1. frankspijker

   9

   When I first played the game I already had then the feeling the game still has a long road to make to reach the greatness of the Simcity games. The game just didn't felt finished more like a beta game.
   But I believe that if this project continues to improve it does reach the greatness of the Simcity games.
   What it already has is:
   
   
   - Stunning graphics
   - Looking in your city and walking in a horizontal angle (something Simcity never had and is so important in the next-gen city game because the city feels much more different in that angle)
   - Enormous maps enough space to build
   - The strategy in the game is already pretty good but some changes still wouldn't hurt
   
   What the game still needs:
   
   - A big modding community because the developer of the game just can't put al the wishes of the player in de game a modding community can. (example: Simcity 4 had a great modding community because Maxis promoted the to be the architect himself of a building by giving the gamers BAT which worked out pretty well many mods were looking professional and helped making the game even greater en greatly extended the fun in the game)
   - Building a city is sometimes annoying because the road snaps to fast on another road or if you place a building it deletes an other building while you don't want it to be deleted. So that can be improved
   - You can't make your own map you have to choose between already designed maps and the tools you get to modify the map are bad and you have only 3 landtools.
   - Ow and please those technical issues are a pain in the ass. Even the best computers struggle if you have a normal sized city. And the game crashes fast which is annoying if you didn't saved the game
   
   There sure are more things to say about what's great and not great about the game but even when it still isn't the next-gen city game it definitely has the potential to become it and in my opinion it is the greatest try so far since Simcity.
   
   7/10… Expand

   • Helpful? 1 of 4 users said Yes.
2. Novodantis

   7

   An ambitious city simulator that is one of the closest attempts in recent times to equal Maxis' legends. It has very impressive graphics and deeper gameplay than many other recent shallow offerings of this genre, but is let down by a lack of polish in some areas. The road system is fiddly to upgrade (requiring demolition and starting again) and despite finally having the ability to curve roads, this system leaves much to be desired (roundabouts 'absorb' cars like a building; there's no animation of traffic on them). Despite being a little longwinded and inelegant at times, Cities XL 2011 can engross any keen city-builder and is worth a look on the long wait for Sim City 5.… Expand

   • Helpful? 1 of 1 users said Yes.
3. montana

   4

   Dont buy this game! Both gameplay and interfaces are sluggish and the sound design is horrible. The game looks years old both in graphics and just about everything else. I have a high end PC so it's not that I can't use it's full potensial.… Expand

   • Helpful? 0 of 1 users said Yes.
4. ajm1205

   3

   I have a number of deal-breaker problems with this game and the company that made it. Overall, the game is bordering on fun, but the problems that I have run into have made it unbearable to play.
   
   First, the graphics system implementation seems to have missed a few steps in the testing process. I have a Radeon HD 5800 series video card in my laptop which is a fairly common series. Add into this the fact that I keep the drivers up-to-date and don't make drastic customizations to the display/card settings and I feel confident in saying that I shouldn't run into many out-of-the-box problems. However, I have yet to get the game to successfully change resolution. I've tried all the resolutions that my monitor and card combination will support (including an external monitor), but it all ends with a stuck on top white box and an not responding game. Since I run the game through Steam, where I purchased it, I automatically have the latest version of the game and still no change.
   
   Second, related to the first problem, is the absolute lack of support from the publisher. I've e-mailed them, checked their website, and even tried to get into their non-existent forums and the result has been total silence. No, auto-response email telling me that the e-mail I sent arrived and they will get to it when they are good and ready (not even one telling me to "check my drivers"). As with other companies I have dealt with in the past where the only reliable response was no response, I have to assume that they aren't listening and will probably appear in a short news story about another developer bankruptcy. I think that I have a pretty reasonable expectation in terms of support from most developers when I ask that they post a few FAQs and maybe a functional forum with posts about known problems.
   
   Finally, is the mixed bag that is the game play itself. I like the models and rendering that is used in the game, and I think the interface is functional if a bit simplistic. The removal of a lot of the normal city simulation micromanagement is tolerable since it has struck an acceptable balance between detailed control and needless effort. I really enjoy the supply and demand implementation that gives very quick, visual feedback concerning your addition of new services and zones. Unfortunately, the road system is very difficult manage and makes it very difficult to set up a grid system city. In addition to the overly, snap oriented road system is a camera control system that makes it extraordinarily difficult to get a useful perspective on what you are trying to do with your city.
   
   In summary, the game has great potential with poor implementation and absolutely awful technical support. I'd recommend not buying it and using the money to convince someone to make a real sequel to the Maxis SimCity games.… Expand

   • Helpful? 2 of 3 users said Yes.

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