Off the Rails: How Cities: Skylines II Derailed on Launch
Game franchises thrive on nostalgia. Sequels bank on fans craving more of what they loved before. Yet recapturing greatness proves an elusive quest, often ending in disappointment instead. Dead Space 3 lost the isolationist horror that defined its prequels. Mass Effect: Andromeda lacked the compelling narrative weight of the original trilogy. And as I analyzed previously, SimCity 2013 cratered under the lofty expectations set by earlier entrants.
The latest to stumble is Cities: Skylines II. This long-awaited successor to one of the most celebrated city builders faced incredible hype yet failed to stick the landing at launch. Marred by performance woes and missing features, Cities: Skylines II earned community backlash for its regression. Steam reviews sat firmly in “Mostly Negative” territory for months post-release.
Cities: Skylines II promised evolution: smarter traffic systems, new transit options, deeper simulation. However, the actual product felt hollow next to the content-rich original. Like other follow-ups before it, Skylines II could not deliver on ambitious claims and nostalgic hype right away. And disappointed fans left scathing indictments in response.
What Went Wrong
Some of the promised features that didn’t fully deliver include:
- A new traffic system that ended up less realistic than expected
- A zoning system that didn’t give players as much control as anticipated
- Transportation options that were more limited than advertised
- Weather, disaster, and map size features that weren’t as expansive as fans hoped
Additionally, the game suffered from performance issues, bugs, unfinished features, and an overall lack of polish. As Steam user LictorXIX wrote:
“This game is clearly unfinished and should not have been released in the state it was…The poor graphics optimization also render this title almost unplayable unless you have a bleeding edge rig.”
In my own experience with the game, I encountered frequent crashes, lag, and problems with basic gameplay functionality around roads, buildings, and simulation features. For me, building basic sewage and removing unwanted structures felt more like a chore than entertainment.
The Disappointing Reality
Essentially, the initial launch of Cities Skylines II felt more like a beta test than a completed product. There were simply too many unresolved issues for it to live up to the high expectations set by the previous Cities: Skylines (2015) and the developers’ own teasers. However, the game was met with disappointment from many players due to a number of factors.
Performance issues were a major problem for many players. The game was plagued by long load times, stuttering, and crashes. These issues made it difficult to enjoy the game, and they were a major source of frustration for players. On my own account, I’ve had the game fail and crash at least 10 times.
Buggy AI was another problem that plagued Cities: Skylines II. The AI for traffic and citizens was very buggy, and it often resulted in traffic jams and other problems. This made it difficult to build a functioning city, and it was another major source of frustration for players.
Lack of content was also a problem for Cities: Skylines II. Although new features and previous features from Cities: Skylines I expansions were brought over (e.g. districts and specialization industries), the game launched with a relatively small amount of content, compared to the first Cities: Skylines game. This meant that there was less to do in the game, and it made it difficult to keep players engaged.
As a result of these issues, Cities: Skylines II was a major disappointment for many players. The game did not live up to the high expectations set by the first Cities: Skylines game, and it was plagued by a number of problems that made it difficult to enjoy.
Recent Improvements
However, since launch, the developers have released several patches to address problems. The recent Patch 1.0.18f1 tackled traffic accidents, air cargo transport, pedestrian navigation, and more. This and other fixes have led Steam reviews to improve from “Mostly Negative” to “Mostly Positive” in recent months.
As Steam user foxconn666 wrote:
“I feel like the developers have created one of the best city builders around and have listened to their players from cities skylines I and have incorporated mods…Yes, there still needs to have some updates/patches and DLC’s released…this will come as the developers are constantly providing this.
In my experience as well, the game runs much more smoothly now.”
Ongoing Challenges
Cities: Skylines II faces significant challenges before it can match its beloved predecessor. The original Cities: Skylines benefited from years of expansions and additional content, setting a high bar. In contrast, the recent sequel has struggled with performance issues and mixed reactions at launch.
Many players expected Cities: Skylines II to include the features and depth added to the first game over time. However, the sequel looked sparse by comparison at release. Coupled with technical problems, disappointment was inevitable among city-builder fans.
When the first Cities: Skylines launched in 2015, it was seen as the true heir to SimCity’s legacy after the latter’s unsuccessful 2013 entry. Its realism and extensive player control became selling points. This freedom to build intricately and accurately fueled Skylines’ rise as one of the genre’s most popular games.
Skylines also leveraged a thriving modding community to continually add user-generated content. However, the novelty has faded over a decade on. Cities: Skylines II cannot rely on the same newness its precursor did. To avoid being another SimCity 2013, it must innovate within city builders, not just play catch up.
The key challenges are now apparent — stability, depth, and innovation. With ongoing updates, Cities: Skylines II may eventually capture what made the first so highly regarded. But it remains an uphill road ahead.
The Road Ahead
Sequels face the monumental challenge of surpassing their beloved predecessors while balancing innovation and familiarity. Cities: Skylines now faces this predicament with its sequel.
The original Cities: Skylines benefited tremendously from years of post-launch support and content updates, setting high expectations for the sequel. However, Cities: Skylines II launched unfinished and unstable, with performance issues and missing features dismaying fans. After years of waiting, this unpolished and buggy release felt like a regression rather than an evolution.
However, there are signs of hope on the horizon. With ongoing patches and updates, Cities: Skylines II shows steady improvement. Recent fixes have improved stability and playability, earning more positive Steam reviews. Yet significant work remains for the sequel to realize the heights of depth and customization that defined the original’s legacy.
The road ahead for Cities: Skylines II is uphill but navigable. The developers must continue balancing new features and innovation with refinement and performance improvements. If technical issues can be smoothed out and content depth reaches parity with the rich original game and mods, the sequel can still redeem itself into something special for fans.
