Cities: Skylines – macOS Review

In the realm of city builders on macOS, Cities: Skylines, developed by Colossal Order, stands tall, challenging the throne of SimCity. The game defies real-world bureaucracy and focuses on delivering a fun city-building experience, a departure from recent SimCity iterations. This Finnish game-title sidesteps complex social policies and realism constraints, opting for the classic formula that propelled SimCity to fame, a formula somewhat lost in its recent renditions.

Urban Planning Unleashed

Cities: Skylines offers a strictly single-player experience, immersing players in the management of a singular city. The rest of the world becomes a mere trading partner, a backdrop to your urban masterpiece. Starting with a two-kilometer map, players decide the fate of their city's landscape, balancing residential, commercial, and industrial zones with varying density.

Policy Decisions

City and district policies add a layer of depth to the gameplay. Want to tackle fires? Build more fire stations or encourage smoke detectors. Pollution causing headaches? Convert industrial zones or embrace lucrative but environmentally damaging industries. These choices mold your city's appearance, economy, and simulate a richer urban experience.

Infrastructure Evolution

As your city burgeons, you'll need to plan roads, sewage, and electrical networks. Each decision influences cost-effectiveness or environmental impact. The game's clear objective system guides you through unlocking advanced mechanics and expanding your urban canvas up to 36 square kilometers.

Modding Marvels

Modders have significantly expanded the game's possibilities, injecting diverse structures like the Millennium Building in London or the Allianz Arena in Munich. Players can customize their experience, not only aesthetically but also enhancing game mechanics, traffic management, and map expansions.

Colossal Order's Triumph

Cities: Skylines, offered by Colossal Order and published by Paradox, proves that success on PC lies in embracing the community. Unlike its predecessors, this game refrains from imposing restrictive limitations, creating an almost infinite product. Paradox's approach contrasts sharply with EA's, highlighting the enduring value of a game that gains momentum through community involvement.

The Verdict

In conclusion, Cities: Skylines for macOS is a robust and enjoyable city builder, though it may not revolutionize the genre. The game, coupled with the creative force of modders, serves as a solid foundation, demonstrating the potential when developers collaborate with their player base.

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