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. Strat77X
    Mar 5, 2013
    0
    Game is literally unplayable due to EA's DRM scheme. After installing the game, and signing up for the Origin DRM system, I click on the Tutorial. It crashes the game and the game freezes when I try to restart it to try again. OK, next time I get on the game, I'm at a different menu that has a "Play Game" option. I click on that, it offers me a few choices of where I want to build myGame is literally unplayable due to EA's DRM scheme. After installing the game, and signing up for the Origin DRM system, I click on the Tutorial. It crashes the game and the game freezes when I try to restart it to try again. OK, next time I get on the game, I'm at a different menu that has a "Play Game" option. I click on that, it offers me a few choices of where I want to build my city. I figure out which one I like, and I get the message, "Unable to create your city at this time." This product is literally unplayable, I suggest everyone requests a refund, and then we'll think about trying this game again when it works. Also, LOL at the disconnect between user experience and reviewers on here scoring the game. How much are they paying the review site owners?… Expand
  2. ousmokeit2
    Mar 5, 2013
    0
    Server reached maximum capacity!!! Must say that I will never fall into this DRM crap again!! And never buy from EA!! Didn't learn my lesson from SWTOR I guess
  3. SimSuck
    Mar 5, 2013
    1
    Created an account just to sign this petition of pissed-off users. Since I cannot even use this game when promised, I give it a zero. I decided to be generous and give it a 1; you do have pretty pictures of what I think the game will look like. Too bad pictures on a website and a launcher that doesn't launch is all I get for my cash. MAXIS, you have my $60 and I have 30 gigs of wastedCreated an account just to sign this petition of pissed-off users. Since I cannot even use this game when promised, I give it a zero. I decided to be generous and give it a 1; you do have pretty pictures of what I think the game will look like. Too bad pictures on a website and a launcher that doesn't launch is all I get for my cash. MAXIS, you have my $60 and I have 30 gigs of wasted hard drive space. Thanks.… Expand
  4. ruiner4u
    Mar 5, 2013
    0
    This steaming pile of coded crap is nothing but a polished up version of Societies. There is nothing new, or innovative to this game. The small city plot size is a joke.

    DO NOT BUY THIS GAME IF you loved simcity 4, or 2000.

    However, if you want a POS facebook game, waste 60 bux.
  5. belnac
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Just registered on this website to voice my strong criticism of always-online DRM that affects the single player mode of the game. Although any form of DRM is evil and should be resisted by us, the consumers, the fact that the single player mode of Simcity was designed to require a persistent connection to EA's servers is simply beyond belief. Electronic Arts, the biggest video gameJust registered on this website to voice my strong criticism of always-online DRM that affects the single player mode of the game. Although any form of DRM is evil and should be resisted by us, the consumers, the fact that the single player mode of Simcity was designed to require a persistent connection to EA's servers is simply beyond belief. Electronic Arts, the biggest video game publisher/developer in the world should know better. Don't buy this game; if you have, get a refund.… Expand
  6. bar10dr
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    It should be named Sim Town, not Sim City, because you can't make cities like you could in the previous versions, only small towns. You can switch to different districts and they share some things so you can sell power or garbage to your other towns, they are not even connected, so you see it as different small towns.

    I can't even log in atm. because there is a huge line to play, it's terrible.
  7. greanthai420
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    The large city in this game is smaller than the smallest city you could build in earlier games.
    Log on queue when i just want to play my game alone.
    Cartoony graphics designed for autistic child.

    Cancer of gaming. Blunder of the year.
  8. Memmett
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    If they would have called it 'SimCity Social I wouldn't have minded so much. As it stands, it's more like false advertising.

    Let's go through this quickly: horrendous server issues, a pretty much unnecessary mandatory online only connection, almost facist DRM, tiny plots of land that are not much bigger than the village I live in, horrible right-angle 'freeway' connections, which are    If they would have called it 'SimCity Social I wouldn't have minded so much. As it stands, it's more like false advertising.

    Let's go through this quickly: horrendous server issues, a pretty much unnecessary mandatory online only connection, almost facist DRM, tiny plots of land that are not much bigger than the village I live in, horrible right-angle 'freeway' connections, which are totally uneditable, huge swathes of land that are permanently out of reach, overcomplicated and completely unnecessary information on individual citizens (this isn't Tropico...), a permanently depleting water table, inability to restore cities (probably the thing I hate most about this game). I mean, the server issues and ridiculous price they expect people to pay for this game seem trivial compared to this.

    For balance, i'll put the things I enjoy: curved roads (excellent!), tilt shift works pretty well, modular building is an excellent idea, the ability to share utilities and buildings between cities is BRILLIANT, some parts of the social experiment are quite interesting.

    But it just isn't SimCity. That's what a lot of 'us' expected, and I think we were quite right too. It's not everyday that a game that has been as a good as dead for 10 years comes back to life. It's not everyday that this inspires such a huge reaction, and (fortunately) it's not everyday that a game that was previously a thoroughly fun, expansive and dare I say it adult experience gets reduced to a glorified Facebook game.

    Appalling.    … Expand
  9. Cosmin
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Requesting online presence just to play an offline game is simply unacceptable.

    Having said that, there were plenty of publishers out there that had the same problems (see Blizzard and their Diablo III). The only real solution is to not buy the game. Problem is for instance that EA doesn't accept refunds, so not buying the game in the first place is the only way to go. In an era    Requesting online presence just to play an offline game is simply unacceptable.

    Having said that, there were plenty of publishers out there that had the same problems (see Blizzard and their Diablo III). The only real solution is to not buy the game. Problem is for instance that EA doesn't accept refunds, so not buying the game in the first place is the only way to go.

    In an era where games like The Witcher 1 and 2 are launched also DRM-free (GOG.com), EA should actually learn how to adapt or perish. Either way, strongy not reccomended to buy Simcity 5.    … Expand
  10. SteveGC
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    The online-only nature of this game is an absolute deal breaker. Do not buy!! Poor service history by Origin means don't get bitten again. Until EA wakes up and delivers a stand-alone version, don't waste your money.
  11. thom0975
    Mar 6, 2013
    1
    Are you kidding me? Even when you can get through to play a game you can play for approximately 30 minutes before the servers begin to have issues- and then you're lucky (LUCKY) if you're 30 minutes are synced. What's more- once you try to reestablish a connection- you're usually greeted with another queue to get back to the game the server kicked you off playing.
    That's okay- you    Are you kidding me? Even when you can get through to play a game you can play for approximately 30 minutes before the servers begin to have issues- and then you're lucky (LUCKY) if you're 30 minutes are synced. What's more- once you try to reestablish a connection- you're usually greeted with another queue to get back to the game the server kicked you off playing.
    That's okay- you think- I'll just go to sandbox mode--- that can't possibly require a constant connection- Wrong-O! Hmm--- maybe a Private Sandbox--- that's another whole lotta Nope. What could be a charming and successful sim is marred- irreparably so- by a faulty and slipshod implementation. Chalk this user up to another that will (WILL) be getting refunded by EA, or disputing a credit card charge.    … Expand
  12. Mars138
    Mar 6, 2013
    1
    Pros: Fun gameplay* and beautiful graphics. (*Assuming you can actually play.)
    Cons: Highly restrictive city map size.
    Conclusion: Simcity is a spectacular game rendered next to useless do to the fact that your chances of actually getting on EA's haggard servers is questionable. It gets a 1 out of 10 which I feel is generous considering I can't even play the game.
  13. maxhym
    Mar 6, 2013
    2
    I am so disappointed that i want to cry. HUGE fan of sim city 4 (certainly more than 1 000 hours in 10 years) This game isn't a sim city anymore, it is a f***ing Facebook social sim village-city. Ridiculously easy, stupidly small and uselessly social. IT is a shame Maxis and EA, shame on you And shame on sold video games websites that gave this game a good rate, which is certainly notI am so disappointed that i want to cry. HUGE fan of sim city 4 (certainly more than 1 000 hours in 10 years) This game isn't a sim city anymore, it is a f***ing Facebook social sim village-city. Ridiculously easy, stupidly small and uselessly social. IT is a shame Maxis and EA, shame on you And shame on sold video games websites that gave this game a good rate, which is certainly not deserved. I hope Desperately that some TRUE sim-city fan will develop a kickstarted project.… Expand
  14. KMcQuach
    Mar 6, 2013
    2
    Wow! I'm so disappointed with how the game going so far. I lost 2 newly start-up cities already because of disconnection. I've high expectations for this game since it cost $60.
  15. bbrossard
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    The game itself is okay. It certainly isn't the best SimCity game, but it's a good place to start on an update for the franchise.

    The inability for Maxis/EA to keep it's required servers online, however, is a deal breaker. The game can't even be opened unless it phones home to Maxis and then stays connected throughout the gameplay. This presents a major problem when Maxis has simply    The game itself is okay. It certainly isn't the best SimCity game, but it's a good place to start on an update for the franchise.

    The inability for Maxis/EA to keep it's required servers online, however, is a deal breaker. The game can't even be opened unless it phones home to Maxis and then stays connected throughout the gameplay. This presents a major problem when Maxis has simply failed at keeping these servers online.

    The game has been unplayable for days. This is an unacceptable way to treat your customers. Maxis should be ashamed.    … Expand
  16. orsanx
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    This is the second game that I've bought from EA and will be the last. There is absolutely no excuse for the totally unplayable state of the game at launch which is purely due to the ridiculous DRM safeguards that ES seemed compelled to implement for no legitimate reason.
    I will be returning my copy to EB Games first thing tomorrow morning. I have played a lot of games at launch. Some    This is the second game that I've bought from EA and will be the last. There is absolutely no excuse for the totally unplayable state of the game at launch which is purely due to the ridiculous DRM safeguards that ES seemed compelled to implement for no legitimate reason.
    I will be returning my copy to EB Games first thing tomorrow morning. I have played a lot of games at launch. Some have had their lag and connection issues. World of Warcraft and Diablo 3 spring to mind. None have even come close to being as truly awful as SIm City.
    If telling people the game will be largely unplayable for them at this point of time counts as a spoiler maybe I should tick the box.    … Expand
  17. vfrederik
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    This is completely unacceptable.. Unable to play a game I just bought, BECAUSE OF YOUR SERVERS EA! I've had enough of you and your cooperate ways of destroying everything good.. I DEMAND A REFUND!
  18. Skyggefax
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    A huge fat 0 from me. Reason i can't play the game since the servers are down which really shouldn't be a problem in a single player game in the first place.
  19. 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.
  20. Mainio
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Such great decision to force always online requirement on Simcity, and now i can't even login to play singleplayer game, and im not only one. European release was botched also, no one can't play atm. Good job EA!
  21. ChargedLS
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Just crap, bought it and still havnt been able to play it. No EA support getting bloody sick of having to start an account and download some crappy client with every game developer out there. Origin is and EA is a sell out.
  22. Daneoid
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Everything good about the simcity games removed and replaced with an unplayable multiplayer. No deep simulation, the best road layout is 1 snaking road with no intersections, glassbox is just a big cop out to produce a half arsed game. R.I.P Simcity.
  23. DarthSmee
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Most of us remember the 1984 Apple advert, directed by Ridley Scott, showing Microsoft as a big brother-like figure, abusing consumer's rights. Flash-forward a couple of decades... it seems more like a depiction of EA and their DRM policy. Remember, remember the days when the games you bought actually belonged to you! Don't tolerate this non-sense from EA. They are greedy trend-settersMost of us remember the 1984 Apple advert, directed by Ridley Scott, showing Microsoft as a big brother-like figure, abusing consumer's rights. Flash-forward a couple of decades... it seems more like a depiction of EA and their DRM policy. Remember, remember the days when the games you bought actually belonged to you! Don't tolerate this non-sense from EA. They are greedy trend-setters that will make this the norm for computer games one day. Consoles are already on this slippery slope. Remind EA that your money is in their bank account. This is a good game ruined by a fat-cat corporation. Their DRM is not just for piracy protection. Spore was pirated before it was even released so the DRM does nothing to curb piracy. Yes, this review sounds political but just compare the computer game industry to what it was 20 years ago, and also keep in mind the gaming industry makes more money than the film industry. Gaming is big! And you pretty much get told how to play your games these days… Expand
  24. Mikehi5
    Mar 8, 2013
    0
    ATTENTION!!! Do not buy this game!! I wish someone had notified me before I wasted my money on this garbage, so hopefully I can help someone else out. I've just wasted 6 hours of my life trying to get this game to work properly and there is no hope. For those who are skeptical, just google "SimCity Servers" or "Simcity Problems". The critic reviews must have been based on a versionATTENTION!!! Do not buy this game!! I wish someone had notified me before I wasted my money on this garbage, so hopefully I can help someone else out. I've just wasted 6 hours of my life trying to get this game to work properly and there is no hope. For those who are skeptical, just google "SimCity Servers" or "Simcity Problems". The critic reviews must have been based on a version that did not require online connectivity through Origin and it's servers.

    Strike 1- If you've ever played any SimCity, you know that it is a single player game and there is really no need for internet access.

    Strike 2- If EA was going to force the online DRM on us, they should have at least made sure that you can actually get online... You can't, I can't, and no one has been able to since the game launched days ago.

    Strike 3- It would be nice if you could save the game so you could save what little progress you might make before the game fails. Of course, you cannot even save the game when you want to. Strike, er 4?- Adding insult to injury, one must complete the tutorial before getting to actual gameplay. Since you cannot get through the tutorial without the game crashing and cannot save your progress, you are perpetually stuck replaying the first 5 minutes of the tutorial... Awful.

    To heck with it, Strike 5- EA should at least be communicating honestly with purchasers/customers about the errors rather than posting blatant lies about how only a small percentage is unable to play and ridiculous excuses on why its not working or how its being fixed and when.

    Supreme fail by EA.    … Expand
  25. Mddlr
    Mar 11, 2013
    0
    Take £45 out your pocket and burn it, at least you will get some warmth. My point is, this game is unplayable and a total waste of cash. The server issues due to online DRM ensure that you wont be able to play this game. No point reviewing this any further, its just unplayable.
  26. Janiszewski
    Mar 12, 2013
    1
    One of the most frustrating experience I ever had. Can't change my "game name", can't join to region, even can't play my saved cities if servers are unaccessible. SimCity franchise is now dead for me, after 'SimCity Societes' and this piece of... something I will never buy this title again.
  27. Goordon
    Mar 12, 2013
    0
    I also wanted to write a review on here because my frustration reached the maximum level it could ever reach. I am normally a calm person. I normally never rage. But this release is my personal disappointment of the year. I can even predict that nothing 2013 will disapoint me more, because what simcity did is the worst "design-mistake" someone can actually do.

    1. Small Cities.    I also wanted to write a review on here because my frustration reached the maximum level it could ever reach. I am normally a calm person. I normally never rage. But this release is my personal disappointment of the year. I can even predict that nothing 2013 will disapoint me more, because what simcity did is the worst "design-mistake" someone can actually do.

    1.

    Small Cities.

    Maxis is lieing at us saying that bigger cities arent possible because of performance restrictions the engine gives us. Thats wrong. The real problem is their DRM always online stuff. They save our cities locally on THEIR servers. Youre not able to create a local savegame. If we would be able to have local savegames, the game would actually easily run on 10 times bigger cities. But because they had to bring in their always online DRM protection they accept smaller cities wich results in a much smaller long-term fun level.

    2.

    Savegames.

    Savegames on their servers? Why? To sync your city region to the other players? Thats maybe a good thing but it's implemented poorly. Sometimes you just disconnect from a server or they have a maintenance running. If you continue playing now have fun seeing your city rolled back hours when you reload your savegame later. Or the savegame is gone fully. Why not create some kind of backup savegame locally? That could'nt be too hard. Just sync it with the online servers the next time you login.

    3.

    Server capacities.

    They try to fix the problem by adding more and more servers. They actually know that this wont help at all. Why? Simple: The single server capacity is just not enough. I've read in a post that one server can take about 90.000 people. Ive no clue if thats true. I dont even care. But even if a server is able to take half a million players, it will result in problems. Always. What they are aiming for is was your money. Now they have it they wait until a few players drop the game because they are frustrated. On Twitter they only answer to "lol look at my city". Like everything's fine. Then, sometimes they say "Hey look theres a new server online! Check it out!". You enter the server and you see the next worst possible design idea ever: The savegames are'nt even synced to other servers. You have to begin a new Savegame on every single server. If your server is full (lets say 90k people play on it), you come back from work and just want to play simcity for another hour you just simply cant. Well you can.. begin a new city. But you can not continue your current city. What the hell Maxis, what the hell.

    4.

    "Experts".

    These people call themselves experts developing such games. Why. Why the hell are these people even allowed to be called like that. Not thinking about the single server capacity why are they miscalculating the load on the first few days? Why are they panicing NOW when its much too late that theres not enough server capacity. Why are they acting like its a big problem to bring up a few more servers online within just one day? Well, if they are doing it right the only thing should actually be setting up a simple server and run their server software wich registers another server in some central server so the players are able to see it. I bet they are'nt even able to do that. They did some hypercomplicated piece of non optimized software. I am pretty sure.

    5.

    The game will never run properly.

    Why? Simply because this kind of game is not able to work out properly. Savegames will disappear as soon as theres a maintenance. And there will always be one. Your cities roll back. You come back from work and your server is crowded. You cannot play. You probably find the time to play it once a week. If youve the time your server is just full and you're done with it. Next week the same. Also: An offline patch is probably not even possible because of their weird system. It would take "too much efford" to make a singleplayer game singleplayer (offline). If youve a nice savegame on a server wich is usually more crowded you can actually forget about it. You will never have fun with this savegame anymore. Savegame port on another server is not possible. Its also not syncing as said earlier.

    6.

    The game itself.

    The game itself is also actually poorly made, mainly because of these small cities, wich could be soooo pretty and big but because of DRM and online restrictions they will never be able to reach a proper size.
    The game feels pretty okay but if you play it for more than two hours you can easily realise how poorly it's made im a coder myself i know alot about whats cheap and whats not Simcity shall be called a pretty facebook game thats it.

    7.

    I've had trust in them to make it properly.

    But this once again shows me has proven me that even multi billion companies are not able to properly create a good and also brainful online experience. Never again. Never.    … Expand
  28. SeptimusOctopus
    Mar 12, 2013
    1
    This game is a mess. It's a mélange of poorly implemented bad ideas. For starters it's designed around region play. So you get to build a city and trade resources and services with other cities. That's a pretty good idea, and it was implemented rather successfully in Simcity 4, so it makes sense to add an online multiplayer aspect to that portion of the game. However, intercity tradeThis game is a mess. It's a mélange of poorly implemented bad ideas. For starters it's designed around region play. So you get to build a city and trade resources and services with other cities. That's a pretty good idea, and it was implemented rather successfully in Simcity 4, so it makes sense to add an online multiplayer aspect to that portion of the game. However, intercity trade is horribly buggy. You can initiate trade with another city and not see the results of this for several hours. Given that this mechanic is the foundation of the game's required online component, it's terrible execution severely damages the game from the outset.

    Beyond that, the act of building up your own city features a wealth of bugs and poor design decisions as well. The agent-based simulation, while a cool idea, is extremely processor intensive. The average computer this game is designed for simply cannot handle enough agents to accurately simulate a city. Working within that constraint, Maxis has given us the smallest city maps to date for the franchise. They've said that they're the size of Simcity 4's medium maps, but in game this simply does not seem to be the case. You will run out of room, and despite what others have said, this is not a fun challenge to overcome. To make matters worse the regions have huge spaces between cities that mock your overcrowded city map and cause a fully developed region to look ridiculous in the process.

    Additionally, the resource extraction and utilization mechanic is a truly odd addition to the franchise. I suppose in Soviet Russia it makes sense for a city to run a television factory, but it is simply out of place in Simcity. It would have made infinitely more sense to require the mayor of a resource-rich city to balance business, industrial, and environmental from a governmental perspective instead of allowing the player to open their own mining operation. Also, once the supply chain is set up selling electronics is game-breakingly profitable, to the tune of millions of simoleons per day.

    I won't go into detail on the issue of DRM, but suffice it to say the forced online component would be a bad idea even if it worked properly. However, this game would also fail as a single-player game, so there really isn't anything of value lost due to the always-online restriction.    … Expand
  29. Papagiorgio
    Mar 12, 2013
    0
    No excuse for utterly broken always-online DRM and forced "Cloud saves" (i.e. you can't save and reload cities to experiment, a cornerstone of the franchise) for what is fundamentally a single player game.
  30. Nadz_
    Mar 12, 2013
    1
    The game is fundamentally flawed. Both in design, concept and execution. Beyond the frankly unforgivable server issues at launch, the ridiculousness of online only gameplay for a single player experience, and the apualing response from EA. There are many issues with the game that run very deep into the core of its design, most of which frustratingly become noticeable after sinking (orThe game is fundamentally flawed. Both in design, concept and execution. Beyond the frankly unforgivable server issues at launch, the ridiculousness of online only gameplay for a single player experience, and the apualing response from EA. There are many issues with the game that run very deep into the core of its design, most of which frustratingly become noticeable after sinking (or wasting) several hours playing. The biggest grip I am seeing from people though is that the map size is too small. I agree, it soon becomes apparent that your most important resource by far is space to build. My fond childhood memories of build large sprawling metropolises and micro managing down to the finest details have been completely tarnished. This reboot is nothing short of an insult to the SimCity franchise and all those involved should be ashamed. (Unfortunately as we all know EA never learns)… Expand
  31. Ktarro
    Mar 12, 2013
    3
    O jogo perde a conexão com bastante frequência, server lotados o tempo todo, não tem nenhum server na America do sul. Deveria ter a opção de jogar off-line sem ter uma conexão constante com a internet isso pra mim o pior. Acho que a manutenção e o custo de edifícios e serviços são um pouco exagerados para uma nova cidade.
  32. Chisan
    Mar 12, 2013
    0
    Always on blatant DRM? Day one DLC with an EA guarantee for bucket loads of additional DLC? Tiny map sizes to crush your creative ability? All this and more in SimCity! Run the buggy and taxing Origin while playing! Watch as one of your favorite games gets ruined by a money grubbing corporation! Give EA all the money! And when all is said and done, and EA is tired of supporting the serversAlways on blatant DRM? Day one DLC with an EA guarantee for bucket loads of additional DLC? Tiny map sizes to crush your creative ability? All this and more in SimCity! Run the buggy and taxing Origin while playing! Watch as one of your favorite games gets ruined by a money grubbing corporation! Give EA all the money! And when all is said and done, and EA is tired of supporting the servers for some reason or another, you too can lose your ability to play the game you purchased!

    Or, of course, you could just not buy the game. Maybe buy some other game like Tropico 4. Maybe show EA that they need to fix this crap they are doing. Maybe even do some pirating of the game once it is inevitably cracked. Anything to tell them that they've ruined the franchise. And maybe, just maybe, if the Sun and the Moon and Jupiter and Venus and Mars and Mercury all line up perfectly to the Earth and the center of the Galaxy, maybe EA will actually get around to changing some of the features to allow for people to have the proper playing experience. Personally, I'm not above purchasing the game if they actually went and fixed what was wrong. It'd show improvement, yeah?

    TL,DR version: Maybe don't purchase the game. It's bad, Mmkay.    … Expand
  33. Abedecain
    Mar 12, 2013
    0
    I was so frustrated and annoyed with this game I took it back to the store and demanded a refund, apparently I was the 5th one that day!

    This game is meant to be a single player with endless creativity, instead its pushed into a small box with lots of other people, I don't think minecraft would of done so well if it had gone down the same route. Do you really think EA cares, all they    I was so frustrated and annoyed with this game I took it back to the store and demanded a refund, apparently I was the 5th one that day!

    This game is meant to be a single player with endless creativity, instead its pushed into a small box with lots of other people, I don't think minecraft would of done so well if it had gone down the same route.

    Do you really think EA cares, all they want is your money, so DEMAND a refund!    … Expand
  34. Sirous
    Mar 12, 2013
    2
    Aside from the server and always online issues. There are some major bugs in the game that need to get fixed as well. With more gamebreaking bugs being found every day it seems. Traffic is the number one issue, only a few people have managed to truly trick the simulator and keep a good traffic flow going. A normal city layout and traffic pattern will not work and you need to fool the simsAside from the server and always online issues. There are some major bugs in the game that need to get fixed as well. With more gamebreaking bugs being found every day it seems. Traffic is the number one issue, only a few people have managed to truly trick the simulator and keep a good traffic flow going. A normal city layout and traffic pattern will not work and you need to fool the sims into going the way you want them too. Not normal, but tricks are needed. Essential services are broken, Fire trucks will all respond to the same fire, leaving others burning. They will all then go to the next fire and so on. Pathfinding on these is also horrendous, watching wrong turns and u-turns abound. Busses will do the same thing, they will all take the same paths and stop at the same stops over and over again. Anything far away in a densely packed city may never see a bus, or all of them at the same time. Very odd. Anything over 100k city will only see around 10% actually doing anything. While your city is demanding more workers and more shoppers. There are many more, Aside from the server issues, this promised to be a good game. Digging into it, it is hopelessly broken. Simulation fails on just about every level one could imagine. Maybe they did it to make it harder to desing a functioning city, or that region play was to fill in the gaps, if only region play actually worked.… Expand
  35. GOFLuvr
    Mar 12, 2013
    0
    Electronic Arts recently informed people to stop promoting this game less than a week in stores, and while that speaks volumes, I'm here to share my own experiences with this game and the entire SimCity series. That experience goes all the way back April of 1990, when I started with SimCity Classic, and this was a game I loved that I played for hours upon hours. When I got SimCity 2000Electronic Arts recently informed people to stop promoting this game less than a week in stores, and while that speaks volumes, I'm here to share my own experiences with this game and the entire SimCity series. That experience goes all the way back April of 1990, when I started with SimCity Classic, and this was a game I loved that I played for hours upon hours. When I got SimCity 2000 in 1994, it was not only as addictive, but it was also better with the choice of density for Residential, Commercial, and Industrial zones (RCI as it's long since been dubbed) and signs to give names to streets and landmarks. SimCity 3000 (which I got in 1998) took away signs, and even without the arcologies that SimCity 2000 had, it was still an even better game and extremely fun to play. Then in 2004, i got the Deluxe Edition of SimCity 4, and the difficulty of the game made it less enjoyable, but I still had fun playing SC4, and really enjoyed everything that was right with the game. All of this changed in 2013 with the modern SimCity game!

    Even with the always online feature, I figured I can at least play alone, because the box said so. Something the game's box does not have written on it, is that the saved game files are not stored on the player's computer, and the player as at the whim for when the game is saved., and I honestly never would have bought the game if only I had known these things. I've had computers break my heart because they were too underpowered for some games (or lacked hard drive space), but SimCity was truly the first video game to succeed in breaking my heart for being the exact opposite of what all other SimCity games were (and still are), which is a city builder to obsess over! Another thing with the modern SimCity game, is that it's also been the first game in nearly thirty years of video gaming that I gave up on before I could even play it. While I was ok with needing to be online to play at first, the difficult to access game servers (at least in the game's first week of release in America) clearly establishes a double standard: EA/Maxis expects players to always be online to play the game, but at the same time, players cannot expect the servers to always be online in order to play the game whenever they wish.

    If any good comes out of this, I hope that the corporate suits realize what exactly is wrong with software that requires the user to always be online, and that software pirates are never going to go away. (Not that I'm a pirate or condone software piracy, but I've known about piracy going on for as long as I've first had a computer in 1986.)    … Expand
  36. isitaspider
    Mar 13, 2013
    0
    If you want to play a game for several hours, only to have your city go from 4k an hour in the black to 5k in the red all because the game has several serious bugs, and then to watch as your city goes bankrupt right before your eyes, then this is the game for you! Filled with required online-only DRM, even for single player, making it that you can't play this game when their servers areIf you want to play a game for several hours, only to have your city go from 4k an hour in the black to 5k in the red all because the game has several serious bugs, and then to watch as your city goes bankrupt right before your eyes, then this is the game for you! Filled with required online-only DRM, even for single player, making it that you can't play this game when their servers are down, or taken offline, for your convenience. Watch as you produce an overabundance of electricity and water while half your city leaves because the game won't update your power distribution in any reasonable amount of time. Seriously, this game is trash with all the bugs and online-only DRM. Don't buy it until they make it offline.… Expand
  37. wrtworthy
    Mar 12, 2013
    0
    I am still in shock about what they have done to the franchise and I feel that I have been ripped off! Stick with Sim City 4. I think the game should be called Simt own
  38. JTenebrous
    Mar 12, 2013
    0
    As a fan of Maxis games since ~1988, and an excited follower of preview news leading up to the release of Simcity 5, I'll be reviewing this game based on my long-anticipated Day 1 gameplay experience: 0. 0, because I didn't buy it. 0, because I'm boycotting EA's latest in a long, colourful history of taking the complete piss of its customers and employees. 0, because I love SimCity, butAs a fan of Maxis games since ~1988, and an excited follower of preview news leading up to the release of Simcity 5, I'll be reviewing this game based on my long-anticipated Day 1 gameplay experience: 0. 0, because I didn't buy it. 0, because I'm boycotting EA's latest in a long, colourful history of taking the complete piss of its customers and employees. 0, because I love SimCity, but I am NOT going to be subjected to Always-Online DRM for single-player games, by EA or any other company in the industry. Decisions like this are terrible for the consumers and terrible for the industry I make games for a living, too, and my heart goes out to all the brilliant creative individuals who will have worked very hard on this game, only to have some money-filching, good-for-nothing corporate suits pull a stunt that would take all that effort and turn it into a product that's currently pulling a much-deserved 1.7 consumer rating on metacritic. And to top it all off, those same suits will now be pointing fingers and eyeing up the developers for deep budget cuts... which I sadly expect to be reading about on a respected gaming review site in a few months.

    Shame on EA! And, apparently, EA honestly believes that some of us will buy their latest false claims that SimCity NEEDS the always-online DRM because the game “offloads a significant amount of the calculations to our servers”, and that it would take “a significant amount of engineering work from our team to rewrite the game” for single player. They obviously think we're all mouth-breathers! I have a latest-gen Intel i7 processor and 16gb ram I don't need their sodding "cloud" to "reticulate my splines", and for that matter, neither would my 3 year old laptop. They may be "offloading calculations" (including the algorithms for ethics and consumer rights) but they better "onload" those calculations back to local hardware like every other game, on the double, or I'll offload some calculations of my own, such as where their games get any consideration with respect to my wallet.

    Poor show, EA.    … Expand
  39. wh1ps3r
    Mar 13, 2013
    0
    This release absolutely failed. Everything is bugged. I wonder, why other critics talking about, how game is so cool balanced, It's all a big lie. Problem is, you can build city without industry zone without any problem You don't have to even build commercial zones!!! How it's possible, they give it 100?

    Anyway, i rated 0.
  40. will86c
    Mar 17, 2013
    2
    Size city limits are absurd. Having to be online all the time to play even alone is ridiculous. Lack of terraforming and custom regions is disappointing. The game play has been dumbed down to the point where there is no challenge. There are no difficulty levels, every game is the same. If you don't already have friends on Origin then it's impossible to find a game to play in. There is noSize city limits are absurd. Having to be online all the time to play even alone is ridiculous. Lack of terraforming and custom regions is disappointing. The game play has been dumbed down to the point where there is no challenge. There are no difficulty levels, every game is the same. If you don't already have friends on Origin then it's impossible to find a game to play in. There is no way to search for open games or reorder the game list to show available cities. Compared to Sim City 4 this game is garbage, I wish I hadn't even bought it. The only good thing about the game is that the graphics are pretty.… Expand
  41. murut87
    Mar 19, 2013
    0
    I rated it Unplayable or 0 because it keeps refusing to run this game,the server overloaded,bad performance,a dumb-downed Sim City 4,smaller place to build city and a freaking DRM just awful.This is ONLY SINGLE PLAYER GAME....Why need Online,i really lose my faith looking this series anymore...if you are a die-hard fans of Sim City,i suggest that you play the Sim City 4 instead.
  42. ScramJet
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    I haven't been able to play an uninterrupted 30 minutes over the last two days. This launch was disgraceful. These issues should have been easily cleared up with an open beta, staggered launch or more that TWO servers in North America at launch. Bye bye future business EA. I hate to be this nit-picky about the first two days, but if another business sold you something that took two days toI haven't been able to play an uninterrupted 30 minutes over the last two days. This launch was disgraceful. These issues should have been easily cleared up with an open beta, staggered launch or more that TWO servers in North America at launch. Bye bye future business EA. I hate to be this nit-picky about the first two days, but if another business sold you something that took two days to work, you would have taken it back light-years before you got to day two. EA should be ashamed.… Expand
  43. murtle52
    Mar 11, 2013
    0
    Last EA game I will ever buy.........and if this is the way single player games are going on PC....probably one of the last PC games I ever buy.
    EA=FAIL
  44. OveMelaa
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Sim City could have been great. But the game beeing impossible to play and the non-existent answers and explanations from EA/Maxis are unacceptable. Do we want to support a company that doesnt care about customers? How many calories would it have taken EA to come forward with an official statement about the state of the game and when we will be able to play it. No, stay away from this title.
  45. bloodrizer
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    I can probably get over launch issues as I did during the D3 launch, but the fact that you can barely build a in this game is outrageous. The smallest map in SC4 is like 4-8 times larger than a 2x2 SimCity map. This is not a game I desired for. This is merely a cretin facebook-style game in a 3d decorations.
  46. Kimomarudotcom
    Mar 11, 2013
    0
    SimCity is a case study in the danger of pre-ordering titles. The launch was messed up so badly that even as they restore the title's playability the initial terrible impression lingers and further mars the experience in the future. I've heard the official position of the value of an always-on connection for the game and that it is needed to for "social features". Yeah, I'm not buyingSimCity is a case study in the danger of pre-ordering titles. The launch was messed up so badly that even as they restore the title's playability the initial terrible impression lingers and further mars the experience in the future. I've heard the official position of the value of an always-on connection for the game and that it is needed to for "social features". Yeah, I'm not buying the argument. Look, I get that these games are incredibly expensive to make and that publishers need to fend off piracy and losses from dud releases to stay in business, but I'm positive that this is not the way to approach it. Anyway, there are a lot of cool titles this year (including the release of Playstation 4) and you might want to save your money for those instead. Pass on this one.… Expand
  47. Thaltom
    Mar 11, 2013
    0
    SimCity has a handful of innovation; such as, upgradeable buildings, roads providing power/water to buildings, and the ability to trade resources and services with other cities. Visually, it is a clean looking, well built game. Unfortunately, the much hated always-on DRM and forced multiplayer aspect keep any of the innovations from being noticed. Network outages, problems with savingSimCity has a handful of innovation; such as, upgradeable buildings, roads providing power/water to buildings, and the ability to trade resources and services with other cities. Visually, it is a clean looking, well built game. Unfortunately, the much hated always-on DRM and forced multiplayer aspect keep any of the innovations from being noticed. Network outages, problems with saving progress and difficulty connecting to the game's servers continue even as I post this: 6 days after launch. After every one of the server issues are fixed I feel SimCity warrants a 5 out of 10.… Expand
  48. Skawn
    Mar 13, 2013
    2
    A fun city builder with lofty ideas of having several cities working together. Fun to play as one city but you quickly need to expand and specialise and here the game just falls apart. Servers frequently refuse to sync your cities meaning although one has surplus power and the other has surplus water they won't buy from each other. The AI is hilariously bad, pathfinding is moreA fun city builder with lofty ideas of having several cities working together. Fun to play as one city but you quickly need to expand and specialise and here the game just falls apart. Servers frequently refuse to sync your cities meaning although one has surplus power and the other has surplus water they won't buy from each other. The AI is hilariously bad, pathfinding is more reminiscent of an 80's game than a modern sim. Will review my score in a month!… Expand
  49. SighMN
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    This is an update to my review. After two days of not being able to play due to server issues, I finally was able to press the play button about 10 minutes ago. When I pressed play the game instantly crashes. As I played the beta I reported that this game IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH CROSSFIRE, and that it at least should be compatible even if it doesn't utilise it. I can see they did notThis is an update to my review. After two days of not being able to play due to server issues, I finally was able to press the play button about 10 minutes ago. When I pressed play the game instantly crashes. As I played the beta I reported that this game IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH CROSSFIRE, and that it at least should be compatible even if it doesn't utilise it. I can see they did not read my comment or didn't care, so without thinking to turn off crossfire, I excitedly pressed play and it crashes. Now I'm waiting again in the server queue to play what is ostensibly is a SINGLE PLAYER GAME. Seriously why can't we give negative reviews? And why in the heck are the "critic" reviews so positive? Do they have access to special servers or what? This game is such a disappointment to me as I loved every SimCity game (even Simcity 4 with its horribly inefficient engine!).… Expand
  50. Arkaynne
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    No game which requires the user to be online and connected to external servers during solo play should ever receive a score above 0. This sort of invasive DRM must be stopped. We should not be forced into maintaining an outside connection for no other purpose than to assure some overly greedy and paranoid corporate executive that we are not criminals.
  51. Jebbel
    Mar 8, 2013
    0
    All server problems aside; This game lacks most of the features that made previous simcity games so great. The city size is a big joke, always online DRM is resulting in people not being able to play the game, losing savegames and a whole list of drama. Terraforming is out... Agriculture is out... modding is out... but I'd say the city size is the biggest mistake they've made. You can makeAll server problems aside; This game lacks most of the features that made previous simcity games so great. The city size is a big joke, always online DRM is resulting in people not being able to play the game, losing savegames and a whole list of drama. Terraforming is out... Agriculture is out... modding is out... but I'd say the city size is the biggest mistake they've made. You can make a village at best but don't expect to make the huge scale cities like you're used to in SC4 for example. The modding scene is what made simcity 4 immortal. Obviously this has been taken out to suck more money out of you through DLC. I'm sorry to say... but SimCity is now officially dead. Back to the great modding community over at simtropolis and playing a REAL simcity… Expand
  52. Morfarpower
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Yet another horrible design choice by the EA that yet again disguises a blatant DRM as a "game feature" Always connected alienates most users who like to enjoy a solo game and not sit in a queue for hours, EA has ruined many franchises and companies and runs a monopoly on everything that brings cash and not quality, and the fact that you can't progress in some parts of the game withoutYet another horrible design choice by the EA that yet again disguises a blatant DRM as a "game feature" Always connected alienates most users who like to enjoy a solo game and not sit in a queue for hours, EA has ruined many franchises and companies and runs a monopoly on everything that brings cash and not quality, and the fact that you can't progress in some parts of the game without help from other players is laughable

    I've never liked EA mostly because of how the business is run, and how they've pocketed most companies i hold dear, Once again the pirates who download this illegally will have a good time playing single-player and the loyal paying costumer who care for the Sim city franchise gets to wait in queue and have to play on EA's low quality servers whom probably will be shut down in a few years, so it's like you're renting the game for a long time :D... I had hopes for this game, but thanks to users speaking their voices and telling it like it is, i will NEVER purchase this, and strongly consider not buying anything that EA has direct control over ever again, I may sound Cynical and angry, but the game may be as good as a 10/10 and i would still stand by these words, because the basic principle of how EA runs their companies is so ruthless sometimes, it's only good for a boycott, if i could go back in time i would cut the head of the growing beast that is EA and instead nurture indie and promising companies that can stand competition, most companies learned from past DRM fiasco's but not EA, that's my opinion anyway.    … Expand
  53. xaero1ne
    Mar 6, 2013
    1
    well lets see, i may have been able to give this game a better score but since its now been out for almost 2 full days, i have yet to be able to play it for more then 20 minutes due to all the stupid errors and server issues. i though you guys ran a beta to prevent all this. good job EA, just know that i will NEVER, EVER, not in a million years, ever, pre-purchase one of your games. EVER!
  54. NickDaWOlf
    Mar 6, 2013
    1
    The game itself isnt this bad, but the use of DRM for an experience which should clearly be one player is disgusting. I could live with the pathetic cant connect to server errors if I could play it single player while waiting for them to resolve their issues, but my patience has been worn thin by these greedy fools and their always online foolishness. From now on, any single player gameThe game itself isnt this bad, but the use of DRM for an experience which should clearly be one player is disgusting. I could live with the pathetic cant connect to server errors if I could play it single player while waiting for them to resolve their issues, but my patience has been worn thin by these greedy fools and their always online foolishness. From now on, any single player game with an always online requirement will automatically fall into the "Do Not Buy" category, even if its a classic.… Expand
  55. DrSasquatch
    Mar 11, 2013
    0
    First, a note. I am going to 100% ignore the Always On DRM, even though I hate hate hate it, and I am furious at myself for supporting its continued existence, and it has and will continue to plague players of SimCity for as long as EA keeps the servers up for it, and then it will be 100% unplayable for all time ever, thank you for your money, give us more soon.

    No, I am going to ignore    First, a note. I am going to 100% ignore the Always On DRM, even though I hate hate hate it, and I am furious at myself for supporting its continued existence, and it has and will continue to plague players of SimCity for as long as EA keeps the servers up for it, and then it will be 100% unplayable for all time ever, thank you for your money, give us more soon.

    No, I am going to ignore that because most reviews fall into two camps: The game sucks because of the DRM, or the game is good once you get past the DRM. But even when you ignore the DRM, SimCity is a below average city builder with many glaring problems. First, the roads. The roads are incredibly difficult to place exactly as you want them. They tend to be glitchy, not letting you turn a 3-way intersection into a 4-way or not letting you make a turn if part of the road is bent slightly. Even on flat land, roads can be problematic, but presented with any kind of a hill and roads become hard to place and nearly useless. Nothing can be built on hills, so any road that runs along a hill becomes useless. In real life, hills with water views become covered with expensive houses, but in SimCity, they are just big piles of dirt, sometimes with a road on it. The pathfinding on roads is also incredibly suspect. While en route to a fire, firemen will often go in circles ten to fifteen times before finding the path or finding an even cooler place to do donuts. This is something you will likely experience very soon after starting your first city, because the first thing new fire departments like to do is shoot off a bunch of fireworks, which start fires all over your city.

    Just get one of the many city builders that actually work. I quite like Tropico 4 (which has its own form of annoying DRM, but not nearly as bad as SimCity).    … Expand
  56. Brutaly
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    I have now tried to play the game (west Europe), it is not possible. If i can't play the game even if i enter the servers then there is no gameplay. Score is ofc. 0 until there is a game I can play.
  57. cyberjonesy
    Mar 7, 2013
    3
    Lots of fun playing but the server problems are extremely frustrating considering there is no real time interaction with other players. This game should have been single player offline capable, the fact that it is online only is an enormous downside.
  58. Jaevlar
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    Game seems fun, by the 30-minutes or so i've gotten to play (maximum!). Been looking forward to this game for a long time.

    But in this state with the unavailable servers and constant disconnection, no way. One would think that they would have beefed up on servers to meet the demand. I mean, come on. It's 2013. Drop this DRM-crap and let us choose to play offline if we want to. Or do    Game seems fun, by the 30-minutes or so i've gotten to play (maximum!). Been looking forward to this game for a long time.

    But in this state with the unavailable servers and constant disconnection, no way. One would think that they would have beefed up on servers to meet the demand. I mean, come on. It's 2013.

    Drop this DRM-crap and let us choose to play offline if we want to. Or do the game launch right.    … Expand
  59. sabersin
    Mar 11, 2013
    0
    Always online DRM for what's essentially a single-player experience. Please Gamers, vote with your money. Stop providing EA sales figures that their executives use to justify continued anti-consumerist practices. There are lots of fine, gamer-friendly, indie games out therefor you to spend your time and money on. Don't forget, EA turned off server support for Madden and FIfa 2011 already.Always online DRM for what's essentially a single-player experience. Please Gamers, vote with your money. Stop providing EA sales figures that their executives use to justify continued anti-consumerist practices. There are lots of fine, gamer-friendly, indie games out therefor you to spend your time and money on. Don't forget, EA turned off server support for Madden and FIfa 2011 already. Those games are only 2.5 years old and have lost their online support. EA is quite willing to shutdown servers for their games to force you to buy newer versions. What happens when SimCity's servers are shutdown in a few years? You won't be able to play a game that you bought. Actually, strike that. You didn't purchase a game. You purchased a service from EA. A terrible one at that. Can you imagine any other service that's so intrusive and shoddy? I wouldn't pay for it.… Expand
  60. JohnG75
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    What score would you give to a restaurant where the food was supposed to be pretty good, but instead of being served the meal you ordered, the waiter just tells you that you have to wait another half hour for the next 2 hours and then have to leave hungry because you never got a meal? And so, you leave to go to work and come back the next day and still are told that you need to wait a halfWhat score would you give to a restaurant where the food was supposed to be pretty good, but instead of being served the meal you ordered, the waiter just tells you that you have to wait another half hour for the next 2 hours and then have to leave hungry because you never got a meal? And so, you leave to go to work and come back the next day and still are told that you need to wait a half hours. What do you think the review for that meal should be?

    Would you give it a "8" because you hear the meal is supposed to be pretty dang good or would it be the same score I am giving SimCity?

    When the service (needing to be online to play single player) and the food (the game itself) are the same thing, you need to think about it. There is no excuse for it. If you cannot handle the initial brunt of people trying to use your product, it shouldn't have limitations that keep them from doing it.

    I can't rate this game any higher as after 2 days, I still can't actually play it because there are other people playing it. I'm glad I didn't buy it for myself, but I feel bad that I have to lie to my friend who did buy it for me as a gift.    … Expand
  61. serc
    Mar 12, 2013
    0
    The game has a lot of problems. Only one of them actually matters. Never support always online DRM for a single player game. Lots of people cannot play their single player game because of this and gamers need to do everything they can to stop developers from including it.
  62. gainsmaster
    Mar 6, 2013
    1
    I beta tested this three times, what should have been a fun game has been completely ruined with the inability to play in single-player offline mode. The servers were fraught with problems even during the third beta, which was set up only to stress-test the servers. I am disappointed that they did not fix the issue even by launch day! The game itself is good (albeit not as great as itsI beta tested this three times, what should have been a fun game has been completely ruined with the inability to play in single-player offline mode. The servers were fraught with problems even during the third beta, which was set up only to stress-test the servers. I am disappointed that they did not fix the issue even by launch day! The game itself is good (albeit not as great as its former self), but DRM is so overwhelmingly intrusive that it is not even worth the $60. Also, they took out the subways and a bunch of other stuff...I understand people want to blame the execs but the out-of-touch marketers and programmers should also be blamed for nerfing this game.… Expand
  63. Godeau
    Mar 6, 2013
    1
    'Unable to create a city at this time. Please claim a city later.' is the only experience i'm getting from paying my money for this game. Help Center is broken. Getting Started tutorial is also broken! Avoid this game at all cost. 1/10 for the SimCity name.
  64. dude913
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    We as consumers have no one to blame but ourselves for continuing to buy EA products. You get what you pay for and each of us has gotten exactly what we bought. An online only game that you can't play and will be dead in a few years when EA decides they are no longer making money enough to keep the servers up. I am taking a stand here and now and vow this will never happen to me again.We as consumers have no one to blame but ourselves for continuing to buy EA products. You get what you pay for and each of us has gotten exactly what we bought. An online only game that you can't play and will be dead in a few years when EA decides they are no longer making money enough to keep the servers up. I am taking a stand here and now and vow this will never happen to me again. Who is with me?… Expand
  65. jacktheripper
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Always online DRM is a terrible idea! Learn from Diablo 3 and stop making games like this because people will stop buying these games. EA needs to rethink this business model and SINGLE PLAYER game setup. Wake up people, this stuff is garbage.
  66. 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.
  67. BrewerBill
    Mar 6, 2013
    4
    This game is plagued with problems. First, the obvious: The server overload proves correct all the folks who have been screaming about the always needing to be connected to the servers. I wasn't worried about DRM and no local saves originally, assuming people were just being anti-EA alarmists and that the game would work fine for me, but I was wrong. While it's broken, I can't even play aThis game is plagued with problems. First, the obvious: The server overload proves correct all the folks who have been screaming about the always needing to be connected to the servers. I wasn't worried about DRM and no local saves originally, assuming people were just being anti-EA alarmists and that the game would work fine for me, but I was wrong. While it's broken, I can't even play a single player game which is all I want to do in Simcity anyway. That's stupid. I've also had the game crash a dozen times and lost progress. Also, EA is simply telling folks to use a different server if one is busy. A)They're all busy. B)The city you've put hours into doesn't transfer from one server to another, so you have to start all over if you use a different server. I also thought people were overstating how tiny the maps are, but again I was wrong. The map size is severely limiting. I've managed to make large cities, but they all just feel cramped and generic as you have to use every inch of space to get an even decent population. Do you really need skyscrapers to reach 60K citizens? What if I want to build my real-life home city? I can't. Also, I understand the idea of specialization and not needing to build a large amount of industrial or residential in every city, but I find myself constantly having to bulldoze hospitals and police stations (which I had to pay money for) just to make room to put new roads that allow greater density. (also, why can't I simply pave over a dirt road with a high density road? They're the same size). Lack of subways, lack of farms, lack of map size, lack of customization all feel like an eventual cash grab. There's going to be so much DLC for this game it should be free to play. Even the day one DLC is $10 just to make a few of your buildings look German and give you one special landmark. Save yourself some money and buy the eventual "game of the year" edition which will include more. By then the servers should be fixed... if they haven't shut them off by then rendering the game unplayable. I'm really disappointed overall. I've played Simcity from the beginning. While I think the game engine is incredibly impressive, the graphics and music are good and there are moments of brilliance when the game works well, the whole thing is brought down by attempts to maximize money gouging at every possible turn. It just seems like a good game ruined by a cynical cash-grab. Feel free to wreck new games EA, but why destroy a beloved game that's been sitting on the shelves untouched for ten years?… Expand
  68. 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
  69. 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.
  70. abbagod13
    Mar 6, 2013
    1
    I just learned an $80 lesson, because I bought the Limited Edition, but failed to look at the requirements. Had I reviewed it properly, instead of assumed that the gaming software could be operated in a standalone mode, I would NOT have wasted my money. A vast majority of people in the U.S. still live in rural areas where internet is unavailable, too expensive or just down right crappy.I just learned an $80 lesson, because I bought the Limited Edition, but failed to look at the requirements. Had I reviewed it properly, instead of assumed that the gaming software could be operated in a standalone mode, I would NOT have wasted my money. A vast majority of people in the U.S. still live in rural areas where internet is unavailable, too expensive or just down right crappy. DO NOT BUY THIS GAME unless you have no problems staying on your internet connection the whole time. I wanted this game to have on my system so that I could play with it during travel or without the umbilical cord of the internet. What 'executive' decided on this modus operandi? Obviously some rich fat cat! ID10TS...… Expand
  71. JasonIvanny
    Mar 6, 2013
    1
    Pros
    -Great City Simulator
    -Graphics are nice -Addictive Gameplay Cons: -Must always be connected to the internet for what is primarily a single player game -Seriously issues at launch that cause people to be unable to play the game -Not always obvious what you are doing wrong when building city The serious launch issues combined with the fact that you always need to be    Pros
    -Great City Simulator
    -Graphics are nice
    -Addictive Gameplay

    Cons:
    -Must always be connected to the internet for what is primarily a single player game
    -Seriously issues at launch that cause people to be unable to play the game
    -Not always obvious what you are doing wrong when building city

    The serious launch issues combined with the fact that you always need to be connected to the internet even when you don't want to use any of the online features is a serious issue with this game. We cannot continue to allow developers to force us to be always connected.    … Expand
  72. brunchman
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Im a prepurchaser and was not only let down by the launch, but as a loyal gamer was slapped in the face by this "always online" RDM ball and chain. I will not be supporting this type of RDM game again.
  73. jonathanyts
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Server issues and Constant On-line requirement screw this game up. Started multiple cities to only have them erased. Then later on every 5-10 minutes the game would crash.
  74. YOUDY
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Honestly simcity is a beautiful game and a great addition to the series been on it last few days, but i cannot over look the always online DRM, poor decision EA,
  75. ashief
    Mar 6, 2013
    1
    Traditionally Simcity has been a fun game to play in my spare time. I have anticipated looking forward to this game for a while.

    However, the current incarnation is -not- enjoyably. The always on DRM which forces you to connect to servers to sit in a queue make this game un-playable at the moment. There are ways to *play* if you don't mind playing on European or Oceanic servers,    Traditionally Simcity has been a fun game to play in my spare time. I have anticipated looking forward to this game for a while.

    However, the current incarnation is -not- enjoyably. The always on DRM which forces you to connect to servers to sit in a queue make this game un-playable at the moment.

    There are ways to *play* if you don't mind playing on European or Oceanic servers, but any progress you make in the game will not carry over to American servers.

    Once in there are annoying quirks and bugs within the game that can destroy your city building strategy, I.E. Recycling Plants being bugged and not picking up Recyclable items NO PROCESSORS for you!

    Overall the potential is there for a fun game, but the always on DRM, server queues, constant server downtime, and gameplay bugs make this a terrible game for anyone.

    There were other games which were released on 05-March that I would have bought over this in retrospect (I.E. MLB The Show).    … Expand
  76. rav_
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    I don't believe the reasons EA gives for always-online-DRM.
    PCs can handle definitely the calculations.
    Cloud save should be optionally on top of local save just like "Steam". This is EA's strategy to sell an online service model and DLC/microtransaction. They should not have sold it at retail price. This type of model is ok for free-to-play; not retail. All the convolutions to make    I don't believe the reasons EA gives for always-online-DRM.
    PCs can handle definitely the calculations.
    Cloud save should be optionally on top of local save just like "Steam".
    This is EA's strategy to sell an online service model and DLC/microtransaction.
    They should not have sold it at retail price.
    This type of model is ok for free-to-play; not retail.
    All the convolutions to make a single player game to appear as an online multiplayer game to justify their model.    … Expand
  77. damnleperchons
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Always on DRM for a single player game. Unable to login to actually play. Brilliant idea EA, to sell a product that we are unable to use! Worthless way to prevent pirating. If any it will encourage it.
  78. sudz
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    The Game itself is not bad at all. A bit glitchy, But overall quite nice. It gets difficult when your city becomes larger, and disasters seem to be rather frequent (once an hour?) However on the whole, it is a very enjoyable game to play. My Main complaint, however, is that I cant play it. Despite many assurances that this launch would go without a hitch, I was able to play for 2 hours onThe Game itself is not bad at all. A bit glitchy, But overall quite nice. It gets difficult when your city becomes larger, and disasters seem to be rather frequent (once an hour?) However on the whole, it is a very enjoyable game to play. My Main complaint, however, is that I cant play it. Despite many assurances that this launch would go without a hitch, I was able to play for 2 hours on release day before it crashed, and crashed, and crashed, then no longer allowing me to log in. There was a Beta to test load How did they get caught unaware? The preorder and Number of games shipped/printed should have been enough to allow them to predict load. next time, Stagger the launch date by location. Maybe this will help.

    For this reason, I give it a zero, as I paid 60 dollars to be frustrated for 2 days, and for that, Ultimately, the entertainment value of this purchase was non existent. I'd rather have wasted the 60 dollars to go see all 4 twilight films in theater.

    Ok no, I take that back. But you get the picture.    … Expand
  79. BSaget
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Always online for no reason, can't play at launch because of server queues for a largely single player game. Poor graphics, bugs, pathetically small "city" size. Should have called it SimTowns or SimNeighborhoods.
  80. eppurcentral
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Es un gran juego pero no está acabado, para poder disfrutar de el tienes que estar pagando todo el rato los contenidos descargables, desde el primer día. Además hay que estar constantemente conectado a internet ¿que pasa si quiero jugar en otro lugar donde no tengo internet? He pagado pro el y no puedo disfrutar de el donde quiera, además de tener que instalar Origins aunque no quiera.
  81. BustyMcSeamus
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Just saw another commercial for Sim City......Maybe they should have spent more money on their server budgets instead of their giant marketing blitz...
  82. DirtyJRH
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    They have taken what could have been have been a gem and turned it into a proper turd! How in the heck are you supposed to play when the beyond trash servers are always busy or full? You can't save it so if you want to keep playing your city your stuck on the same server that never works, oh you want to switch servers that's cool, have fun starting over. You have to wait for the crappyThey have taken what could have been have been a gem and turned it into a proper turd! How in the heck are you supposed to play when the beyond trash servers are always busy or full? You can't save it so if you want to keep playing your city your stuck on the same server that never works, oh you want to switch servers that's cool, have fun starting over. You have to wait for the crappy server you were on to access your city. I knew always online DRM would suck but I had NOOOOO idea how bad! Had the game 2 days gotten in only a few hours, many less than I have spent trying to log on to a junk server to play a nice SINGLE Player game. I would rather actually PLAY the game than to be able to theoretically play with other people, which is impossible due to NEVER BEING ABLE TO LOG ON AND STAY ON. Do not buy, just wait until they get this trash sorted proper!… Expand
  83. tompunch
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    I bet this game would be great if I could actually play it. Pathetic job by EA to force a singleplayer game into this horrible DRM system. O yeah, the cities are too small!
  84. dfinch
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Assuming a persistent online connection is a guarantee of failure for this game that has been played solo for years, even decades. The forced multi-player design means you can't succeed if you try to play alone anyway. I was able to play for a few minutes before the game crashed due to server issues. Servers listed as "available" aren't and if you try to play on a different server fromAssuming a persistent online connection is a guarantee of failure for this game that has been played solo for years, even decades. The forced multi-player design means you can't succeed if you try to play alone anyway. I was able to play for a few minutes before the game crashed due to server issues. Servers listed as "available" aren't and if you try to play on a different server from your last game, you will have to start over with your mayoral duties nothing syncs between servers. Save yourself the and don't make the mistake that I did thinking that Simcity 2013 would be even remotely as awesome as SimCity 2000. Apparently some things DON'T get better with age.… Expand
  85. KinjiruRM
    Mar 8, 2013
    0
    Interesting to note that if you consider only critic reviews that apply to when the game actually started play (3/5, onward), their critic review score would be 69.
  86. pasqua_76
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Ok so we all know the game is unplayable at the moment. We paid $80 dollars for something we can't play. And there's only one way EA can get away with this. When the PSN was down for some months a few years ago, they came with the "welcome back" gift. An apology from the interruption of a FREE service. Now, EA has taken 80 DOLLARS from us and is not offering ANYTHING back. We should giveOk so we all know the game is unplayable at the moment. We paid $80 dollars for something we can't play. And there's only one way EA can get away with this. When the PSN was down for some months a few years ago, they came with the "welcome back" gift. An apology from the interruption of a FREE service. Now, EA has taken 80 DOLLARS from us and is not offering ANYTHING back. We should give them 2 weeks to sort out the problems and if they don't, we should flood them with demands to allow us to choose 2 or 3 games from their catalogue in Origin Store, FOR FREE. They won't refund us on SimCity, but at least they can take the high road just as Sony did.… Expand
  87. ScytheNoire
    Mar 6, 2013
    1
    Take the Critic Reviews with a HUGE grain of salt. These "professional" reviewers are very biased and want to stay on EA's good side. There have been too many documented cases of publishers influencing reviewers and we see it at play yet again.

    The launch has been a disaster. My internet connection has been steady, but the servers are constantly going down. Lost multiple cities that the    Take the Critic Reviews with a HUGE grain of salt. These "professional" reviewers are very biased and want to stay on EA's good side. There have been too many documented cases of publishers influencing reviewers and we see it at play yet again.

    The launch has been a disaster. My internet connection has been steady, but the servers are constantly going down. Lost multiple cities that the game just doesn't save. The stability is absolutely horrible. This game drastically requires an offline mode. So far server stability for a single player game has been the biggest problem.

    The game itself has some major issues also. The RCI isn't accurate at all. Many of the stats are inaccurate. The traffic design is illogical, firetrucks won't pass each other to get to a fire?! The city areas are not just small, they are tiny. The idea that it was system requirements keeping the size small is a lie. They are most likely going to try to sell larger city areas in the future as DLC.

    Overall, I cannot recommend any one buying this game. It is a rip off right now because you can't even play the game, and if by chance you get on, the stability is horrible.    … Expand
  88. bluerazor
    Mar 6, 2013
    3
    Ive seen some bad launches before but this launch takes the cake. The DRM is woeful not matter how much spin they put on it. Simcity is not a multiplayer game no matter what they say. "Always online" will ruin Maxis. The game is basic and looks pretty, when it works. Thats about it. Geez even the tutorial dosen`t work.
  89. joe19d
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    Made it thru the tutorial on sim city after my second try. Then the servers decided they did not want to work, AGAIN. It's 2 am and it's now day 3 of this game being out. Totally unacceptable. EA has lost a customer permanently.
  90. dionis
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    I bought this game and haven't been able to play it at all because no server can handle the load. It's not even possible to play a single player game or go through the tutorial, which shouldn't need an internet connection, because the game has been downloaded and installed to my computer. A very bad decision to require connection to the EA servers all the time when they can't guaranteeI bought this game and haven't been able to play it at all because no server can handle the load. It's not even possible to play a single player game or go through the tutorial, which shouldn't need an internet connection, because the game has been downloaded and installed to my computer. A very bad decision to require connection to the EA servers all the time when they can't guarantee that the servers are up.… Expand
  91. markhcj
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Paid $99 for a deluxe edition of what is essentially an unplayable game. Toggling between different servers doesn't help. I either, a) could not connect or b) could not "claim" a city. Nice job EA, for treating your customers like criminals over the DRM stuff.
  92. asdasdsad
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    The game has a lot of problems. Only one of them actually matters. Never support always online DRM for a single player game. Lots of people cannot play their single player game because of this and gamers need to do everything they can to stop developers from including it.
  93. boilermaker811
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    This game gets a 0 cause you can't even play it. I can log in time after time and the server is always down or when it's up I can't create a game. When trying to switch servers the game crashes. Had this game since 3/5 and have been able to play for 5 minutes. I will not be buying another PC game from EA. This completely ridiculous! I want my money back cause I have paid for aThis game gets a 0 cause you can't even play it. I can log in time after time and the server is always down or when it's up I can't create a game. When trying to switch servers the game crashes. Had this game since 3/5 and have been able to play for 5 minutes. I will not be buying another PC game from EA. This completely ridiculous! I want my money back cause I have paid for a product I cannot use.… Expand
  94. acadien
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    I bought this game. I would like to play it please. Is that too much to ask? I don't mind DRM when it doesn't break the game but this is taking it way too far.
  95. Broken1477
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Online only DRM is absolute garbage. I will never, ever pay for a single-player game that requires me to be online again. Why should I have to be connected to EA to play MY game. Bad form EA.
  96. Hikaru93
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    Do not buy this game. One most popular games became a total with merciless online DRM. You can't do anything without server connection but YOU CAN"T HOP ON the server within hours.
  97. Reebo
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    The rating of a game is tied to the actual playability and enjoyability of the game, not the theoretical potential of the game. Sim City LE is unplayable, constant server issues and multi-hour wait queues to connect. I'm rating this game a 0 because if I cannot play it, it has 0 value to me as entertainment.

    To those who say "separate the game from the server issues and rate the game"    The rating of a game is tied to the actual playability and enjoyability of the game, not the theoretical potential of the game. Sim City LE is unplayable, constant server issues and multi-hour wait queues to connect. I'm rating this game a 0 because if I cannot play it, it has 0 value to me as entertainment.

    To those who say "separate the game from the server issues and rate the game" I say to you "I rate a movie on how much we enjoy it when we watch it. I rate a book on how it reads when I read it. I rate games on how much we enjoy it when we play it. When i sit down and click to play Sim City, I have an hour of frustration and anger and then give up and wish I'd never given EA my money again. So the rating is fair based on the experience of owning and trying to play the game,    … Expand
  98. AllenZulu
    Mar 8, 2013
    0
    Incredibly sad release. I was permitted to download my $60 purchase 3 hours after release. Then, I was not able to play my game for about 2 days because of "server issues." Keep in mind, this is SimCity, a single player game. If you have any Internet issues whatsoever, you will lose all your progress. The game must always be hooked up to EA. Worst. Idea. Ever. If you do have 99.8%+Incredibly sad release. I was permitted to download my $60 purchase 3 hours after release. Then, I was not able to play my game for about 2 days because of "server issues." Keep in mind, this is SimCity, a single player game. If you have any Internet issues whatsoever, you will lose all your progress. The game must always be hooked up to EA. Worst. Idea. Ever. If you do have 99.8%+ Internet connection quality, you will still lose everything because the EA servers will become "overloaded" and shut down. That's where you are forced to save everything. You might be lucky to connect to a different server, but you must REDO EVERYTHING because data does not synchronize between servers. That includes the tutorial. Like starting a brand new game. God awful launch and DRM and design. Epic fail for EA and Maxis. I heard SimCity had new disasters. Pretty much everything about it.… Expand
  99. DrEdward
    Mar 9, 2013
    0
    Great game! Due to multiple circumstances, I am unable to acquire a stopwatch in my area. I am very grateful, however, that Sim-City is here to fulfil my timing needs. I do enjoy watching the half-hour server-queue timer tick down, it also supplies me with a great watch. Sometimes I let my friend come over and play a game of 'Will the game successfully connect to a server once the timerGreat game! Due to multiple circumstances, I am unable to acquire a stopwatch in my area. I am very grateful, however, that Sim-City is here to fulfil my timing needs. I do enjoy watching the half-hour server-queue timer tick down, it also supplies me with a great watch. Sometimes I let my friend come over and play a game of 'Will the game successfully connect to a server once the timer has depleted?', we've never won so far.
    A fine work of art I highly recommend this game to anybody who likes to hit themselves over the head with a brick.    … Expand
  100. dougal83
    Mar 11, 2013
    0
    Terrible game. You'd be better off playing a free game on Facebook as the depth is comparable. With technology improving you'd expect larger maps and more detail in games. SimCity 2000 is still the best in series but could do with a graphics overhaul and then we'd have a better game than this goldfish bowl. I cancelled an EA subscription game due to the publisher harming consumers andTerrible game. You'd be better off playing a free game on Facebook as the depth is comparable. With technology improving you'd expect larger maps and more detail in games. SimCity 2000 is still the best in series but could do with a graphics overhaul and then we'd have a better game than this goldfish bowl. I cancelled an EA subscription game due to the publisher harming consumers and now this just confirms it was the right decision. I regularly travel on long train journeys and always online games harm my free choice as a consumer. I simply cannot afford the mobile connection data and it is not reliable enough even if I could. I can't believe the prices being charged at launch for this title... £65 for a couple of themes? I remember when these additions were added value/quality. BOYCOTT EA!… 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 »