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. dr_mibbles
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    A great franchise, ruined by EA. People are buying the game in good faith, despite reservations about always-online DRM. They are then finding they cannot log into the server, or constant disconnects, or cities failing to save/being constantly rolled back. The game is unplayable, and getting a refund is very challenging when the only way to contact EA is though live chat support with a 6A great franchise, ruined by EA. People are buying the game in good faith, despite reservations about always-online DRM. They are then finding they cannot log into the server, or constant disconnects, or cities failing to save/being constantly rolled back. The game is unplayable, and getting a refund is very challenging when the only way to contact EA is though live chat support with a 6 hour wait. Yes, six hours.

    When they realise that the (unnecessary) DRM is preventing them from playing a game they paid good money for, or wasting hours of their time by not saving their cities, they are understandably feeling let down. They believe the product is at fault. The reviews on Amazon/Metacritic reflect that sentiment with total and complete accuracy.    … Expand
  2. 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
  3. parkour86
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Always online DRM, what more do I have to say?
  4. PunkStarStudios
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Anyone giving this game a positive review must be a shill.... someone working for EA who can actually play the game as opposed to the poor slobs trying to play it from home.
  5. Geofferic
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    The game simply does not work. I've been in queue for 40 minutes at a time, get disconnected, have to get back in queue The Day 0 DLC is shockingly insulting. The cities are tiny. Very, very little innovation other than slightly snazzier interface. $80 bucks to get the game as it is intended to be played is ridiculous. This is garbage. Stay away. Ignore the raw lies that are theThe game simply does not work. I've been in queue for 40 minutes at a time, get disconnected, have to get back in queue The Day 0 DLC is shockingly insulting. The cities are tiny. Very, very little innovation other than slightly snazzier interface. $80 bucks to get the game as it is intended to be played is ridiculous. This is garbage. Stay away. Ignore the raw lies that are the 'journalism' reviews.… Expand
  6. Faery
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    This isn't a 'review bomb', as some hack EA-brown-nosing news sites are claiming. These are legitimate consumer complaints based on their inability to even run the game that they purchased, for absolutely no good reason, for reasons that EA were warned would happen and yet did nothing to prevent it. As it stands I've had to wait unreasonable lengths of time to even play my game. The fewThis isn't a 'review bomb', as some hack EA-brown-nosing news sites are claiming. These are legitimate consumer complaints based on their inability to even run the game that they purchased, for absolutely no good reason, for reasons that EA were warned would happen and yet did nothing to prevent it. As it stands I've had to wait unreasonable lengths of time to even play my game. The few times I could play it, I have been disconnected at random resulting in save corruption, rollbacks or general loss of data. This isn't my problem. This is EA's problem. I will be seeking a refund, otherwise I will be looking into a chargeback for being sold a non-functional product. I advise anyone else with these problems to do the same.… Expand
  7. TheFandango
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    I've tried to play this game a few times now. Like everybody else is saying cannot connect to the server. DRM is the worst idea in the world. I'll be asking for a refund.
  8. Poroz
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    I am changing my review, This game is not worth the head aches in the last 2 days... No amount of fun is worth all the crashes all the times the serves are down, all the time loading the game to not being able to make/start a game. The game is fun, but it is NOT worth all this waiting for nothing. you wait start the game and its down, or you go into a server and cant make a game, StartingI am changing my review, This game is not worth the head aches in the last 2 days... No amount of fun is worth all the crashes all the times the serves are down, all the time loading the game to not being able to make/start a game. The game is fun, but it is NOT worth all this waiting for nothing. you wait start the game and its down, or you go into a server and cant make a game, Starting this game for the 5th time is not as fun as it was playing it the first time.… Expand
  9. toocheap
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Have been a fan ever since the first SimCity. I can't believe EA and their anti-consumer policies. I'll be getting a refund and will never by another EA game. Terrible, just terrible experience.
  10. Lightang3l
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    EA.... people who pirate your game WOULD HAVE NOT BOUGHT IT TO BEGIN WITH!
    Thous 15.000 people who would have donwnloaded it would have done so because it was FREE! They are not going to come running to you...they will just play something else!
    Now the people who LOVE Simcity have to go through all your and have no control over the game, no saves, no nothing! I can't play on a train,    EA.... people who pirate your game WOULD HAVE NOT BOUGHT IT TO BEGIN WITH!
    Thous 15.000 people who would have donwnloaded it would have done so because it was FREE! They are not going to come running to you...they will just play something else!
    Now the people who LOVE Simcity have to go through all your and have no control over the game, no saves, no nothing!
    I can't play on a train, can't play on a long trip, can't play when there is no internet, can't play when your servers go down.. I CAN'T PLAY !
    And what about 5 years down the road...what then EA when your servers close down and I'm left with a plastic disk shaped corpse of a game??? I can play simcity2000 50 years from now...can I play this game then??
    REVIEW: The game is awesome... but EA made it unplayable and not worth the trouble!
    sad...    … Expand
  11. moedin
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    This game was going to be a winner but the total mess with DRM has limited to one play session, can't log back in due to server capacity and EA support has been useless in telling me to be patient. Not one apology or showing any form of culpable responsibility for this mess. For that, I offer you this score EA. As always, you never fail to flop on something with such promise.
  12. OCsmart
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Servers always booting me out. connection lost how i am hard wired into the internet! be only to play on-line is a huge pain in the a** am cant save your city on your desktop and then have it sync to the cloud. then you can swap server because you lose your city completely i been playing this game since the launch date. my computer at home plays it just fine. then i get to work and playsServers always booting me out. connection lost how i am hard wired into the internet! be only to play on-line is a huge pain in the a** am cant save your city on your desktop and then have it sync to the cloud. then you can swap server because you lose your city completely i been playing this game since the launch date. my computer at home plays it just fine. then i get to work and plays for like an hour then boom game stops responding, it due to the graphics card over heating video card hog. my call of duy Black Ops 2 doesnt even take that i can play for hours and they dont get hot. this game is a heat generator. i wish i could play it on the plane or in the car but you have to be connected always to the internet make me wonder how much data is being transfered all the time. and there is no auto sync so if you get blown out of the game you have to start all over again sucks.… Expand
  13. nightred
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    The updated graphics is nice but the lack of options for transportation that makes any difference the lack of larger maps where you would actually care about creating a large city with interesting design.
    This feels like a demo of a full game we will get next year.
    Oh ya and the DRM is horrid constraining and adds nothing, absolutely nothing to the game.
  14. uncoldolan
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    This game is the steaming pile of raw sewage you would have been able to pump into neighboring cities had the game servers actually worked. EA has proved they simply care about the money and not the product. This games launch issues were worse than Diablo 3 and have not gotten any better. Sad EA ruined such a historic franchise.
  15. strcrft15
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    The game is completely unplayable. Can't create a city, can't join an already existing game, can't run the tutorial... this isn't just a launch day issue. This is second day. I didn't pay money to wait to play. Waste of time.
  16. mrpuck
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    So I took the bait. Even after all the research I did on other Simcity forums from those who played beta I bought the game.
    Spent about 4 hours with it yesterday and I am quite disappointed in it.
    Let's get out the Pro's: Graphics Yes it looks very pretty. Even though I was shocked to see the "sims" looking like lego characters, overall the buildings and houses etc are very pretty.    So I took the bait. Even after all the research I did on other Simcity forums from those who played beta I bought the game.
    Spent about 4 hours with it yesterday and I am quite disappointed in it.

    Let's get out the Pro's:

    Graphics Yes it looks very pretty. Even though I was shocked to see the "sims" looking like lego characters, overall the buildings and houses etc are very pretty.

    Modular upgrades Excellent idea, and works very well. I never did like the idea behind "I need more firetrucks? build 5 more fire stations". Now I can add onto the Firehouse and expand it's coverage that way. Works very well for Police, Fire, Schools, etc.

    Curved Roads I can actually build a realistic looking town. The curved roads are great. However they leave issues with putting down homes and buildings on them at times.

    Now for all the Cons:

    Online DRM I know everyone complains about this. I was willing to deal with it. Then the servers went down and I couldn't play. Is it first day issues? I'm not sure but it was almost ironic when the servers went down.

    City Size Of course a huge complaint, other reviews mention this. Filled up my entire town in a little over an hour.

    Diversity of buildings Where are all the buildings I want to build? I'm talking places like Museums, Churches, Zoo's, Post Offices, etc. etc. I can think of tons of missing content. Were these left out so EA can sell us buildings for $1 each later down the road?

    Transportation So far it seems all you get are buses. No Train stations, no subways, etc. I do believe you can build an airport eventually.

    The whole "Upgrade town hall to unlock stuff" Seems silly and unnecessary. I can't build a hospital because I already used my TownHall upgrade for something unrelated so I have to wait.

    It's hard to really say all the issues with the game in just bullet points. One of the biggest issues I have is simply with the density of zones. Let me paint a picture for you. You have a nice suburban part of your town, where say you want your middle to upper class to live. They would live on nice single lane roads with maybe some cul da sacs shooting off that road etc. You can build the road system, and then zone it for residential. That's it.... So what happens? You get mobile homes all over, and the only way to get the houses to "upgrade" to nicer establishment is to put parks/recreation all over nearby (and their effect is small size wise). Or you have to upgrade the road. Now who lives on a 4 lane road in a mansion? Not many people I can think of. It's absolutely idiotic.

    The game is definitely driven to have you share resources with neighboring regions. If you try to do it all in your one small city, you're in for a mess. So you have to essentially pause your game, and go to another city and start fresh there. Whether in the other city it's creating better jobs, or focusing on utilities to provide to your other city, etc.

    Overall, I am extremely disappointed in this game. A lot of the issues CAN be patched, fixed, upgraded with a lot of work from Maxis. But in the state the game is now, it should never have been released. This will probably be a game I shelve for a bit, and hope that in a few months it becomes playable. As it sits now, I paid for a beta copy. If I could return this to EA I would.    … Expand
  17. 102Viking
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Forced online DRM, worst servers ever, extremely limited building area (should be called SimVillage or something like that. EA, never go full greed.
  18. spewey
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Maxis should never have rolled this out without providing for the robust server support it should have known was necessary. I've hardly been able to log in; most attempts failed. At least this has kept me from fuming about the small size of cities we are limited to. Maxis' insistence on DRM may protect them from a few pirates, but it has greatly inconvenienced thousands of their users,Maxis should never have rolled this out without providing for the robust server support it should have known was necessary. I've hardly been able to log in; most attempts failed. At least this has kept me from fuming about the small size of cities we are limited to. Maxis' insistence on DRM may protect them from a few pirates, but it has greatly inconvenienced thousands of their users, and turned the most anticipated game of the year into a massive disappointment.… Expand
  19. supamun
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Purchased game, installed, started game, created city, game crashed, no saves. Restarted game, created city, played for 15 minutes, game crashes, no saves. Ate lunch. Restarted game, unable to created city due to error. Closed and restarted game, unable to authenticate with server, tried different server, unable to authenticate. Closed game. Write review.
  20. Sharra65
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    I purchased this game to the hefty tune of 60 X2 yes both myself and Boyfriend have a copy. Here's what I've seen so far. The game itself is good. The mechanics are well thought out, and complex enough to keep interest. There's some graphical glitches. The plot size for the cities are smaller than preferred. You definatley have to manage your space effectively. Now for the problems andI purchased this game to the hefty tune of 60 X2 yes both myself and Boyfriend have a copy. Here's what I've seen so far. The game itself is good. The mechanics are well thought out, and complex enough to keep interest. There's some graphical glitches. The plot size for the cities are smaller than preferred. You definatley have to manage your space effectively. Now for the problems and they are game breaking. In 5 hours of attempted play on two computers here is what we experienced. Delays in invites to the game, 10 minutes. In ability to claim a city once the invite was accepted. Once we sorted that out and got our cities claimed, and were playing two of the 3 people in our region were kicked from the server, re logging in showed we weren't invited to the game we'd been playing at all. Had to be re-invited to get back to our existing cities, which had reset completely to the default although were showing we'd claimed them. 3 disconnects a piece for myself and the boyfriend. Never at the same time, so it wasn't really servers crashing. I should mention we play in the same house. Inability to get back into the game without a 20 minute queue. At one point the 20 minute queue ticked down and reset to another 20 minutes... at this point i shut it down. This morning when i logged in, it had lost 2 hours of progress from last night due to synching issues. My bf experienced this a couple times yesterday as well. Basically the online component need fixed yesterday or the games dead.… Expand
  21. ND3G
    Mar 12, 2013
    0
    How soon we forget. The uproar over Simcity started long before the game was even released. The issue never had anything to do with whether or not the servers worked properly, it had to do with the fact that they shouldn't be necessary at all. Until EA removes the online requirement this game remains a very deserved zero.
  22. Chewieflakes
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    If you condone EA's terribly consumer-unfriendly business practices and countless butchered classics by buying this game you should be ashamed. If you are lucky enough to even be able to PLAY the game you payed so much money for then you'll be surprised to see most of the official game reviewers have been paid off by EA for favorable ratings, which is typical. Also expect dozens of dlc forIf you condone EA's terribly consumer-unfriendly business practices and countless butchered classics by buying this game you should be ashamed. If you are lucky enough to even be able to PLAY the game you payed so much money for then you'll be surprised to see most of the official game reviewers have been paid off by EA for favorable ratings, which is typical. Also expect dozens of dlc for content that was suppose to be in the original game. Do not buy this game.… Expand
  23. BlueOtter
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Unfortunately, this edition of SimCity, while fun to play and far more challenging in its intricacy than its predecessors, is completely unusable to those wishing to play on the go. Using my laptop, I'm unable to launch or play the game much of the time because if the always-online DRM requirement the publisher has imposed on this game. It's bad enough to call a critical bug that rendersUnfortunately, this edition of SimCity, while fun to play and far more challenging in its intricacy than its predecessors, is completely unusable to those wishing to play on the go. Using my laptop, I'm unable to launch or play the game much of the time because if the always-online DRM requirement the publisher has imposed on this game. It's bad enough to call a critical bug that renders my game play unusable.… Expand
  24. ErrantPoster
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    I made an account here just to express my disappointment with this game...a game I've really been looking forward to. It's tiny, It doesn't look nearly as good as I was expecting. It runs rough on a good rig. DRM. The social gaming thing seems...necessary. At least if you buy this...buy it with your eyes open.
  25. gonzothegunnut
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Can not access game. Always on DRM. If you want to play this game just download it for "free" the first chance you get. Single player games should not require you to be online, it's as simple as that. I bought this game for my wife, she was super excited.. I bought her lunch and took our son out so she could have some fun alone time that she hasn't gotten in months. So of course sheCan not access game. Always on DRM. If you want to play this game just download it for "free" the first chance you get. Single player games should not require you to be online, it's as simple as that. I bought this game for my wife, she was super excited.. I bought her lunch and took our son out so she could have some fun alone time that she hasn't gotten in months. So of course she was upset when she couldn't play it. If Blizzard can't pull off always-online DRM without screw ups, I don't know what makes EA think they can.… Expand
  26. RoboGeoff
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    I can't review the actual game since I'm not on a privileged reviewers server, but it's been 2 days of constant struggles and no more than 10 minutes worth of actual in game play. First, EA's failure to allow preloads meant that I waited 3+ hours from launch before I was given the priviledge of downloading the game I paid for. Secondly, once installed, the user must play server roulette,I can't review the actual game since I'm not on a privileged reviewers server, but it's been 2 days of constant struggles and no more than 10 minutes worth of actual in game play. First, EA's failure to allow preloads meant that I waited 3+ hours from launch before I was given the priviledge of downloading the game I paid for. Secondly, once installed, the user must play server roulette, in hopes of finding of simply starting a private game. The last of local saving, and the always-on DRM design of the game means everyone who plays this game is at the mercy of the server Gods. Despite ensuring everyone that always-on DRM will not be a concern and there will be plenty of servers, this is not the case. Maybe one day I'll actually get to play this game. Don't expect anything but the most frustrating gaming experience ever if you buy Simcity from EA Origin. Stay away until they figure things out... if they can.… Expand
  27. 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.
  28. Alphabrava
    Mar 13, 2013
    0
    Let me state before you read this review that I have not been able to play this game. I want to play this game. I was ready to purchase and had been awaiting release until I found out about the always online DRM. Now I can't buy it because I can't play it in many areas that I travel to. I find Sim City 4 a good escape and a continuing puzzle for me to solve whilst i am on the road. AnLet me state before you read this review that I have not been able to play this game. I want to play this game. I was ready to purchase and had been awaiting release until I found out about the always online DRM. Now I can't buy it because I can't play it in many areas that I travel to. I find Sim City 4 a good escape and a continuing puzzle for me to solve whilst i am on the road. An upgrade would have meant hours of boredom in hotels eleviated whilst I work away. But alas no EA not only wants my money it wants to get into my house and start controling where I can be and when I can play thisis no good. Therefore i have to score zero.… Expand
  29. DaBigMac
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    I loved playing the betas and would probably love to play the game too except having shelled out for the deluxe edition I am still unable to play. Origin says I have played it for 9 hours haha! Three times I was able to get on the game crashed. Three others times I lost contact with the server and all progress on the game. I have had to use three different servers and can now no longerI loved playing the betas and would probably love to play the game too except having shelled out for the deluxe edition I am still unable to play. Origin says I have played it for 9 hours haha! Three times I was able to get on the game crashed. Three others times I lost contact with the server and all progress on the game. I have had to use three different servers and can now no longer access any of them as they are on busy servers. Now I cannot even connect to available servers. No Origin I have not had 9 hours of playing I have had what feels like days of frustration (and this is after I was only able to downlaod it 6 hours after launch). I am sorry to review like this but it is rubbish and I feel conned. EA, be very ashamed.… Expand
  30. SplendidGrendel
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    This Game Doesn't Work! how could you give it a 9? Its us unplayable by sooooo many people! I don't buy the reasons they gave for this! I want a refund.
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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 »