Cities: Skylines II

CS2 has been out for over a year what we learned:

It's in an incomplete state.
the switch from steam workshop to Paradox mods has caused a crypto wallet stealing virus to be widely spread.
They are sort of listening to fans but are ignoring a ton of community concerns and requests
The other reviews cover the rest of the pros and cons of this game.

Could've used steam workshop, instead they had to force their proprietary mod launcher with malware.

I wanted to like CS2, but I can’t recommend it. The base game is boring, and you need mods to make it interesting and to fix basic glitches. Unfortunately, that led to my first-ever malware after 28 years of PC gaming, all because CS2 lacks basic protections—like two-factor authentication for mod uploads. Thankfully, the malware seems to only target crypto, which I stay away from, but that risk is too big to ignore. I am done with this game, and don't know if I will be back.

400hrs and....Great game. EXCEPT transit...{the root of the game} buses, trains, subways and trams all get stuck at some point in EVERY attempt to play. NOT MODDED or MODDED Transit somewhere somehow locks up and doesnt move. Rebuilding entire lines works for a small while then locks up.[Waste of time} Re routing lines, same. new paths, same. {ALL a great waste of time} Whats the point of a city game if the transit {the heart of any city above 25,000 people} bugs out. The game is very pretty. but is NOWHERE near the level of a game that Cities 1 is. Never have i seen a game where the previous version is a whole lot better. I dont know where Cities Skyline dropped the ball. They left Sim City to build a better city game and did so with Cities 1, And Now this game feels like a blown up, less cartoonized version of Sim City 3000. LAME!!! I want so badly to love this game. it has so much potential. but after it being out since oct 2023, and no fix to big problems i am fast losing faith in this franchise. To bad. This is one of my most favorite game. Getting real tired of spending all this money on stuff that DOESNT WORK.

DO NOT BUY THIS PISS POOR EXCUSE OF A GAME.

not only did paradox release the game completely unfinished, but they have failed to even come close to completing the game over a year later.

their terrible excuse of beachfront properties DLC had to be made free to players because it was SO unusable and added no substance to the game.

the final straw for me, and many others, was their usage of the PDX Mods platform, claiming it was safer than Steam Workshop and that it would be usable with console edition (which, by the way, they have never released and have abandoned since launch). this previous week (10/31), paradox announced that thousands of users who used a particular mod are at risk of malware and "need to change passwords" after allowing suspicious files on the PDX Mods platform and not using any screening tool for mod content. it is absolutely unacceptable because, not only did they provide very little info about the malware except for the file it is located in, but they also allowed so many players' data and systems to be put at risk and, frankly, that is not a company i want to have anything to do with.

just buy CS1. it is way better. spend the difference in price on some CS1 DLC, particularly park life, mass transit, parks & promenades, and campus life.

idk if my computer is bad bc the game lags. im at very low graphics. i only placed a water and sewage pump and some road

The potential is here for CS2 to become phenomenal. And although I do enjoy playing it, CS1 still has the advantage given the amount of time that has passed allowing there to be a plethora of updates, DLC and mods available for it. CS2 still has some distance to gain in those respects, but definitely don't rule it out. As the devs start matching the features from CS1 as well as building new features and in-game abilities, CS2 will be quite the superior city builder. I can understand the mixed player feedback right now, but watch this space.

The refusal of the devs to use the steam workshop has potentially exposed thousands of people to security breaches and malware all in an attempt to gain emails for marketing purposes. Not only was this greed it was also negligence to include anti-malware in their first party modding platform.
For shame Paradox for shame!

Cities: Skylines II is a promising game that has made significant improvements since its launch. However, it still falls short of its predecessor and the lofty expectations set by its developers.

The recent security breach, where malicious code was uploaded through the mod system, is a major setback. This incident highlights a serious lack of oversight and raises concerns about the developers' competence.

Given these issues, I have decided to uninstall the game. It's unfortunate to see such a potentially great game tarnished by poor development choices and security lapses.

Why use Steam Workshop when you can let a popular mod spread viruses on your own mod sharing platform?

Aside from all other (completely valid) complaints that other people have about the game, I'll touch on another issue that is less talked about.

The developers provided access to mods through their own in-game platform, Paradox Mods, instead of the already well established Steam Workshop. Their excuse was that this approach allowed for mods to be available on the console version as well; a reminder: said console version has not been released and has no foreseeable release date , all we know is that there's plans for it. Why not use the Steam workshop for now, then, instead of building a completely new mod delivery system whose development effort clearly detracts from the main goal of... you know... actually fixing the game's critical gameplay problems? Who knows. Nevertheless, yesterday they published a warning; a malicious file was detected in one of the most used mods on Paradox Mods , a security breach that just never would have happened on the Steam Workshop. They said that they were sorry about it and had already removed the file, but provided instructions for people who used the mod to run malware scans on their PCs because the mod with the malicious file stayed on the platform for a while.

That's right, folks, y'all can't even trust this game to be free of malware. For your own safety, just DO NOT BUY AND/OR INSTALL THIS GAME AND ESPECIALLY ITS MODDING FEATURES. Trust me, it's not worth it, the other aspects of the game suck too and they are not dedicating enough resources to make it good. Just save your money and go play the first game.

Have a good one.

Insecure modding platform that distributes Malware. Game is bland and not very fun without mods.

I loved Cities 1 and bought all the dlc. Moving to Cities 2 i believed most of the dlc would be part of the base game which it is not. Worse than that the game is full of bugs and delays that make it impossible to enjoy at the same level as cities 1 currently. Lastly the fact that they keep delaying the already paid for content i have been missing based on the launch info irritates me but nothing makes me more mad then seeing more new dlc for cities 1 when cities 2 is dead in the water. I wish i could refund this and wait 5 years like i did with cities 1.

So sad, still not running smoothly and still randomly crashing. Would love to play the game :( my over 200 hours in the game since launch were full of fun and tears...

I would rate this a 6 (out of 10).
It is a decent game, but leaves you with some wants, some dissapointing discoveries down the line. I'll try to sum up mine, but here is a summary:
It desperately needs some improvements, although it has come a long way. Improvements mainly on performance, simulation and content, about everything.

Traffic simulation

Traffic customisation

Early economy

Difficulty

Improvement buildings

Cim simulation

Just finished playing 99 hours and I love this game. This is my FIRST computer game (I'm old) and I'm truly enjoying my time in Cities Skylines II and looking forward to what will be offered next.

Good game if it didn't CRASH CRASH AND CRASH.... My PC spec is top so totally down to the game... Always riddled with issues from the start, like most games now half finished mess priced like a finished product...

This game still lacks a lot of of basic things and feels unfinished. But I have to admit, I haven't played CS1 since I got this game. Overall, I like it.

This game is just a masterpiece of disaster, if you can even call it that. From the breathtaking glitches that transport you directly into frustration land to the awe-inspiring lack of basic features that make you wonder if the developers forgot what gamers actually need, this game truly has it all.

Picture this: you’re trying to build your dream city, meticulously placing each building and road with care. You envision bustling streets filled with happy citizens and vibrant nightlife. But then, in a split second, it happens—your progress disappears into thin air, like some cruel magic trick. One moment you’re crafting a masterpiece, and the next, you’re staring blankly at a screen that seems to mock your efforts. It’s infuriating!

The attention to detail—or rather, the lack thereof—in the broken mechanics is truly a sight to behold. It’s almost like the game developers aimed for the stars and instead landed somewhere in a black hole of disappointment. Traffic management? Good luck with that! Watching cars piled up in nonsensical grids is like observing a trainwreck in slow motion, yet you can’t look away. And don’t even get me started on the pathfinding issues! It’s as if the citizens of this virtual world suddenly forgot how to read a map or navigate their own city.

Let’s not forget about the buildings themselves. You’d think in a game focused on city-building, developers might prioritize creating functional and engaging structures. Instead, you’re greeted with an assortment of awkwardly placed skyscrapers that float in mid-air and roads that suddenly end without warning. It’s like they threw a handful of blocks together and hoped for the best, neglecting the charm that could’ve been inherent in a city builder.

Another ‘charming’ feature of City Skylines 2 is its performance issues. On high settings, you might think you’re looking at a magnificent skyline—until the frame rates plummet and the game becomes unplayable. It’s a stark reminder that eye candy is useless if the gameplay can’t deliver. You find yourself squinting at the screen, praying for a miracle as you try to manage a city that’s falling apart at the seams.

The icing on the cake has to be the charming lack of customer support. You send out cries for help into the void, only to be met with silence. It leaves you stranded in the mess they’ve created, feeling more alone than ever. Gamers often share a sense of community, but in the case of this game, you can't help but feel abandoned. It’s troubling when the very people who should be supporting you seem utterly disconnected from the experience.

And then there are the updates—or lack thereof. One would expect that developers would actively work to fix glaring issues. Instead, it feels more like they’re focusing on adding shiny new features rather than addressing the fundamental problems plaguing the game. You find yourself wishing they would take a step back, refocus on the core elements that make a city-builder enjoyable, and spend a little less time chasing after flashy ideas.

In this chaotic landscape, you can’t shake the feeling that the developers have lost sight of what makes city-building games enjoyable. City Skylines 2 should be a canvas for creativity, allowing players to cultivate and shape their virtual worlds. Instead, it’s more like a minefield of frustration, where each step leads to another unwelcome surprise.

So, what’s the verdict? City Skylines 2: Who needs functioning gameplay when you can have a virtual nightmare instead? It’s a harsh realization, one that leaves you wondering if it’s still possible to create the city of your dreams within a game that feels like it has forgotten its purpose. For every thrill of creating a new urban experience, there’s an equal measure of despair waiting just around the corner, ready to derail your efforts at a moment's notice.

In the end, one can only hope for the day when City Skylines 2 will rise from this quagmire of frustration to become the game it was meant to be. Until then, it remains a bittersweet reminder of unrealized potential, a frustrating journey filled with far too many pitfalls and far too few victories. Here’s to hoping for better days ahead—not just for the game, but for all who dare to dream of building their perfect city.

Make it assertive
**Oh, City Skylines 2... Where do I even begin?**

This game stands out as an absolute masterpiece of disaster. It exemplifies the very essence of frustrating gaming experiences, combining breathtaking glitches with a shocking absence of fundamental features that players expect. This isn't just a game gone wrong; it's a glaring oversight by its developers.

Imagine this: you’re painstakingly constructing your dream city, placing every building and road with precision, envisioning a vibrant metropolis. Suddenly, without warning, your progress vanishes into thin air, as if a cruel magic trick has played out right before your eyes. One moment, you’re building a sprawling urban landscape; the next, you’re left staring at a screen that openly mocks your efforts. It’s infuriating, and it should not be the norm.

The attention to detail—or rather, the utter lack of it—in the game’s mechanics is astonishing. It feels as if the developers set their sights on the stars yet somehow landed in a black hole of disappointment. When it comes to managing traffic, good luck! Watching cars become ensnared in nonsensical grids is like witnessing a train wreck; it’s both baffling and infuriating. And let’s be clear: the pathfinding issues are unacceptable. It’s as though the citizens of this virtual world have collectively forgotten how to navigate their own city.

Similarly, the design of the buildings is laughable. One would expect a game centered on city-building to feature engaging, functional structures. Instead, we’re met with poorly positioned skyscrapers that float inexplicably and roads that dead-end without so much as a hint. It’s as if the developers tossed a handful of blocks together and hoped for the best, completely neglecting the charm that should be at the heart of any city builder.

Performance issues also plague City Skylines 2. On higher settings, you might initially be impressed by the skyline—until the frame rates drop and render the game unplayable. Eye candy means nothing if the core gameplay is broken. You find yourself squinting at the screen, desperately hoping for a miracle as you try to manage a city that’s unraveling before your very eyes.

Perhaps the most infuriating aspect of all is the total absence of customer support. Reaching out for help feels pointless when you’re met with silence. It’s unacceptable to feel abandoned in a game rife with problems. Gamers expect a level of community support, and it’s troubling when the very people who should be addressing these concerns seem completely disconnected from the player experience.

You need a supercomputer to run this game. Even if you have one, it still isn't as good as the original.

All they had to do was make the original with better graphics. Colossal screw up.

It's a shame this game was released in such a broken state. Things have gotten better, but it's still a performance nightmare with a not enough content. I put over a hundred hours in it, and I regret that. The bones of the base game are better than CS1, but it just needs more time in the oven and more features in the base game.

I also really resent that Paradox saw fit to release it when they did. It's emblematic of a company that doesn't respect its customers and willfully ignores what its devs are likely telling management.

As a huge fan of the first Cities: Skylines, which—despite becoming a classic Paradox DLC cash grab—still worked and worked well across the board, I had high hopes for the much-anticipated sequel. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for Cities: Skylines 2.

The game is plagued by endless bugs that seem to multiply with every patch. Every "fix" only introduces more issues, leaving the game barely functional. The so-called "Economy 2.0" update? A joke. All it does is give you slightly less starting money, nothing more. The game has been out for almost a year, and we're still missing basic features like hotels. And when you ask about it on the forums, the developers respond with cheery emoticons, telling you to turn on developer mode and manually install them yourself.

Are you kidding me? You can't fix something this simple? Do you even realize that the only reason people didn’t refund your game in the first 20 minutes is because they trusted you? And what did you do? You slapped us in the face. Honestly, I feel like a clown for sticking with this mess for 184 hours, hoping you'd finally get your act together.

Screw you, Paradox. You've earned it.

I really want to like and play this game. I wish that I could, but every 10-20m my game crashes to desktop. It's so frustrating. I sat it on for months hoping that this issue would be fixed, but to no avail. Stay away from this one

Can only add a four way stop, not individual stop signs for side streets, no yield signs either. Game is ass, returned

It's been a year. Paradox, you destroyed CS. It's still unplayable on a top-end system.
Your CEO publicly stated that "they should have held a closed beta", you just wanted to release your hot garbage early like other developers, and it blew up on you. We will no longer accept AAA titles that are unplayable on Day1, not to mention how crippled, shallow and lifeless you have left Cities Skylines 2. Absolute shame, sell yourself and the IP to a real developer who will finish this game.

If you've never played a Cities game play CS1, then with DLC, then with mods first. Come to this if you're a fan of that and want a graphical update, economy, and gameplay change. However, despite this CS1 will always be better for a long time. That is solely because of the amount of time updates, DLC, and mods have flooded into the community.
Each fix of CS2 is a step towards the right direction but it doesn't overshadow the fact that the launch was very disappointing. It should never be standard in the industry.

Performance and stability has improved since launch for me. Pretty playable and the essential mods from CS1 are here.
It's also a very pretty game but CS2 is not without its flaws including some occasional crashes. Consistent updates will help but buyers beware. This game is a slow burn towards what it can become.

Overall I would say this is a cautiously positive 6/10

The worst launch since "No Man's Sky", and just like No Mans's Sky this game wont be playable for another 5 years. The updates they release are a slap in the face with them being not as constant as they should and not addressing the game breaking bugs/problems. Unless you are playing with no mile stones and just free building the game is unplayable.

Meh. Its a sandbox. There is no challenge. Build solar sell power and nothing ever goes wrong or becomes an issue.
This is a city painter and nothing like cs1 in terms of challenge.

One year later and the game is still missing integral features that were literally promised in the promotional material. The economy still doesn't actually function, meaning you will not see goods from your industries travel across your town; everything just teleports as needed.

Your finances make no sense because somehow you just get more money but cannot figure out where it is coming from, resulting in there being no way to fail. It's also great to see their CEO literally _lie_ about features of the game before release, and then _blame the customers_ when the reception to their half-baked pile of shit is poor.

This game is not only bad, it's literal consumer fraud. Colossal Order have burned to ashes whatever positive sentiment I once held for them.

With the economy patch, the vanilla base game is essentially unplayable and not enjoyable. Maybe it's OK with mods but I would not recommend buying this until a future update.

i've never written a review for any game ever but this game is such a disgrace that i need to add my voice to the already overwhelming negative reviews that this game has received and rightfully so. It's been a year and still basic things don't work properly. Each time i load the game i basically have to rebuy the cargo harbor to make it function properly. The lack of variation in the buildings etc makes the game so incredibly boring visually. It's honestly just pathetic at this point how bad this game is. It is without question the worst game i've ever owned and i've probably owned a couple hundred games or more now. Enjoy my 100+ dollar donation CO as i was a dum dum and bought the early bird version. Stay away is my advice, stay far far far away and don't give this company another dollar.

Played 5 hours when the game came out, and just tried it again to see if they have improved it. Sorry to say, they have not. They devs missed the ball on this one. Basic stuff is lacking, while they chose to implement silly stuff that should have had far lower priorty. One example is the unnecessary microing with power production and distribution. You have to build tranformer stations inorder to convert high voltage to low...I mean wtf why. In sted of going that direction they should have implentet basic stuff like being able to place bike or bus lanes on the roads, be able to ban cars from driving through certain roads, or better yet have multiple pedestrian sized roads to chose from. Evert fricken build has parking lots, the train station model looks like a tiny suburban trainstation and not anything that one wants to build inside a huge metropolitan area..... Bad game, wish I could refund it. Soo dissapointed.

This game will be great when it's highly modded but the developers gave us an alpha at full price and not even the supercomputers at NSA could run this bitch at 60 fps.

I have been patient. I waited a whole year to write this review, because I really wanted to like and recommend this game. But a year in, it is still a broken, buggy and ugly game. CS2 had the potential of being the best city building simulation ever made. And it fell short in almost every aspect. The mods have made the game a bit more playable, but I can't shake off the disappointment I feel every time I try to start a new city.

And at this point, I don't even have hopes that Colossal and Paradox will fix anything. To say that CS2 was my biggest video-game heartbreak is an understatement.

Recently started playing again after barely playing since launch. This game has its problems, but its still fun to play. While it is missing some features that were present (and highly useful) in the first game, the new features from this game like mixed/medium zoning and the road building are very fun to play with. The graphics improvement is also noticeable if you have a good enough machine to take advantage of it. It still isn't perfect, but this game has come a long way since launch.

I think I’ve been incredibly patient with this game. I’ve logged over 5k hours in CS1 and more than 400 hours in CS2 now. I get that the game had a rough launch, and I’m willing to wait.

The DLC situation was a complete scam, but they acknowledged it was a bad decision and offered it for free, which I appreciated.

The updates crashed my previous save, but I started a new city. The updates messed with my mods, but I still started fresh. Even when updates broke my city’s economy, I rebuilt again.

But here I am, one year after the official release, starting yet another city. After 8 hours of enjoyment, I changed the "unlimited money" option, and it crashed my save yet again… and I lost my city of 8 hours work :<

I love this game and City Skylines as a whole. But after a year of constant issues, I’m REALLY disappointed and have finally decided to leave a negative review. This is just not what CS is supposed to be :(

cant build roads with lined-up zone squares. so over it.

This game is silly broken for one that has been out for a year. I can't get a city above 150k population because the game just won't allow any more sims at that point. the mail system is broken, and the economy is border line.

I really recommend buying skyline 1 for a cheaper more enjoyable city building experience and I think I will be going back to that until this buggy mess is sorted out.

Delay simulator. Nearly a year after launch and there are still game-breaking bugs, lack of promised content, and (at least in my opinion) barely improved performance. They tried releasing a half-baked DLC that flopped so bad they needed to make it free and delay other COMPLETED DLC to avoid the same fate. The mod editor took way too long to implement, and even then it's still buggy and in beta. The asset editor, console release, and bikes all still have no timeline or planned release, it's just sad. I've held out hope for this game for a year now, I've given up. This last update post with no news after months of nothing other than more delays was the last straw.

Unfortunately, I can't recommend this game at the moment (3/10). After 200 hours of trying to enjoy it, I’ve been disappointed by the lack of honesty from the developers. This version of the game is, at best, in a beta stage and feels like an insult to the many fans of the first game. Numerous features are missing, and we all know why: they’ll be sold as DLC, just to squeeze more money out of us.

Shame.

Shame on me for actually hoping a year after release this garbage would be better but it's not. It's lacks just about everything the first game had. There are a few bright spots but who cares if it just crashes all the time. I still takes too many mods to get what you'd like out of it but with 1000x less content to choose from. And that leads down a rabbit hole you should never have to jump in. I have a lot to say about this game but it would just get censored.

On a brighter note, the new updated tools are a joy to use. Making roads is now a fun time. Many mods from the old game were integrated into this and it makes a big difference. It makes CSI seem outdated. When the asset creator gets released the game will get much more appealing.

When we first started dating Cities Skylines was an amazing, robust, fun and intelligent city building simulator. We had fantastic moments together and although we squabbled here or there, the willingness for them to change, grow and adapt made me forgive each time.

Then things turned serious and I committed myself to the fact that they are the game for me and boy did the mask came off right quick.

This new version is nothing close to the lovable partner I once had. Our relationship has now turned into an abusive one where Cities Skylines 2 just sits on the couch all day refusing to do anything anymore and drunkenly screaming "oh yeah?! well I bet you gonna be here tomorrow anyways won't ya you fucking twat".

The creativity is gone. Robust has been replaced by "you get what you get" and the fun has truly left the building.

I took the CDs out of the garbage trucks, I took the 100 dogs roaming streets with no owners, I took that one kid living in a Rockefeller mansion by himself and fucking left.

Fuck you Cities Skylines II you could have truly been the one.

I guess putting in 130 hours might be a sign that I really enjoy it... and I do! It had a rocky start with quite a few bugs that needed to be ironed out, but now it's much more playable, especially since the 'high rent' bug has been fixed. I do wish there was an option to toggle off icons in general—maybe there’s a mod for that, though I prefer playing unmodded for now. There are definitely some features from the first game that I wish would make their way into this one, like toll roads, and it would be great if disasters were made even more disastrous.

I like that they’ve made this version more challenging compared to how it felt at launch. Initially, it felt too easy, and I advanced through all the milestones quickly. However, what I still don’t like—and maybe I’m just bad at it—is dealing with traffic. No matter what I try, I can't seem to fully eliminate it.

If you enjoyed the first one and are still on the fence, I think it's time to jump off and give this one a try.

Load up game to give it another try

Enjoyed myself for about 20-30 minutes before the game crashed for absolutely no reason.

The game doesn't autosave so all of my progress is lost.

Truly a mastery of game design present here.

Ok, After playing a lot of hours in Cities skylines 1. I bought this (preorder), well, performance is drama, but besides that I gave it a chance. So I was playing in the beginning, and what...it was boring. The same structure of buildings, you need to really focus on zone mixing etc. Not understandable economy. Product was hyped, by youtubers. Ok, I waited for one year, and this week I decided let's go, let's give it a chance. My game wasn't crashing during week, I was playing around 5 hours.

Today, I played 30 minutes - I had 2 game crash.
Please don't buy this game. If you like city builders, buy the first one and enjoy.

It was one of the few games I was really looking forward to and bought it day one. It was disapointing launch and I didn´t play it for awhile. but somehow playing it now after multiple patches and fixes it feels even worse then launch. Expenses seem unreasonably high, graphics look cartoonish and washed (streets look flat, houses look like doll houses), industry makes no sense and there is a feeling that there is no life in the city, just random cars and people. You need to have car access to park? Why? Garbage piles up so fast in 10k population city. No bike roads, electric cars and busses have no impact, people complain about noise when living in downtown area, like cmon.

far too often in this game i crash when placing a building. The lack of autosave, or any kind of save recovery, makes losing progress super hard to swallow.

edit: found the autosave (lol),
still crashes a fair amount though so.... thumbs down?

I spent hours and i mean hours on a city nd detailed as much as i wanted just for when i saved it, it completely froze my whole computer, and when i refreshed my pc, the save file for my world just disappeared like it never existed. I dont think i spent so much time and effort onto a city before just to lose it all. I would recommend this game but dont take it serious as any bs could happen. I might not be able to get the motivation to play again after this.

I have had two cities crash and the save games become unloadable. This is not acceptable for a game that has been out for almost a year. Even while playing I feel like this game is fatally flawed and will never be what Colossal Order meant it to be. I think they were victims of their own hubris after the success of the first one. Too bad we are the ones paying the price for that.

I spent most of my time in the game trying to work around the bugs, but I give up. In a city of 400,000 citizens, only 1 or 2 use the international airport. Subways have thousands of citizens, but only a few actually board the trains. Only 30 passengers use trains, and half of the cargo trains transport 0% of the cargo load from nearby cities. Tourism is completely broken—no visible tourists, zero hotels, and so on. It's fun to start the game, but once you reach a population of around 100,000, the bugs drain the joy from what could have been an amazing game.