I definitely need to think about more urban planning
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| The huge maps in Cities: Skylines 2 really impressed me with their size and scale |
Confession time: If you've been following Colossal Order's feature highlight video series for Cities: Skylines 2 over the past couple of months, my recent experience playing it at Gamescom a few weeks ago might not offer groundbreaking insights. I spent the majority of my hour-long demo session working through its extensive tutorial, as I had not played Cities: Skylines before. However, I can confirm that the tutorial is exceptionally newbie-friendly, and now I feel adequately prepared for its full release on October 24th.
What truly impressed me during my playthrough was the vastness of the playable areas. We've known since the end of July that the maps are roughly five times larger than those in the first game, but seeing them in person puts their scale into perspective. Zooming out the camera, I was stunned by how far it extended.
For my demo, I selected a picturesque fjord map. It had a moderate temperature range, crucial since climate variations can stress your electricity grid during adverse weather conditions and create various infrastructural challenges. I was far from ready to handle these complexities during my brief demo, but caution is never a bad thing. Plus, it was a stunning fjord, a landscape I've always dreamed of, so why not build a thriving town beside it?
The tutorial placed me in one of the far corners of this fjord map, and initially, I didn't grasp the full extent of the playable area beyond my starting point. I focused on learning the basics—laying roads, connecting water and electricity, and setting up residential, industrial, and commercial zones—all within what I assumed was a 1 km square region. I was content with my small plot, even if my balance of houses to shops was skewed, and I had four different energy sources for perhaps just as many houses.
(My sincere apologies to the Colossal Order and Paradox representatives accompanying me, who did their best to guide me - they must have been aghast at my ineptitude, so I extend my heartfelt thanks to them).
However, I soon had to create a sewage pipe that reached the sea, and it was then that I fully understood the enormous size and scale of the playing field. Since all my buildings were concentrated in one corner, the pipe stretched for miles and looked rather impractical in hindsight—a lesson I'll apply when I play it properly. As I zoomed out to grasp the full scope of the map, I realized it was massive, and I was suffering from “incredibly small town thinking.” (Don't blame me; I live in Bath, a city you can stroll from top to bottom in 20 minutes, 30 if you're taking it slow).
Naturally, I still have a lot to learn about building in Cities: Skylines 2 before I attempt "Fjordtown 2.0" in October. Just before the end of my session, my demo guides loaded a "here's a city we made earlier" file, and I finally understood how to utilize such vast landsmasses. I was heartened that even my initial hour of basic planning blurs was still relaxing and enjoyable. When things went awry, such as my residents needing a nearby hospital or expressing concern about air pollution from the power station next door, the intuitive menus helped identify and resolve issues. Watching buildings gradually rise with cranes and construction workers was immensely satisfying. I'm hooked! Managing a city budget may be a challenge, but hey, that's what infinite money cheats are for, right?
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