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.
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
64

Mixed or average reviews - based on 75 Critic Reviews

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