives are the cushion for the detrimental amount of bugs, glitches, and server errors that come along with the game as is. As an individual I am adamant in stating that I am not a fan of 'Origin'. To me I feel that it is the equivalent of Zune to Steam. So learning that I needed to install Origin to play this game was a disappointment but one that I could handle. As with any game that requires the use of proxy installer (Rockstar Social Club) it is a means to ensure that the product can not easily be hacked and illegally downloaded. This leads to problems in that it forces the consumer to have an active internet connection at all times in order to play. The reason I consider this a problem is that it forces the consumer to agree to two conditions. The first being that the game is designed and strongly encourages multi-player to get the full benefit of the game. The second is that if, for any reason, there is a problem with the developer's servers, the game can not be played. The game has been released for two days and this solitary problem is what has led to this title to lose virtually all credibility and anticipation that it built up prior to its release. At certain points one could find themselves stuck on the loader loading screen waiting while it searches for updates. Other times it freezes while it tries to authenticate with the server. Occasionally a message will pop up saying that the server is unavailable and to choose another one. Unfortunately that message will sometimes appear when all servers are down yet the availability says that they are all open. If/when one can get past the loader itself and access the game then a new nightmare begins when the consumer tries to create or join a game. Even though the game loaded and they are in the game the server may be down in which case you can neither create nor join a game. Because all of this is running through Origin half the time the status that Origin and the game itself conflicts with each other. Want to switch to another server since the current one is not working? That requires shutting down the game and going back to the loader where it begins again. Even when playing a region if the server disconnects any progress made from then on out is lost unless a connection is re-established. The last major problem is that, when trying to locate any information regarding server downtime or attempt to find any resolution there is difficulty as to where to go. I have attempted to go to EA to find that a message explaining the current issue is not there. I have gone to the official facebook page to find thousands of people demanding a refund. Twitter seems to give the updates but they are so sparse and vague that the only thing the player can hope for is that the problem will be resolved before the day is over. EA says that they are doing everything possible to allow people to play the game but since its debut SimCity has gone from a long anticipated follow up to a long running franchise to one of the biggest failures and a testament to the fact that when companies are more interested in making sure that they can control the rights of their property that bad things typically follow in its wake. EA can make promises but unless they can manage to fix their connectivity issues and address their dwindling fan base promptly and constantly I fear that this game will be one where, for one that promotes a healthy online community, there will not be one when the game is finally ready for a proper release.    … Expand
  21. LordZargum
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    I played for 6 hours and then I crashed the game (I have a PC gaming from 3000 euro). On my return I had lost everything, plus you can only play ONLINE, the servers are always full and people like me who took the deluxe version spending 80 euro, in these hours can not play!
  22. Edwinreyne
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    This game has only one con: YOU CANNOT PLAY IT. The launch is nothing but another Diablo III disaster, and maybe even worse. It has been three days since I purchased the game, Origin said I spent 35 hours playing it, while 34 of which are spent trying to connect to the server. If you have not bought it yet, I suggest don't do so until EA figures out a solution to the server issue.
  23. ttdlxgreg
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    I was able to play the game for approximately 14 minutes from a possible 7 hours of attempting to connect. Unfortunately the incompetence of the powers that be mean that I was able to only place one residential zone before connection to the servers was lost. The score of 1 is based on the fact that the game is literally unplayable. I have heard the word 'unplayable' bandied round withI was able to play the game for approximately 14 minutes from a possible 7 hours of attempting to connect. Unfortunately the incompetence of the powers that be mean that I was able to only place one residential zone before connection to the servers was lost. The score of 1 is based on the fact that the game is literally unplayable. I have heard the word 'unplayable' bandied round with many games in the past but I have never seen it to be more of a reality than with SimCity. Horrible game that may possibly have many features but who knows?… Expand
  24. staglianno
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    don't even bother to buy this game. In 3 years time (or less) EA will shut down the servers and you will never be able to play this game ever again. Why? EA will probably come out with another simcity game and will force gamers to buy the new one instead. Not to mention this game came out with DAY 1 DLC, city sizes are smaller than an actual small town in the middle of no where. nodon't even bother to buy this game. In 3 years time (or less) EA will shut down the servers and you will never be able to play this game ever again. Why? EA will probably come out with another simcity game and will force gamers to buy the new one instead. Not to mention this game came out with DAY 1 DLC, city sizes are smaller than an actual small town in the middle of no where. no subways, no terraforming, forced mutliplayer, no save games to go back to so that means that if you disaster your city there is no way back. everything bad that you can put in simcity is there. Oh and the city sizes are small because the game connects to the servers constantly and cant handle more data from bigger cities. I hope EA dies in a hole somewhere. SHOW EA THAT THIS DRM and balatant rippoffs are not welcome. vote with your wallet.… Expand
  25. VikingInTheBay
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    I have loved SimCity from the first one but EA has ruined the game for me. Just return this defective buggy product. That what I have done and will most likely never buy it unless they make major changes. Amazon was great about offering me a full refund for my opened game. EA says they will give refunds in press release but you can always stop/dispute payment with your credit card forI have loved SimCity from the first one but EA has ruined the game for me. Just return this defective buggy product. That what I have done and will most likely never buy it unless they make major changes. Amazon was great about offering me a full refund for my opened game. EA says they will give refunds in press release but you can always stop/dispute payment with your credit card for faulty product. Hurting EA's bottom line is the only way they will ever pay attention. The biggest problem is not the DRM but that you have to always play on a server. You log on to play a "Single Player Game" and if server is down you are out of luck. The sever goes down while you are playing and you cannot save losing your progress and you are out of luck. Server is busy and there is a wait line and nothing you can do. EA decides it doesn't want to support the server and gives 30 days notice that your game will break and you are out of luck.

    In addition the little bit of play time that I was able to do there seems to be holes/missing buildings and options in the game. I can only suspect that this will be the Sims 3 again costing several hundreds of dollars to own the complete game.

    Again decide to pass and pickup any copy of the older SimCities and you'll be vastly more satisfied.    … Expand
  26. Riker148
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Very small plots compared to the original games and always online DRM makes for one disappointing game. Shame really, I was really looking forward to playing this but all I am looking for now is a refund.
  27. Bobwaitforitdun
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Server problems/DRM annoying issues aside, I was really disappointed with the core game. Maps are far too small and gaps on the region map between cities are far too vacant. Looks like a city farm with plots of cities growing. You can't place large highways, as they are part of the region and not the cities. No teraforming aside from changes due to civil construction. No Subways so youServer problems/DRM annoying issues aside, I was really disappointed with the core game. Maps are far too small and gaps on the region map between cities are far too vacant. Looks like a city farm with plots of cities growing. You can't place large highways, as they are part of the region and not the cities. No teraforming aside from changes due to civil construction. No Subways so you cant really have alternate transport in your city b/c the map is filled with roads occupying all the space. You literally fill the entire city limit in like 4 hours of play. Then you have to expand vertically after that. No agriculture industry, so clean industry is impossible until you get your tech up. I went back to Sim City 4 to get my fix, and I actually had fun offline. I did like the curved roads, but you cant put any in a city you want to expand, because the map size forces you to grid for efficiency. Now if you had the entire region to edit without switching views, this game may actually have its new features mean something. This day and age, that should be the scale of a Sim City game. Multiple cities all in the same editable instance. If the online requirement is why this was not done, then that was a bad choice and a significant failure for the SIm City franchise, however much I wish it wasn't so. If things change I'll update my score/edit post, but it'll need more than an offline mode to be sure.… Expand
  28. LinuxColonel
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    I spent 90 dollars on a single player game that DOES NOT WORK WHATSOEVER DUE TO SERVER ISSUES. Since the 30 hours that have gone by since I bought it, I havent had a single opportunity to actually play the game.
  29. chris514
    Mar 7, 2013
    6
    This is a good game but don't buy it in its current state. If and when i can connect I have enjoyed it. Problems I have encountered include non functioning menus, inability to connect, inability to use normal functions such as PLAY. Bugs such as a recycling plant that does not function and an inability to see the area map or start a new town. the list of problems is numerous and untilThis is a good game but don't buy it in its current state. If and when i can connect I have enjoyed it. Problems I have encountered include non functioning menus, inability to connect, inability to use normal functions such as PLAY. Bugs such as a recycling plant that does not function and an inability to see the area map or start a new town. the list of problems is numerous and until its fixed don't buy it. Once it is fixed i would give it a solid 8.5 Cheers.… Expand
  30. ramonfelipe
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Always on DRM is retarded, and can turn a great game into complete crap. Hopefully they are still in time to reconsider this strategy and apply a patch to allow offline play.
  31. 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
  32. thepolice
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Doesn't work... plain and simple. I feel like I was cheated. Why am I stuck waiting in a queue for a single player game? Not having local saves is a major issue and I am not confident that EA will be able to fix these issues anytime soon. They should stop selling the game entirely until this is fixed and offer refunds for those who would like one.
  33. p4rk5y
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    After 4 hours of trying to connect to a server i finally got to play the tutorial only to get 3/4 of the way through it before the server shutting down. Other attempts since then have failed to connect to a server. Online only has ruined this game. From what game i did get to see, graphically was great but not worth wasting hours of time relying on a cloud save or hopeing the servers don'tAfter 4 hours of trying to connect to a server i finally got to play the tutorial only to get 3/4 of the way through it before the server shutting down. Other attempts since then have failed to connect to a server. Online only has ruined this game. From what game i did get to see, graphically was great but not worth wasting hours of time relying on a cloud save or hopeing the servers don't crash/shutdown before a city is even built. This game needs to be available offline to get any decent score from me.… Expand
  34. Emprah
    Mar 7, 2013
    5
    Well, here it is. Although, I'm not that upset that I cannot play the game at the moment (and likely for a few more days).

    What ticks me off the most is what has ticked me off since I found out about it: the transformation of this http://www.wuphonsreach.org/Games/SimCity4/Negishi/Negishi-East.jpg into this http://i.imgur.com/Q74s5.jpg But I'll get to that. Graphically, the    Well, here it is. Although, I'm not that upset that I cannot play the game at the moment (and likely for a few more days).

    What ticks me off the most is what has ticked me off since I found out about it: the transformation of this http://www.wuphonsreach.org/Games/SimCity4/Negishi/Negishi-East.jpg

    into this
    http://i.imgur.com/Q74s5.jpg

    But I'll get to that.

    Graphically, the game is beautiful. While I prefer a more realistic look, the visuals of this SimCity are definitely a turn to a more simplistic and toy box-like world. The effects and movements of all the tiny pieces on the ground are ultimately satisfying and fun to look at.

    In terms of sound, apart from being a siren simulator, the game is not much of an improvement over SimCity 4, but that is fine.

    Now I hear a lot of people saying that this SimCity is much harder than the older ones. This, ladies and gentlemen, is a false flag. I've been able to make nearly 100k population cities in under an hour while maintaining over a 10k profit (that's including simoleons from specializations) to the point where I have nearly millions...and not really all that much to spend it on. In previous SimCity titles, your job never really felt complete. Now, you eventually build yourself up to the point where continuing is pointless and you are forced to move on to another small square. But this is where my biggest complaint lies.

    Ultimately, this SimCity is a simplified version of previous titles. There are no mass complicated regions and each square is its own independent city, although sims will commute to other cities to shop, work, etc. I also feel like I am having cooperation forced down my throat. I understand that they had a multiplayer vision for this game, but I think that vision is in no way true to that of SimCity. Not that SimCity cannot be multiplayer and even cooperative, but I think it should never have been dumbed down to the point of baby's first sim game while not even focusing on what made SimCity so captivating: that it was hard, expansive, and that it offered you huge options. Did you like thermoforming? Well, too bad, because that's gone...or did you like creating your own mass transit highways? Well...yeah, that's gone.

    Personally, I enjoyed being not a mayor of one square, but being a bunch of mayors and even God of the entire region. I could build entire regions by hand using terraforming tools and then start building small, huge, and everything in between cities.

    In terms of the always online feature, I have no qualms. I lived through the Diablo III launch and have come to expect this I suppose. But it is unfortunate that such a launch was, once again, handled so poorly. Not only that, but while Blizzard has probably the best forum service and PR I have seen, EA and Maxis have next to no PR and a poor forum system. Apart of what kept people on DIII is that Blizzard took a proactive stance in communicating to its buyers and still continues to work with players in order to deliver a better product, even after nearly almost a whole year. Ultimately, I believe SimCity has fallen victim to a type of mixing the complicated structure of SimCity with the simple and easy-to-access world of the Sims; to appearing hostile to long-time fans of SimCity; to over simplification; and to a poor launch, which it seems has solidified the opinions of many.

    Will Maxis and EA work together with fans to deliver the best SimCity they can, or will they fall short due to their poor PR or unwillingness to give fans what they want?    … Expand
  35. Troyhe98
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    EA screwed up this release beyond words. Stay away and screw them buy not purchasing this game. Their customer service is terrible and they refuse to refund customers who purchased the electronic copies digitally. The online DRM screws the legal customers in the end. I will not be playing this game (first SimCity I will have not played).
  36. oldmanhorton
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    I gave this game a 0 because I literally can not play it. I have great internet, a powerful computer, and all of the time in the world. EA's extremely invasive, clunky, and unnecessary DRM system has failed, and I, along with the millions of other people who have purchased and have been let down by this game, are the ones being punished. I have gotten into a few games early in the morning,I gave this game a 0 because I literally can not play it. I have great internet, a powerful computer, and all of the time in the world. EA's extremely invasive, clunky, and unnecessary DRM system has failed, and I, along with the millions of other people who have purchased and have been let down by this game, are the ones being punished. I have gotten into a few games early in the morning, and they were wonderful. My only issue with the game itself is that city size is quite small, but it provides a challenge and i believe that Maxis will fix it eventually. However, EA needs to realize that this is an inexcusable situation. The fact that this game has a 1.7 right now is generous, as most people have been completely unable to play or have lost the cities that they worked for hours on. EA- Please, stop with your childish, anti-consumer tactics. No one likes you, always-on DRM, microtransactions, and especially Origin. No one does. Some people may feel "meh" towards them, but no one likes them. Its such a shame, because games like SimCity, Dead Space 3, Real Racing 3, and Battlefield 3 are legitimately fun games that are hampered by your pathetic services and even worse customer support. You leave consumers in a terrible situation, wanting to boycott your games but being unable to because if only you were not the publisher, people would be in love with many of them. I know the game will work eventually, and at that point id easily give it an 8 or 9. This is solely to drive the score down to make a point to EA that they must stop. And now Amazon stopped selling the game and youre disabling features? Come on, now. Heres to hoping for a better future.… Expand
  37. danielkyp
    Mar 7, 2013
    7
    If you bought the game already please head my advice! In origin use the Call Me help option, when an agent calls you, simply ask for a refund. I managed to get a refund very simply even though they say they won't give you one for digital downloads form origin. They didn't ask questions, don't vent, don't complain, just simply state that you would like a refund. I only gave this a 7 soIf you bought the game already please head my advice! In origin use the Call Me help option, when an agent calls you, simply ask for a refund. I managed to get a refund very simply even though they say they won't give you one for digital downloads form origin. They didn't ask questions, don't vent, don't complain, just simply state that you would like a refund. I only gave this a 7 so that the icon would turn green and more people would notice my message.… Expand
  38. Phakt
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Metacritic, how much did EA pay you to write this tripe? Even when the game works it is a baby's toy. It's great for a preschooler. Also, you have to be online to play single player? That is sickening. Sorry, not only did EA lose a customer, you lost a site visitor.
  39. jnpoint
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    Don't buy the game right now. 1 point for the game that maybe is good. 0 point for servers that are constantly too busy. I have not played the game yet but used a lot of time waiting, waiting, waiting...
  40. bigjerd
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    The game is a lot of fun when you're actually playing, but I also feel like they've left a lot out for future DLC. Which EA will inevitably charge an arm and a leg for. I really wish there we're more options to build. The specializations are very limited. The whole package seems condensed. The servers are also terrible. I haven't been able to consistently play since launch. VeryThe game is a lot of fun when you're actually playing, but I also feel like they've left a lot out for future DLC. Which EA will inevitably charge an arm and a leg for. I really wish there we're more options to build. The specializations are very limited. The whole package seems condensed. The servers are also terrible. I haven't been able to consistently play since launch. Very dissatisfied with everything.… Expand
  41. Tunerp5
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Can i log in yes,yes, looks like it is going to happen -DAM NOPE, BUT I CAN WAIT FOR 30 MIN TO TRY TO LOG IN DAM YOU DRM. Why always online DRM for a single player game.
  42. Toddavich
    Mar 7, 2013
    8
    Great game with a major flaw, the flaw being online play only. The reason why I wouldn't give SimCity a score of a100. Get passed that and it's fantastic, from the game play to the music and the graphics at full settings are amazing.
  43. Mutin1981
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    This must be one of the worst game releases in the history of gaming. Only EA could take a game like Sim City and actually make people angry. Not just disappointed...but ANGRY.
  44. MobusDorphin
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    3 days was more than enough time for EA to get their...stuff... together and get this working. The sad part is this game is amazing. Of what little time I've been able to get in playing it, the experience is amazing. Unfortunately, this always-on DRM completely ruined the game. I cannot play this in a single player mode if the servers are offline. There is absolutely no reason to3 days was more than enough time for EA to get their...stuff... together and get this working. The sad part is this game is amazing. Of what little time I've been able to get in playing it, the experience is amazing. Unfortunately, this always-on DRM completely ruined the game. I cannot play this in a single player mode if the servers are offline. There is absolutely no reason to not have an optional offline mode, for when the servers go down and we can't connect. This is not an MMO, and just because you wanted to add multiplayer elements to the game is no reason to have this intrusive always-on DRM. If you want to learn how to properly DRM a game, take a look at Steam. You DO need to connect to the internet to play a game, but once you log in, you have the option to play offline for up to 30 days, for if the server were to go down, or your internet. EA., Congratulations on having a worse release than Diablo 3. You claim always-on DRM is the way of the future but apparently awful releases are going to be the way of the future as well, and if it continues, you will find fewer and fewer people will be buying your games.… Expand
  45. DangerDave
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Origin required/ online always on required turd. I'm a huge fan of sim city, this however, is a mess of a release. Even if the origin virus/online requirement was dropped, the game would still have minuscule city sizes. This restricts from building a good sized metropolis, or megapolis and really limits the potential awesomeness of a city. Stick with Sim City 3000 or 2000 or the originalOrigin required/ online always on required turd. I'm a huge fan of sim city, this however, is a mess of a release. Even if the origin virus/online requirement was dropped, the game would still have minuscule city sizes. This restricts from building a good sized metropolis, or megapolis and really limits the potential awesomeness of a city. Stick with Sim City 3000 or 2000 or the original SNES classic.… Expand
  46. Marra82
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    The game itself is fun, but I can't give this anything else than a 0 just because it's basically unplayable for longer periods than a few minutes at a time. Stupid DRM destroys everything for all the honest paying customers who have longed for this game for ages.

    My origin account says I've played SimCity for 14 hours, but I'm certain I haven't been building cities for more than 30    The game itself is fun, but I can't give this anything else than a 0 just because it's basically unplayable for longer periods than a few minutes at a time. Stupid DRM destroys everything for all the honest paying customers who have longed for this game for ages.

    My origin account says I've played SimCity for 14 hours, but I'm certain I haven't been building cities for more than 30 minutes, tops. That kinda sums it all up.    … Expand
  47. SchleyDogg
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    It has been well over 24 hours and I have not been able to play the game, I chose this over Tomb Raider, over Dead Space 3. Do not buy the game, it's been 3 days and it's still broke, and it hasn't even released in Europe yet, if they're having problems now, how will they fare when another whole continent can play. It's sad cause I was so excited for the game, but any of the reviews areIt has been well over 24 hours and I have not been able to play the game, I chose this over Tomb Raider, over Dead Space 3. Do not buy the game, it's been 3 days and it's still broke, and it hasn't even released in Europe yet, if they're having problems now, how will they fare when another whole continent can play. It's sad cause I was so excited for the game, but any of the reviews are people who simply were bought off, or could play before the servers collapsed. Buy it in a month or two, get something else now like the new Sims expansion or Tomb Raider.… Expand
  48. imilka
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    I'm just wondering why the critic reviews are so positive. The game is very disappointing for me. I'd suggest not to buy it to anyone who has every played any city simulation games. It may be fun for you if you are playing with friends or don't like to spend some time planning your actions. The game looks like it's made for tablets and phones, it's very oversimplified. You can't controlI'm just wondering why the critic reviews are so positive. The game is very disappointing for me. I'd suggest not to buy it to anyone who has every played any city simulation games. It may be fun for you if you are playing with friends or don't like to spend some time planning your actions. The game looks like it's made for tablets and phones, it's very oversimplified. You can't control traffic, you can't build flexible transport networks, etc. The size limits are awful. There are no improvements over SC4 except graphics. But the worst thing here is that it requires you to be always online and it has HUGE problems with server availability. I was forced to wait FORTY MINUTES (40) before I could start the game to play with my city in my own private region! And EA doesn't care about their customers, refuses to give money back and threatens to BAN MY ACCOUNT if I open a dispute in my bank! EA go die please already, I didn't expect you to kill one of my favorite game franchises but you did.… Expand
  49. x00mauro
    Mar 7, 2013
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've been a big fan of Simcity since the first game that came out back in the 90's. I'm sorry to say but I'm super disappointed on this release. When I played the beta I thought they were doing fine and on the release week everything turned into a train rack. You can't connect to servers, I worked like 4 hours on a city and lost it, I did it again and lost it again, and it kept taking me to the tutorial every time I went back in the game. Of course my cities completely dissapear and this just sucks. I don't know how much of Maxis fault this is, but maybe Origin have something to do with it since when Battlefield 3 came out they had tons of errors and bugs too. They should at least have an offline option to play kind of like on BF3 right since this is telling us that servers will be down eventually since they also need maintenance, they can be hack, or maybe some kind of hardware problem. Well I hope this is a lesson learn for companies. The GAME: The graphics are cool, the game looks fun, and they improve in a lot of things. The things I don't like, unlike the past simcity you could built Highways, overamps, Subways, Farms, pipes, power lines and a million other options. Not to mention you could customize your terrain, have an extra large terrain and so on. NOW, all of those options are GONE!!!!! WTF!!!

    Anyways, I wish I could give them a good scoring since I pre-order the dam game and I had high expectations and you can find it online already cheaper than the pre-order. THEN END!    … Expand
  50. knight9158
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    This game release is clearly shows that a company can sacrifices its customers for profit. I will not buy any game that requires always connected DRM even it is a great game. I prefer more customer oriented companies on kickstarter. I really miss good old days where games are really enjoyable and what matters is gameplay rather than visuals only.
  51. owuaarontsi
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Still haven't been able to play once. Completely unacceptable. The servers show more full than they did on launch day. How could they not be prepared for this?
  52. wahey1079
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    bought the game after 2 days still havent played it ihave a very high expectation for this game. i wish a lawsuit will come next i wish i have bought the starcraft 2 on sale but i elected to buy this one because i missed playing this game.
  53. Shatosen
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    On top of the significant hardware issues that this game has had, there are a multitude of design flaws. Cars not intelligently utilizing roads, clunky plopping of railways, forced city specialization, and most importantly, the limited city size make this game a complete failure.
  54. TorKallon
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Two days since launch and it still takes hours of trial and error to even launch the game client. Once on, server outages while playing have lost all of my city progress twice. I'm done. I wish I could get my money back. Unacceptable for any game, but doubly unacceptable for a single player game.
  55. wickewitch1983
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    The game itself is good,actually it is great.I dont mind the addition of "multiplayer" but the always online has made the game not playable.I am not a computer gamer and this has definetly ruined any chance of me buying another one that requires always on internet.The customer service from EA has soured me on them.I will never buy another EA game.i advised a friend of mine who is an avidThe game itself is good,actually it is great.I dont mind the addition of "multiplayer" but the always online has made the game not playable.I am not a computer gamer and this has definetly ruined any chance of me buying another one that requires always on internet.The customer service from EA has soured me on them.I will never buy another EA game.i advised a friend of mine who is an avid simcity player not to buy the game,at least not now, due to the inability to play.If I could return it I definetly would but the gaming industry as a whole has prevented this.I worked hard and saved my money for this game and its gone without an apology or any offer of compensation from the manufacturer about this fiasco.So to summarize please dont buy this game no matter how good it is when you play, it is impossible to even play it.… Expand
  56. upupandaway
    Mar 7, 2013
    2
    Content-wise it is a really nice game very engaging and motivating, despite the criticism regarding map size or similar issues. If however I pay 80€ for a digital download of a game which is not an MMO and I am absolutely unable to play the game, lose progress on cities because connections are extremely unstable even 24h after launch something is very wrong with the deal... The two betaContent-wise it is a really nice game very engaging and motivating, despite the criticism regarding map size or similar issues. If however I pay 80€ for a digital download of a game which is not an MMO and I am absolutely unable to play the game, lose progress on cities because connections are extremely unstable even 24h after launch something is very wrong with the deal... The two beta were meant to evaluate server load prior to the release did they act on that? It seems that no: In the server list there is a total of 4 servers dedicated for european users next to US and pacific servers. Since EA is apparently that cheap, they´ll get an appropriate score from me... Don´t buy the game (now). At least wait.… Expand
  57. IrumOx
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    I am usually on the side of those giving good scores saying most low score reviews are based on bitterness from some gamers who live in an unrealistic world. I am fine with DRM and all that crap, but BEING ABLE TO PLAY a game is, I think 90% of a score. It's like having a Ferrari in your garage and not being able to ride it because the keys are being kept in a lock by Ferrari, even ifI am usually on the side of those giving good scores saying most low score reviews are based on bitterness from some gamers who live in an unrealistic world. I am fine with DRM and all that crap, but BEING ABLE TO PLAY a game is, I think 90% of a score. It's like having a Ferrari in your garage and not being able to ride it because the keys are being kept in a lock by Ferrari, even if you paid for it in full. I hope they see this "overwhelming dislike" as a sign to work towards balancing between user benefit and company benefit, right now EA is like any other company, they do not give a damn about the customer, they just want your money. SHAME ON YOU EA!!!!, S H A M E ON Y O U … Expand
  58. drkplx
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    GG ea on blowing the release of an otherwise good game (from what I hear). I wouldn't actually know because I can't even play the game I paid $60 for. Apparently some people have received refunds via their support chat, however I had no luck. Boycott, boycott, boycott.......
  59. xr2xr2
    Mar 7, 2013
    2
    FIX YOUR SERVER ISSUES EA You should have been prepared you had thousands of pre-orders and two beta tests to indicate the level of demand and plan for it accordingly. Loyal fans of the SimCity brand have waited 10 years to play this game and you have proven yourselves to be completely and utterly ill-prepared and downright incompetent in dealing with the demand. I cannot give moreFIX YOUR SERVER ISSUES EA You should have been prepared you had thousands of pre-orders and two beta tests to indicate the level of demand and plan for it accordingly. Loyal fans of the SimCity brand have waited 10 years to play this game and you have proven yourselves to be completely and utterly ill-prepared and downright incompetent in dealing with the demand. I cannot give more than 2/10 as I have only managed to get 2 hours of gameplay since launch day pathetic!!… Expand
  60. Knurrli
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    I think all of this DRM, forced online connection to disconnecting servers and even forced clouding and no local saving is all a bunch of crap. I've decided now to not buy this game. So far, I rather keep playing my Simcity 4. No server problems there.
  61. Mietitrice
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Want some DRM with your game? No? Too bad. Forced DRM makes it very, very, VERY difficult to play a game that you cant even access the servers on. If you ask me, try and find some DRM free version online if it exists.
  62. dethedrus
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    An absolute travesty. The dumbing down of the single best city building franchise... the one that literally created the genre back in the late 80s. I've played every PC version since the original, and I'm floored at just how much got left on the cutting room floor or badly botched (traffic modelling is particularly abysmal). Or worse, reserved for copious DLC consumption. Add in theAn absolute travesty. The dumbing down of the single best city building franchise... the one that literally created the genre back in the late 80s. I've played every PC version since the original, and I'm floored at just how much got left on the cutting room floor or badly botched (traffic modelling is particularly abysmal). Or worse, reserved for copious DLC consumption. Add in the positively craptastic backend "support" from EA and it's one of the single worst game launches I've ever see. It makes Diablo 3 and Elemental look like shining paragons of good coding and infrastructure.… Expand
  63. 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
  64. Melv
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    If you really want to do an always on DRM game, then make it work. Do not waste your customers time and money by trying to add online DRM that _does_not_work_!

    Do not buy this game yet. Wait for the DotY* Edition coming in a few months. Maybe we players will get an offline mode by then.

    * Disaster of the Year
  65. daglet
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    EA ruined this game with draconic DRM. This is a single player game (FFS!) but you are not able to play whenever you want. After an appaling "launch" with major server issues, I don't think I will ever be able to trust this game. There is no fun in playing when you are constantly worried that your past 5-6 hours of playtime will just randomly go to waste in the "cloud". Nor is there anyEA ruined this game with draconic DRM. This is a single player game (FFS!) but you are not able to play whenever you want. After an appaling "launch" with major server issues, I don't think I will ever be able to trust this game. There is no fun in playing when you are constantly worried that your past 5-6 hours of playtime will just randomly go to waste in the "cloud". Nor is there any fun in wasting a whole evening watching the "server is busy" message. I made a Metacritic account just to vent about this game. Don't make the same mistake I did and actually pay for it. Wait until the pirates have cracked it.… Expand
  66. Teddyx87
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    EA, Maxis Fail. Don't mind launch week problems. EA has an epic fail here in every category. The game maybe great but the headaches are just not worth it. The worse part there communication is absolutely awful
  67. AndrewCCM
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Honestly... I have nothing to add. It's just a huge money grab for a company that doesn't know how to launch an online-ONLY application. I am done with this stuff. $79 down the drain. My enthusiasm over the past few months is now in the negative digits.
  68. Sturmlied
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    I am a big fan of the Sims and Sim City and would love to give this game a higher score. But as I am waiting to be able to play it due to no fault of my own I can not do this. The unnecessary always online policy is killing the fun in this game due to massive server issues. Why was this necessary in the first place? I understand that EAs Execs are scared to the bone of piracy but making aI am a big fan of the Sims and Sim City and would love to give this game a higher score. But as I am waiting to be able to play it due to no fault of my own I can not do this. The unnecessary always online policy is killing the fun in this game due to massive server issues. Why was this necessary in the first place? I understand that EAs Execs are scared to the bone of piracy but making a game "no fun" is not the solution.… Expand
  69. spinkick
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    No matter how great the game is, the DRM system such as this has no place in gaming. If this game ended up a true classic to be played 5+ years from now, too bad, because the servers will no longer be online in order to play your SINGLE PLAYER game. It's time for the gaming community to finally say no and not allow EA to shovel even more draconian "anti piracy" techniques down our throats.
  70. Booeenie
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    $60-$80 for an unplayable single player game mode? EA shows why they are an industry leader once again. Don't waste your money. Come back in a month and see if EA/Maxis has made any progress. Maybe then you can play the game you paid for. But don't wait too long, some day the servers will be taken offline and you won't EVER be able to play your game again. No local saves so$60-$80 for an unplayable single player game mode? EA shows why they are an industry leader once again. Don't waste your money. Come back in a month and see if EA/Maxis has made any progress. Maybe then you can play the game you paid for. But don't wait too long, some day the servers will be taken offline and you won't EVER be able to play your game again. No local saves so experimenting and reloading is over. If the servers crash you can't even reload your own save! Sounds fun huh?… Expand
  71. Doconicus
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    From what I have been able to see, the game looks terrific. But alas, all I've been able to see what the opening load screen. The music sounded nice as well. I have high hope for the opportunity to play this fine game... Alas, I didn't shell out $60 for hope and opportunity. My hard earned dollars went to the understanding that I would receive a playable simulation. Therefore, know youFrom what I have been able to see, the game looks terrific. But alas, all I've been able to see what the opening load screen. The music sounded nice as well. I have high hope for the opportunity to play this fine game... Alas, I didn't shell out $60 for hope and opportunity. My hard earned dollars went to the understanding that I would receive a playable simulation. Therefore, know you this, I don't like giving a low-ball score, but this time I am compelled to if not for any other reason, but to protect my fellow players from what could turn out to be a failed game. EA, get it fixed.… Expand
  72. crfog
    Mar 7, 2013
    4
    In line with predictions from the general gaming community, the launch of the new SimCity reboot has been shaky, at best. For the couple of hours I managed to play, thus far, the game seemed fun. The visuals were gorgeous, especially some of the architecture of the shops and residences. The ability to specialize in trading or tourism etc. is an interesting feature which gives a cityIn line with predictions from the general gaming community, the launch of the new SimCity reboot has been shaky, at best. For the couple of hours I managed to play, thus far, the game seemed fun. The visuals were gorgeous, especially some of the architecture of the shops and residences. The ability to specialize in trading or tourism etc. is an interesting feature which gives a city much needed income, especially due to the small map sizes. The biggest issue with the game is the online only DRM that the community complained about before release, predicting the failure of servers on launch (and into the future). All these predictions have come true. On launch day I managed a couple hours of play. Since then, the servers have been down or so full that I cannot connect. After years of MMO launches, it's mind boggling that a company would not over-prepare for the launch of a game that requires their servers to operate. As a consumer, it's insulting to pay money for a product only to be told that we cannot use it. As of right now, I'd like a refund. Unfortunately, EA support also has queues of multiple hours due to the inadequacy of their preparation for this release. The game may be worth its price in a couple weeks, once these teething issues are sorted out. For now, avoid it. Do not waste your time or money on this product.… Expand
  73. Phokus
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    If a tree falls in the forest but nobody's there to hear it, does it make a sound? Same thing with Sim City. Sim City could be the greatest game ever made, but if you can't even play it, why bother?
  74. chmod
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Seems fun, but the server devs aren't quite up to the task of keeping everyone online. I assume people giving good reviews could connect, but I've logged 2 hours over the last 48 just trying to play. If you do get in, you will likely still not be able to claim a region. And if you get a region, you will lose progress when the sync inevitably fails. That's not even the worst part. When youSeems fun, but the server devs aren't quite up to the task of keeping everyone online. I assume people giving good reviews could connect, but I've logged 2 hours over the last 48 just trying to play. If you do get in, you will likely still not be able to claim a region. And if you get a region, you will lose progress when the sync inevitably fails. That's not even the worst part. When you can't get into a server, it puts you in a "queue." However "queue" implies order. And what they're really doing is saying "call back in 20 minutes, maybe we'll have capacity then."… Expand
  75. Jander3456
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Spent $60 to wait in line to play a single player game- Not cool. Here's my message to EA always on DRM= score of Zero no exceptions. I would comment on other areas of the game if I was able to, but as of now it's like asking me to write a review of a steak at a restaurant that lost my reservation.
  76. dwob
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    It took 2 days for me to be able to log on at all and then I was booted from the server and all my play was lost. When they say it's constantly online, they really mean it. It is NOT just log-in authentication DRM where you log into origin and are then allowed to play. Everything is stored server-side. While this mode (I say mode because I believe it should be one mode out of severalIt took 2 days for me to be able to log on at all and then I was booted from the server and all my play was lost. When they say it's constantly online, they really mean it. It is NOT just log-in authentication DRM where you log into origin and are then allowed to play. Everything is stored server-side. While this mode (I say mode because I believe it should be one mode out of several choices) does offer something new in terms of potential with the global market (it is merely potential as inter-regional trade is actually buggy and poor performance), it creates many more problems. The most heinous is the lack of ability to play at all because their servers are overloaded. It also means that you can't play in a bubble. You are forced to rely on the play of others. This means that if your neighbor messes up, and you were relying on them because you thought it'd be interesting to take advantage of the trade features, you are equally screwed. While the servers are cross-regional, your city is held to one specific server. If your server is full, you either can't play, or you're forced to start a new city in a different region. This will lead to ghost cities popping up, which hurts the game for the surrounding cities.

    Many tools that are in SC4 that made city management easier are missing, making micromanagement tedious. They've made transportation terrible since there's no proper pathfinding to choose fastest route, just shortest. This means you can't set up main roads and side streets. Everything needs to be the maximum road because otherwise your sims will try to get from one place to another using the side streets. This is obviously very expensive. There are no highways to be built, the best you get are the avenues. People are hypersensitive to crime. One crime a week is considered crazy and terrible, and it plummets property value. When something stops working, there's no easy way to figure out what exactly the problem is. Also, you can't save and experiment. If you want to experiment, you have to start an entirely new city. There's no saving and then creating a series of disasters just to see if your city can handle it, then loading after having a chuckle. The map sizes are also pitifully small. If I am ever allowed to play for a significant period of time, I feel I could fill it up entirely within one day of playing.

    The game is also plagued by bugs, but that's come to be expected with games on launch. My only concern regarding them is the game's online has created so many problems, fixes for the bugs may be slow in coming.

    While the online mode potentially adds to the game, it's poorly executed and causes more problems than anything else. The rest of the game is a step backwards, with many losses in quality of life features. My rating for this game is 0, simply because it's unplayable. If it weren't for that issue, it would garner a robust 4.    … Expand
  77. NaFZ
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    All server is down, can't play the game not even single play OMFG.....

    Server reached maximum capacity and so I was placed in a queue and was not allowed to play a SINGLE PLAYER GAME because it forces me to constantly be online. So despite my flawless internet connection, EA's incompetence has forced me to postpone playing a game I'd like to play on my own anyway. I have played the beta    All server is down, can't play the game not even single play OMFG.....

    Server reached maximum capacity and so I was placed in a queue and was not allowed to play a SINGLE PLAYER GAME because it forces me to constantly be online. So despite my flawless internet connection, EA's incompetence has forced me to postpone playing a game I'd like to play on my own anyway. I have played the beta and the city size limits are awful. But it isn't all bad, I do e    … Expand
  78. AstroFM
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    It's probably a great game, but for me it's ruined by the inability to actually play the game. Since the release in Europe i have only been able to play on the same city twice. The other times i have tried to log on there's been problems with the servers.
  79. N4T45
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Not worth the hassle with this stupid Online DRM making the game unplayable if you don't happen to have an internet connection or even worse, capable server for every players.
  80. Darkgear808
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Horrible. Hard earned money thrown away on failed, DRM control freak issues. Not even a single player, offline version to play while they try to fix their issues. Played for several hours and lost all progress because of server issues.
  81. CDWarden
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    An unmitigated disaster. Server problems are the crux of the issue. Even when you can log into the game, it is plagued by issues including (but not limited to) inability to work correctly with friends lists, inability to create or delete zones or cities, endless tutorial loops, and so much more. The worst part is that this game looks like it would be excellent if not for the server issuesAn unmitigated disaster. Server problems are the crux of the issue. Even when you can log into the game, it is plagued by issues including (but not limited to) inability to work correctly with friends lists, inability to create or delete zones or cities, endless tutorial loops, and so much more. The worst part is that this game looks like it would be excellent if not for the server issues causing all of this. In a month, this may be an 8 or 9. For now it's an "avoid at all costs".… Expand
  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. ozkrogh
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Can't give a rating to what I can't play... 48hrs after buying the download version, I've still yet to be able to start even the tutorial. The DRM restrictions will help ensure that I never buy an always-online game from EA or Origin ever again. I may come back and give an actual review... then again, my frustration is so great right now that I'd like to be able to go with negativeCan't give a rating to what I can't play... 48hrs after buying the download version, I've still yet to be able to start even the tutorial. The DRM restrictions will help ensure that I never buy an always-online game from EA or Origin ever again. I may come back and give an actual review... then again, my frustration is so great right now that I'd like to be able to go with negative numbers and not just zero.… Expand
  84. Dimok
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    My girlfriend didn't heed my advice and steer clear of this game. I have been trying to get in on her account off and on today, to no avail. I bet she's pissed when she gets home from work to play her new shiny 60 game and it's still not working.
  85. SteHughes90
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    This is the worst game experience I have ever had on any game ever in 25 years of gaming. Cannot log online at all, cannot play it in single player due to some stupid DRM system. AND WHEN I ASK FOR A REFUND THEY SAY 'OUR REFUND POLICY STATES WE REFUND AT OUR DIGRESSION' do not buy this game. It is god awful.

    **** EA
  86. ERRORandBSOD
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Again we have been tricked by Electronic Arts. Always-ON internet connection and unavailability to play even single player game. And of course "first day dlc`s" like it was in dead space 3. So my experience with ea games ends here. The policy of "money-it`s in a a game" should die with the EA. See you in hell EA.
  87. Toosman
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    I cannot set any score but 0. I have been looking forward to this day for a very long time and when it comes, i cant play the game!

    I don't care if this is something that will pass, i don't think it's ok that a HUGE company as EA can't anticipate the load the servers will have to manage during release. The year is 2013 and it's not hard to have some overcapacity the first week of the    I cannot set any score but 0. I have been looking forward to this day for a very long time and when it comes, i cant play the game!

    I don't care if this is something that will pass, i don't think it's ok that a HUGE company as EA can't anticipate the load the servers will have to manage during release. The year is 2013 and it's not hard to have some overcapacity the first week of the game to ensure that their customers get what they pay for. And also, it's a shame that you have to be online all the time, this game should have a game mode for offline gaming. EA deserves the worst for it this much and ruining my free time...    … Expand
  88. mIX
    Mar 7, 2013
    6
    The game play is awesome and interface is much easier to use that past versions. This really is a great update to the Sim City series. Unfortunately the launch for this game has been horrible! I played the beta and it ran great. The real thing runs like crap right now... and EA should have known they'd need more servers... we paid enough for the game.
  89. Huckleberry
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    this is one of the worst things I've ever spent $60 on, it's not like i just lost $60, it makes me sad that i can't play. it's not even worth saying more.
  90. Vandarix
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    A game you can't play isn't a game at all it's a waste of money and time. Why they developed this game without a singleplayer mode or actually stress testing its "REQUIRED" Multiplayer is beyond Einstein.
  91. xaxxos
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    I've had it since midnight launch day (3 days now) and STILL have yet to be able to play multiplayer. No big deal, I'll just play single player. Wait I can't because the servers are down, full or being 'patched'. What a POS. I paid full price for an awesomely-reviewed game and, instead, have to settle for the intro music. I've never been more disappointed in a game.
  92. bleuren
    Mar 7, 2013
    3
    Score is 3 out of 10. All online ruins this game completely. You're relying solely on the availability and play-ability of servers. If the servers are busy, you wait, if they're down, you don't play, if they're full you don't play.

    Especially when it's only 6 servers.
  93. Toughbeef
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    The stupid servers are down all the time... thanks to the even more stupid always online DRM. The game isn't that bad but it's so annoying to get thrown out of the game every hour.
  94. peascotch
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Another beloved franchise from my childhood spoiled by corporate greed. Draconian DRM, small city sizes, no ability to create your own terrain or even choose where you build your city. This is not SimCity. I should have listened to the other user reviews but I wanted to believe MAXIS would not defecate all over my heart.
  95. Yohan17
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    Game has been unplayable since launch. Dont buy this game until EA gets their heads out of their nether regions. I did successfully log in for about 20 minutes before I went to work the day it launched and it was fun for that 20 minutes so I give it a 1.
  96. glinkot
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    I've managed to get into a proper freeform city I could interact with once so far, aside from the tute and 'time played' is reported as four hours. Four hours wasted, enduring 'updates', 'authentication attempts' and looking at a blank tutorial map where you can't click on anything. Making the servers so integral to a single player experience is clearly a move to benefit publishers byI've managed to get into a proper freeform city I could interact with once so far, aside from the tute and 'time played' is reported as four hours. Four hours wasted, enduring 'updates', 'authentication attempts' and looking at a blank tutorial map where you can't click on anything. Making the servers so integral to a single player experience is clearly a move to benefit publishers by reducing theft I get it. But that brings with it a trust element that sufficient infrastructure will be bought to support it. I paid $100 Aust for this, that's US$103. I'd think that would give them enough revenue to allocate server time for it to accept my connection

    The game itself looks ok, graphics are quite nice but textures become very fuzzy on zoom. I was told you could zoom to any sim and see what they are up to KIND OF, but of course normally they are in their houses and there seems to be no way to see what they are doing (or how many are inside) there. The severely restricted city size is worse than I'd thought. I think the specialisation idea has some merit, but if you want to specialise in oil for example, you must set your whole map up to maximise that benefit which leaves your overall layout suboptimal. Not ideal. I and others relished the 'constant expansion' you could achieve with the old simcity games, and that's gone now. It's zoomed in a level toward the 'sims' concept, which is one I never embraced. Things like openttd (the free transport tycoon project) are much more loved and have much more depth despite their lesser appearance.

    Wish I'd saved my $100. This stuff isn't hard if demand was an issue, they could have progressively allowed people onto the servers, or staggered each country's release date. They didn't do that and must accept these reviews which reflect peoples experience of what they've created.    … Expand
  97. adw123
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'd love to rate this game higher than a 0 but after 36 hrs of trying to log in I've been able to do little more than get to the title screen. The launch thus far has been an absolute disgrace.

    To start with it took over 3 hours just to kick off the download for the game which should've been pre-loaded days a head of time. Servers have been down consistently since the launch making it impossible to get into this single player game. Rather than overestimate the number of servers needed to launch they low balled it and so tens if not hundreds of thousands of players are trying to log into two servers setup for the NA launch. Other servers exist for Europe and Asia but they are equally jammed, and will in all doubt get worse as other international releases take place without additional servers allocated. Furthermore cities setup in these regions can not be accessed from other server regions once things calm down, and who wants to be playing from a server ten thousand miles away.

    The game looks like it could be fun despite the smaller maps, lack of subways, terraforming and numerous other things removed from the previous version but at this point I can not even give my honest opinion on these things. It has been a long while since I've seen a game launch so thoroughly mismanaged. I can accept a couple patches or instabilities the first few days, but not complete inability to play whatsoever. If I am unable to get in to play by the end of today i will be back-charging my credit card and finding something else to spend my $60 on.    … Expand
  98. TheMadHatter
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Well.. We are now on Day 2 since the game came out and I've still not been able to play it. Today, finally I got a server busy message with a 20 minute wait time, after 20 minutes the game crashed and I was met with another 20 minute wait time. This is not the first EA online title to have trouble with their bs DRM system and it won't be the last. Stay away from this game and any otherWell.. We are now on Day 2 since the game came out and I've still not been able to play it. Today, finally I got a server busy message with a 20 minute wait time, after 20 minutes the game crashed and I was met with another 20 minute wait time. This is not the first EA online title to have trouble with their bs DRM system and it won't be the last. Stay away from this game and any other EA puts out until the stop jerking their players around.… Expand
  99. Aquilifer
    Mar 7, 2013
    2
    First, let me begin by clarifying that a product should be reviewed in all its functions. If I enter a restaurant and the food is excellent but the service is terrible, I can factor the poor service in to the review because it is certainly part of the experience. In the same way that if a game has a bug, it can rightly factor in to your review.
    The game play is good, but not    First, let me begin by clarifying that a product should be reviewed in all its functions. If I enter a restaurant and the food is excellent but the service is terrible, I can factor the poor service in to the review because it is certainly part of the experience. In the same way that if a game has a bug, it can rightly factor in to your review.
    The game play is good, but not earth-shattering. The mechanics are polished but 'softened' enough that veteran players may feel unattended to. Not getting to play a game that I purchased because of issues I have no culpability for, is NOT okay. As consumers, we continue to capitulate more and more and accept this as standard practice. We shouldn't. This is ESPECIALLY true when they make no attempt to compensate you for lapses: "Couldn't play for a week? Here's a free dlc item." Ultimately we continue to send a message that we will digest anything regardless of the flaws.
    I'm sorry but an amusing game in no way makes up for a product that is too broken to properly work. All moral context aside, my score is a reflection of SERVICE LEVELS and GAMEPLAY combined. I'm rating the 'experience of investing my time in to simcity', and so far, it sucks.    … Expand
  100. DrSheepbringer
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Bought it. Haven't played a single second, but not from lack of trying. Seems like gaming world works on different laws. In any other world the sellers would have been arrested for scamming, but in gaming it seems to be we couldn't anticipate" is the free from jail card. Think what I say is a lie or to steep? Well think of this... EA isn't that small nor a newbie. They do know theirBought it. Haven't played a single second, but not from lack of trying. Seems like gaming world works on different laws. In any other world the sellers would have been arrested for scamming, but in gaming it seems to be we couldn't anticipate" is the free from jail card. Think what I say is a lie or to steep? Well think of this... EA isn't that small nor a newbie. They do know their stuff. Also...is this the FIRST simcity? No...is this the second one....no...third...no...you can see where this is going? There IS knowledge behind this so...has to be a scam.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
64

Mixed or average reviews - based on 75 Critic Reviews

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