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. starkline
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    I have to say. Wow. Having never written a review for Metacritic, SimCity has all but angered me to the point of voicing my opinion in a sea of others. I'd generally say that writing a review on or very near launch day is counter-productive. There will always be server problems and 0 day bugs, but EA/Maxis/Origin have done an amazing job at an EPIC FAIL.

    I gave this some thought. How is    I have to say. Wow. Having never written a review for Metacritic, SimCity has all but angered me to the point of voicing my opinion in a sea of others. I'd generally say that writing a review on or very near launch day is counter-productive. There will always be server problems and 0 day bugs, but EA/Maxis/Origin have done an amazing job at an EPIC FAIL.

    I gave this some thought. How is it fair to rate an entire game based on server issues alone? My conclusion is this: How is it not? I paid for a game that requires an internet connection. Any idiot born since 1970 (or earlier) knows that means the game will require servers. Knowing this, the servers are an integral part of the package. They're just as essential as the premise, design and execution of the game play. Reasonable people should expect that a product they paid for should be available for use. Whether it be the first day or 3285th. Occasional server crashes and bugs are human error and random acts of electrons. 10s of thousands of Twitter reports and FB posts are something different. In my case, I was able to play once in 2 days of trying. In fact, I spent all day trying to play one damn time on any of the servers. I was not able to play.

    So, my review is hugely negative. If you think it's unfair to judge a game based on server problems, then you're entitled to your opinion. Me, I'm tired of getting the run-around from mega-corporations and shareholders who only care about greed. I'm sick of 1/2 baked excuses. From day 1 and forward, a game includes all its aspects, and a review should encompass all of it.    … Expand
  2. asy8492
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    Simcity has always been a single player game and out of numerous generation it has been through, this is by far the WORST one ever. No doubt gameplay is absolutely fun and better but the only drawback is due to the DRM. If EA think DRM can keep games from being pirated, well think again. You're being a scumbag to enforce DRM games at such a high cost but in turn provide the worst servicesSimcity has always been a single player game and out of numerous generation it has been through, this is by far the WORST one ever. No doubt gameplay is absolutely fun and better but the only drawback is due to the DRM. If EA think DRM can keep games from being pirated, well think again. You're being a scumbag to enforce DRM games at such a high cost but in turn provide the worst services ever. Shame on you EA. If you were a car I'd be smashing you with a baseball bat by now. I expected a better services with $80 but what I get is garbage.… Expand
  3. Au88
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    EA had YEARS to prepare for this launch. YEARS. What did they do with it? They let it go straight down a nasty toilet.

    This game was meant to be great, but always-on DRM isn't a winner in this category. Nobody likes it and EA is paying the price. Servers are constantly clogged. And if you play for a an hour, it will be slow and you'll suddenly be kicked off without any game    EA had YEARS to prepare for this launch. YEARS. What did they do with it? They let it go straight down a nasty toilet.

    This game was meant to be great, but always-on DRM isn't a winner in this category. Nobody likes it and EA is paying the price.

    Servers are constantly clogged. And if you play for a an hour, it will be slow and you'll suddenly be kicked off without any game save. Boom! All your work is gon!    … Expand
  4. tmas
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    I read a good review of the game and was excited to get it. The review was in the tech section of CNN or AP I forget which. I haven't been playing games for quite some time and I was feeling the need lately to immerse myself in a good game. So I went to the Gamestop next to my work and bought the boxed Simcity limited edition. I haven't been in that Gamestop in years. I had the next dayI read a good review of the game and was excited to get it. The review was in the tech section of CNN or AP I forget which. I haven't been playing games for quite some time and I was feeling the need lately to immerse myself in a good game. So I went to the Gamestop next to my work and bought the boxed Simcity limited edition. I haven't been in that Gamestop in years. I had the next day off and was planning on wasting it on this game(in a good way like I used to) It's been 5 hours now and I've only been able to partially play the tutorial for about 15minutes. Then when the tutorial had me try to connect to another city I got disconnected from the server, Game Over restart. Well I haven't actually been able to restart so just game over. What I did see looked pretty good but I'm not too sure about this on-line thing. No save/load is difficult for this veteran gamer. I think I'm done with gaming. Gonna go outside for a bike ride. DON'T BUY THIS GAME. To spend $60 on beta testing is totally unacceptable. Don't games get tested before release anymore? Their official website says "Most Anticipated of 2013" did the people responsible for this server disaster not see that info? PS the disparity between user reviews and paid critic reviews is very telling of the BS that they spew.… Expand
  5. Prince_Mammon
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    I barely have the words to describe the disappointment i felt after playing a few hours of SimCity. Having been an avid fan for many years i jumped into this with high hopes of gameplay. Now, the gameplay i didnt mind too much, its fun, though still quite a few bugs around. What kills the game however is the everything besides the actual ingame content.

    What enraged me to the point of    I barely have the words to describe the disappointment i felt after playing a few hours of SimCity. Having been an avid fan for many years i jumped into this with high hopes of gameplay. Now, the gameplay i didnt mind too much, its fun, though still quite a few bugs around. What kills the game however is the everything besides the actual ingame content.

    What enraged me to the point of physical arm waving was the fact that you had to be connected to the internet EVERY SINGLE MINUTE YOU PLAY THIS GAME. Combine this with highly unstable servers(And my router sometimes failing on me) resulted in me tens of times being trapped in the tutorial without being able to do anything, NOR GO AND PLAY THE REAL F*CKING GAME! But thats not all! Turns out that if you get disconnected during your gaming session your game might not be saved, which means that several hours of work suddenly goes down the drain. And to top the whole thing off: YOU CAN'T SAVE THE GAMES YOURSELF!

    The only thing that made me feel marginally better was the fact that thousands of others expressed their fury online. I recommend you all to rather wait for a pirated version where you CAN ATLEAST PLAY OFFLINE, rather than buying this smoking pile of animal dung. But don't take my word for it, just have a chat with one (or all) of the thousands of other gamers who seem to agree with me.    … Expand
  6. Duanedibly
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    Probably the worst global release of a game in the history of gaming. Always on DRM would be ok if they didnt pinch pennies and actually had the infastructure to support their product. They dont and as such this game is a failure at launch. I am not sure it will recover.
  7. Gnawer
    Jul 19, 2013
    1
    I played both SimCity 4 and The Sims. This game plays more like The Sims. Compared to SimCity 4, it's a game for children about virtual doll houses, not a city planning simulator. I don't get all the critics' reviews about how beautifully planned and well-made it is. It does look good visually, which is no surprise, considering how old previous SimCity is. But it's way too oversimplifiedI played both SimCity 4 and The Sims. This game plays more like The Sims. Compared to SimCity 4, it's a game for children about virtual doll houses, not a city planning simulator. I don't get all the critics' reviews about how beautifully planned and well-made it is. It does look good visually, which is no surprise, considering how old previous SimCity is. But it's way too oversimplified and does not bring anything new for people who want to think a little, not just make ohhs and ahhs at the shiny colors and funny little people walking around. So, it would be a meh game, even if it wasn't for the mega offensive DRM.… Expand
  8. harbalck2
    Mar 8, 2013
    1
    The game, if you can actually get past the server issues to access it, actually seems fairly fun and engaging. The problem is you're extremely unlikely to actually be able to access it, and even if you do, odds are that you'll be disconnected soon enough and lose everything you've done up to that point. That mutiplayer is being shoehorned into a singleplayer game is bad enough, that aThe game, if you can actually get past the server issues to access it, actually seems fairly fun and engaging. The problem is you're extremely unlikely to actually be able to access it, and even if you do, odds are that you'll be disconnected soon enough and lose everything you've done up to that point. That mutiplayer is being shoehorned into a singleplayer game is bad enough, that a game in a traditionally singleplayer series can only be played while online is terrible, but the fact it has been implemented so awfully is unforgivable.
    Note the server issues are bad enough that at least one critic review has been changed (Polygon's: from 9.5 to 4) but due to metacritics policy this isn't reflected in the game's metascore.    … Expand
  9. LeoWashington
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    I have been able to play 3 hours since launch. Being forced to play through Origin, (which didn't predownload the game), and being forced to go online was a hard pill to swallow. Now the servers have crashed and nearly 4 days after game was scheduled to be out I still can't play. The little amount of time I did play was ok. City size was too small, then I didn't know what to do. ThoughtI have been able to play 3 hours since launch. Being forced to play through Origin, (which didn't predownload the game), and being forced to go online was a hard pill to swallow. Now the servers have crashed and nearly 4 days after game was scheduled to be out I still can't play. The little amount of time I did play was ok. City size was too small, then I didn't know what to do. Thought the game play was too easy. I also dont' get why it wants this Evil Vu character to turn my citizens into criminals. No I don't want to turn this business into a mafia esque stranglehold. The amount of joy I had playing my first city for 3 hours was quickly wiped away when 2 other cities were lost without the ability to save when the game consistanstly crashed. I was hesitant of EA. I will never buy another EA game.… Expand
  10. Dolken
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    To small, to dumb, to DRM, and u cannot save the game. Its a puke in the face and they laugh as they take your money. It gets 1 casue without EA it had potential to be a good game.
  11. Cabal190406
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    Atrocious Game. First day I received this and it's unplayable. If you want to buy this, wait till a few weeks to get this sort out then buy it. Otherwise steer well clear. It's not worth your money to buy it for AU$79 and then you realize you can't play this at all.
    This review won't change until EA sorts out its problems
  12. giveaphuk
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    i am giving this game 1, for the one (amazing) hour I got to play.. I would give it a 10 if only it wasn't for the 9 HOURS i've spent trying to log in. (I pre-ordered the game even took a sick day to stay home play)

    & now I know I am NEVER buying a single player game that requires I be online to play NEVER pre-ordering from EA again, as I have no faith in them delivering as promised.
  13. Overand
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    For the 25 minutes I was able to play this game, I enjoyed it, though the interface was slightly non-intuitive in some areas. The small map size does seem to be an issue, but that's been my only complaint with the game design itself., as far as I was able to see it. The interface around updates, server chocies, etc is also somewhat non-intuitive, and even the updating patching systemFor the 25 minutes I was able to play this game, I enjoyed it, though the interface was slightly non-intuitive in some areas. The small map size does seem to be an issue, but that's been my only complaint with the game design itself., as far as I was able to see it. The interface around updates, server chocies, etc is also somewhat non-intuitive, and even the updating patching system seems to be buggy.

    Of course, the obvious thing here is that I've spent $60 USD on a game I got to play for less than a half-hour that's not a very good hourly rate.I could have seen 5 2-hour movies for that rate, and certainly would have enjoyed myself more, if I at least chose good films.

    Not being able to play a game I purchased? Totally miserable. (Yes, as lawyers will point out, I only LICENSED it but that just points to the broken business model and legal system around software). The future of DRM is that it's going to ruin gaming. I read the warnings, and I made a choice to spend money on a big-studio game. It's a mistake I won't likely be making again soon I'll be going back to my independent, small-studio games. At least they work.    … Expand
  14. Steinus
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    The game is defective. It's as simple as that. The servers are down or experiencing difficulties and it's not possible to play the game away from the servers. EA must be doing something right, though, as they managed thousands of players to buy an unplayable game that costs over 100$ or 70£. (600NOK)
  15. Godhimself
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    Day-1 DLC:Check. Always online DRM:Check. Forced to use Origin spyware: Check. Dumbed down mechanics and removed features: Check.
    This is one of the worst pieces of garbage gaming has put out in the last few years, shame on EA, MAXIS, and anyone who gives this game a good rating.Nice bribes, EA.
  16. bubbers214
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    I typically have no issues with DRM, but when it makes a game I just purchased unplayable for what's going on 2 days now, it's impossible not to have problems with it. It's a shame that EA has ruined what could be and probably is actually a good/great game. The times I have been successful at actually playing, I have enjoyed it. However, the current server situation has made me decideI typically have no issues with DRM, but when it makes a game I just purchased unplayable for what's going on 2 days now, it's impossible not to have problems with it. It's a shame that EA has ruined what could be and probably is actually a good/great game. The times I have been successful at actually playing, I have enjoyed it. However, the current server situation has made me decide to abandon my attempts to play at this point and with my current backlog, that may mean never picking up this game again. It's a shame for Maxis and EA. One lesson that companies like EA still aren't learning is that stress testing involves much more than a closed beta limited to a small number of people. There is no way this will replicate what will happen on launch day. Companies like these need to understand that adequate testing is paramount for a successful launch and take what you feel to be reasonable performance with load and double it. If you're enough to admit in an interview that you are beyond ready for what's to come, you better be ready for it.… Expand
  17. trimitri
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    Map is wayyy too small. This game is only game's marketing that's all Price, dlc joke from EA and FORCED ONLINE DRM. What a waste for the franchise....
  18. SirBunnyEater
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    Complete failure of EA servers makes the game unplayable. The actual game is great from the little I've been able to play. Alas the constant failure to get in game and when I do I get booted crash has caused me great frustration. AVOID AT ALL COSTS. A waste of I understand there may be issues on release day but to have even worse issues after 2 whole days is unacceptable. They claim theyComplete failure of EA servers makes the game unplayable. The actual game is great from the little I've been able to play. Alas the constant failure to get in game and when I do I get booted crash has caused me great frustration. AVOID AT ALL COSTS. A waste of I understand there may be issues on release day but to have even worse issues after 2 whole days is unacceptable. They claim they have offered a refund but many people who have tried have been denied and have posted their conversations with EA tech support online. You can rest assured that this is the very last EA game I will purchase in quite some time. Maybe someday they will redeem themselves but that will take quite a bit of work to accomplish.… Expand
  19. FirstAidErrata
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    So I just bought this game with my hard earned money and just want to enjoy a night of SimCity on my day off. Guess what, oh yeah I can't play a single player game because EA's crappy servers won't let me. So what did I pay for? Not only are you shoving this DRM "social experience" crap down my throat but you won't even let me play a game on my own that I paid for? The game itself is alsoSo I just bought this game with my hard earned money and just want to enjoy a night of SimCity on my day off. Guess what, oh yeah I can't play a single player game because EA's crappy servers won't let me. So what did I pay for? Not only are you shoving this DRM "social experience" crap down my throat but you won't even let me play a game on my own that I paid for? The game itself is also bugged. Since you can't save due to server issues but also the game itself feels unfinished. The city maximum is SO SMALL! WHY?! Is it also due to server capacity?

    This year seems to be the biggest debacle for gaming fans from EA. With microtransactions and now always online bullcrap. I was already skeptical of EA since you guys ruined Mass Effect and Dragon Age. I don't think I'll buy another piece of your crap products again.    … Expand
  20. rockmegax
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    What were they thinking?
    We tried to warn them to not do this "on-line only" but they refused to listen! Now they have a bunch of players who can't play the game because of connection issues. Never support this kind of DRM! It will just harm the consumer! They will shut down the servers in a few years and the players will be locked out.
    They should have made Sim City just like a normal    What were they thinking?
    We tried to warn them to not do this "on-line only" but they refused to listen! Now they have a bunch of players who can't play the game because of connection issues. Never support this kind of DRM! It will just harm the consumer! They will shut down the servers in a few years and the players will be locked out.
    They should have made Sim City just like a normal game, but with multiplayer capabilities. Remember Sim City 2000 Network Edition? I don't know if it had a good multiplayer (I played the normal 2000), but it's close to what I am trying to describe.
    Come on! What's up with the city size? Why is it so small? Where are the huge cities from SC4? I was playing another city simulator game today and realized that the city I spent 30 minutes building already reached the same size as Sim City's.
    Good work EA! You guys destroyed many franchises I loved (C&C, Sim City, SWTOR, DA).
    I am giving this game a 1 because the "Sim Villages" looks cute from very far away.    … Expand
  21. NilartPax
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    I go and buy SimCity in a retail store... only to find out the only thing on the disk is actually something called "Origins", which apparently some kind of crappy steam wannabe. THE GAME IS NOT ON THE DISK! I have to download something like 13-14 GB of data, which is the actual game! YOU THINK THIS IS OKAY! DO YOU REALLY! NO WHERE ON THE BOX DOES IT SAY "GAME NOT INCLUDED: MUST BEI go and buy SimCity in a retail store... only to find out the only thing on the disk is actually something called "Origins", which apparently some kind of crappy steam wannabe. THE GAME IS NOT ON THE DISK! I have to download something like 13-14 GB of data, which is the actual game! YOU THINK THIS IS OKAY! DO YOU REALLY! NO WHERE ON THE BOX DOES IT SAY "GAME NOT INCLUDED: MUST BE DOWNLOADED. THIS IS JUST A GAME CLIENT HIDDEN IN THIS BOX."

    After I wait the 4-ish hours it takes to download (clearly not using torrent-type installer... download way lower than max speeds for my connection). the game servers are full... unable to play.

    last night at about midnight MST I was able to play... for about an hour. The game itself was... okay. Cities are smaller than even the original simcity. the game is fun... but not the "deepest simcity" it was touted as.

    Then "Unable to sync with server". I have a feeling that my city didn't get saved on the so-called cloud servers though this morning I was unable to log in to check.

    I filed a complaint with the BBB during lunch after again trying to log in and being unable to.    … Expand
  22. Icely
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    I think when the servers are up and running this game will be one of the best. But as of right now it is busted. I would suggest waiting on buying the game as of right now. if one has bought it and is not happy. dont bother trying to go to EA for a refund they will just deny you. I would call your credit card company and ask for a Charge Back. Its to bad EA is greedy they could of had aI think when the servers are up and running this game will be one of the best. But as of right now it is busted. I would suggest waiting on buying the game as of right now. if one has bought it and is not happy. dont bother trying to go to EA for a refund they will just deny you. I would call your credit card company and ask for a Charge Back. Its to bad EA is greedy they could of had a great game. Would have worked allot better with Steam.… Expand
  23. 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.
  24. 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.
  25. 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
  26. 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
  27. 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...
  28. 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
  29. 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
  30. Karybdis
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    As a Simcity player since the early 90's, it seriously pains me to write this review. I also helped develop much of the modding infrastructure for Simcity 4, so I thought this game was a no-brainer.

    Unfortunately, it's currently a paperweight. I don't know what to say. I bought two copies, so my wife and I could play the game together. Social city building with friends is touted as the    As a Simcity player since the early 90's, it seriously pains me to write this review. I also helped develop much of the modding infrastructure for Simcity 4, so I thought this game was a no-brainer.

    Unfortunately, it's currently a paperweight. I don't know what to say. I bought two copies, so my wife and I could play the game together. Social city building with friends is touted as the reason for the online component. Never have we been able to login at the same time, on the same server. There are constant bugs that crash you at some point during the login process regardless. I have been able to get into my first city 2 times after hours of trying, for about 10 minutes each.

    Not only this, but you can't switch servers without losing your cities BY DESIGN, and if you get disconnected from the internet, you lose all your work from that session.

    I can't even comment on the thing because I can't play it. It's too broken.

    To quote other people, what they should have done is made Simcity 4 with better graphics and some of the mods from the last 10 years included. It would have been a far better experience, and it would actually be playable.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
64

Mixed or average reviews - based on 75 Critic Reviews

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