By Iceflake Studios, Colossal Order · Paradox Interactive · Simulation
Cities: Skylines II is the sequel to one of the most popular city builders on PC. You start with an empty map and a highway connection, then lay out roads, residential, commercial and industrial zones, and the services a city needs: power, water, schools, hospitals, police and fire stations.
The simulation runs deep. Citizens have homes, jobs and daily routines, and their movement creates the traffic you have to manage with smart road layouts and public transport such as buses, trams, trains and metro lines. The economy reacts to supply and demand, and seasons and weather add variety to how the city looks and works through the year.
The game is particularly satisfying for players who enjoy solving problems: untangling a traffic jam, rebalancing a district or planning a new neighbourhood. You can take on challenges and milestones, or play freely with generous settings. Large cities can be demanding on a PC, so it is worth checking the requirements before buying.
Images © Paradox Interactive, shown editorially.
