SimCity PC
Metascore
64 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 75 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 75
  2. Mixed: 39 out of 75
  3. Negative: 10 out of 75
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  1. Eurogamer Sweden
    Mar 4, 2013
    100
    A fantastic city simulation that meets all expectations. So perfectly balanced it makes it easy to pick up and enjoy, but proves to be very difficult to master. Funny, addictive and with great options for both co-operative and competitive online play - Sim City is a clear candidate for Game of the Year.
  2. Polygon
    Mar 4, 2013
    95
    A near-perfect fusion of the classic simulation game with modern social and online play elements. It is in every way the fully realized evolution of the franchise and a much welcome iteration, perfectly engineered to dispense the maximum amount of fun in the most efficient way possible. [Editor's Note: this quotation and score are from the original Polygon review. Metacritic, per long-standing site policy, only accepts a publication's first review/score for a given game.]
  3. AusGamers
    Mar 5, 2013
    94
    What SimCity offers is so much potential for so much expanded and persistent gameplay that its mindboggling. All I can actively offer you is what the game offers you upon firing up, and in that sense it’s a fricking addictive affair.
  4. LevelUp
    Mar 20, 2013
    90
    SimCity is a fun and addictive game that offers an intuitive simulation interface that will help you create thriving cities that can interact and trade between each other. Even though it's launch was smeared due to server overload, once you start creating, you won't be able to stop.
  5. Eurogamer Italy
    Mar 10, 2013
    90
    We've chosen to rate the game, not the service so far, and this new SimCity is a pure joy to play, a different but worthy re-imagination of the franchise.
  6. Gamereactor Sweden
    Mar 4, 2013
    90
    EA has listened to the community, improved, brought back what was good, improved again and made the most marvelous city creator you could ever imagine.
  7. GamesBeat
    Mar 4, 2013
    90
    It’s a joy to see SimCity return in a better form than it has ever been. It is wonderfully complex, but very easy to play. The title is a massive undertaking and it has come together beautifully overall.
  8. XGN
    Mar 4, 2013
    88
    The world’s biggest simulation franchise is back with a vengeance. We’ve all grown up playing SimCity, and it’s finally time to get back to living the life of a virtual city planner. Whether you play the game alone or with friends, SimCity proves to be a great deal of fun.
  9. Everyeye.it
    Mar 18, 2013
    87
    The new SimCity is a rich and fun computer video game, definitely a must-have, already on the list for best PC game of 2013: it's good, however, but it's not a massive game or a title with the fundamental component online, despite the need to be constantly connected to the network.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
2.0 out of 10

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 3977 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 250 out of 1971
  2. Mixed: 84 out of 1971
  3. Negative: 1,637 out of 1971
  1. powerpsi2
    3
    Server reached maximum capacity and so I was placed in a queue and was not allowed to play a SINGLE PLAYER GAME because it forces me to constantly be online.

    So despite my flawless internet connection, EA's incompetence has forced me to postpone playing a game I'd like to play on my own anyway.

    I have played the beta and the city size limits are awful.

    But it isn't all bad, I do enjoy the new features, such as removal of the piping networks and the add-ons for buildings. But it's awful comopated to SC4    … Full Review »
  2. Busterofwar
    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. Do you still play SimCity 4? Good luck playing this game in 10 years. The servers will probably be down then and you'll be locked out of your single player game. SINGLE PLAYER!… Full Review »
  3. penemue
    0
    It may be looked down upon to use this as a megaphone to shout through but the fact is that people need to see this, that NO-ONE should EVER support always online DRM for a single player game, on my partners 2nd attempt to play this game, she was told the servers were at full capacity and could not play until 235 minutes had elapsed. There are a staggering amount of other problems, such as the save states being tied to client-side servers, so that once EA decides this game is finished so is your progress and your ability to play it, forever. Not only that but, as probably said before, this game is on Origin only, so you must install this malicious, unoptimized, buggy front-end to just begin to play the game.
    Regardless of how the game plays as a Simulator, or whether or not it is improved upon it's predecessors, these issues need to not just ironed out, but abolished completely and utterly. The business practices being executed here are absolutely disgusting and should not be tolerated, at all.    … Full Review »
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