Summary
While the core gameplay ofCities: Skylines 2is pretty similar to its predecessor, Colossal Order has also introduced a few new elements to shake up the experience a bit. One of the biggest changes may come in the form of the new city leveling-up system. Just like with the first game, player’s cities slowly grow and evolve as the game goes on. ButCities: Skylines 2completely revamped how that system works, for better or worse.
InCities: Skylines, players would earn milestones as their city grew in size. This was the primary form of progression in the game, and while it is still present in the sequel,Cities: Skylines 2has changed it drastically. Not only does the actual leveling-up process work differently, but the unlocks have also taken the form of a tech tree this time around. This makes for a familiar feature that also feels extremely fresh. And yet, it may not be as great as it sounds.
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Cities Skylines 2’s Leveling-Up System is an interesting Addition
Cities: Skylineswould reward playerswith new tools to play with as their city grew in population. In total, there were 13 different milestones that players could earn. Each milestone required a certain amount of population that changed depending upon the size of the map, and they each unlocked new features while also giving players an influx of cash. While it was not the most advanced system in the world, this form of progression was a nice addition to the formula.
Milestones return inCities: Skylines 2, however, they work completely differently here. Instead of basing it on population, the entire system is now tied to an XP leveling system. Players earn XP as their city grows, as they construct certainbuildings or roads inCities: Skylines 2, and as their citizens' happiness rises. This may be a pretty jarring change for diehard fans, but it also feels like a nice change. No longer do players have to build up massive cities just to unlock things, now they can grow by other means.
Along with the XP system, the actual unlock system has changed too. While some of the earlier milestones give players new toys to play with, they also grant players points that can be spent in the development trees. These trees are broken up by city service and are where almost all theimportantCities: Skylines 2buildingsare located. As players grow, they can plunge more points into these trees, thus unlocking even more things to mess around with.
The addition of a tech tree system means thatCities: Skylines 2playersnow have control over how they progress, but it also means that milestones are less impactful. The earlier milestones will unlock new features; however, the later ones do not have much to offer. Once players hit the 10th milestone, they will no longer unlock new things via this system. While they will still get loan increases and development tree points, they will not unlock anything specific to the milestones themselves.
Milestones are still the only way to earn points for the development trees, but they also feel a bit bland compared toCities: Skylinesversion. In that game, players would earn some cool things with each level up. InCities: Skylines 2, only the first 10 milestones give players anything with the rest solely being used as a means to further the tech tree. Even if the game congratulates players each time they earn a milestone, not giving them anything else of note may make that ring hollow. And even though this does not ruin the game, some diehardCities: Skylinesplayers may have been expecting a bit more from this system, especially since the studio almost doubled the milestone count.
Cities: Skylines 2
WHERE TO PLAY
If you may dream it, you can build it. Raise a city from the ground up and transform it into the thriving metropolis only you can imagine. You’ve never experienced building on this scale. With deep simulation and a living economy, Cities: Skylines II delivers world-building without limits.Lay the foundations for your city to begin. Create the roads, infrastructure, and systems that make life possible day to day. It’s up to you – all of it.How your city grows is your call too, but plan strategically. Every decision has an impact. Can you energize local industries while also using trade to boost the economy? What will make residential districts flourish without killing the buzz downtown? How will you meet the needs and desires of citizens while balancing the city’s budget?Your city never rests. Like any living, breathing world, it changes over time. Some changes will be slow and gradual, while others will be sudden and unexpected. So while seasons turn and night follows day, be ready to act when life doesn’t go to plan.The most realistic and detailed city builder ever, Cities: Skylines II pushes your creativity and problem-solving to another level. With beautifully rendered high-resolution graphics, it also inspires you to build the city of your dreams.
