Should I buy SimCity (2013)?

[Fatherted 129]

This November, I'm getting an Xbox One which is going to cost me in excess of £700 in total, so I'm watching my expenses. Is SC2013 worth it? Is is SC4 sufficient?

[Cyclone Boom 17,031]

Really it's a personal choice. To get a feel for the gameplay, I suggest taking a look at the various YouTube "let's play" videos series. There's plenty of these available for both games. For example, Haljackey has made 50+ episodes of building a SC4 city from scratch.

One thing SC13 doesn't yet allow is serious gameplay modding. In terms of customization, SC4 does have more mods to improve the base game. It's also relatively cheap at around $10-20 for the digital download (e.g. GamersGate, Steam or Origin), which comes fully patched and ready to play.

[Indiana Joe 1,752]

You might want to wait for the expansion pack to come out in November, and see what the reviews are like.

[Cottoncandy Cyanide 145]

Mostly on your personal preference really. If you enjoy 3D games, with cartoon like graphics and such, with many DLCs and upcoming expansion packs, go for SC2013( Doesn't have hardcode modding though )

Or, you can purchase SC4 for 20 USD. SC4 does allow TONS of modifications and re-decorations( UI and stuff. ). SC4 also has more realistic graphics then SC2013.

 

Like I said though, it's a matter of preference really.

[Huston 5,800]

On a personal note, I'd think SC4 is sufficient enough on its own. I never really saw SC2013 as a good investment as they charge you excessive amounts of bite-size DLC in comparison to their asking prices, and the game to seems insufficiently developed and missing a multitude of things. Just look at everyone's reactions towards the game and EA/Maxis' decision made for the game. They're not at all peachy, but like everyone else, it is a matter of preference.

 

If you prefer cartoonish model-style city building with a number of dynamic systems, online-only mode play (for now, or probably indefinite considering EA/Maxis' pace towards acting on a single-player mode that's offline) and are willing to pay some serious moolah for DLC (that I personally don't think is worth buying), then SC2013 is the game for you.

 

Certainly ain't for me though. Especially considering the fact that it runs on Origin

[Xenocity 343]

If  you're buying an Xbox One, then obviously games with online modes and DLC are very important to you (who buys an Xbox to play offline?)

You can get the standard version for $40 or less due to sales and/or  EA cash card sales (they can be used on Origin as well)

 

If you want all the international content then Deluxe is the best way to go.

Or you can wait until November 12 or later to buy the leaked Simcity Plus (contains the expansion pack).

 

I mean it wouldn't be a real Simcity game if we didn't get our expansion packs (both Simcity 1 and Simcity 2000 had 3 expansion packs).

 

If you really need another copy of Simcity 4, the Steam sale takes place in late November/Early December and the game will be priced under $5.

 

Since you've waited this long, you'd might as well wait for the next Origin sale (they happen ever month or two).

[Catchin22 299]

No, it's not. Come back when / if the maps are ever increased, there's offline mode and all the bugs are fixed. Until then it's not worth it, I don't consider this even to be SimCity, or worthy of the name.

[GoldLeader 1]

Here is the opinion of a 40 year old guy who has loved SimCity from the beginning. I have owned all of them and especially liked the Nintendo console version. I, as many of you did, had every intention of pre-ordering this game, no question. However, every time I was about to pull the trigger on a purchase the negative things people were saying (map size, online, etc) kept me from doing so. So in the end I did not get it. I ended up buying Tropico 4 and have had a lot of fun with it and highly recommend it by the way.

 

Since then I have been following the drama, and progress or lack thereof, and I can say that a flash deal this weekend ($23.50) finally pushed me over the edge. I say that because my opinion of the game is oviously going to factor on what I paid for it vs those who paid $60 or more.

 

I alread have played it for twenty hours, ten on Saturday and another ten yesterday. Knowing beforehand the limitations of the small map I took the advice others have suggested about building slow and going low density while trying to maintain a balanced RCI. Yes, the maps are way small but playing in this way kept me from filling the map so fast and believe it or not I actually had a lot of fun with it. For what I paid I can say that I am happy I did buy it.

 

Looking forward I am disappointed that I would need to spend another $50 to get all the dlc so far and another $30 for the expansion pack. I would like to get them but that would put me over $100 and at that price I would feel much less satisfied with the game. My advice is get the game on sale for thirty bucks or so and enjoy it for what it is. You will probably enjoy it enough to get your money's worth. Like I said I have 20 hours in and I still want to play. Will I get 100's of hours out of it like the previous versions? In it's current state probably not, but so far I am having a good time with it. If you can go into it with this in mind and know that it is not a better SimCity 4 then you will be happy. My 2 cents.

[Xenocity 343]

Here is the opinion of a 40 year old guy who has loved SimCity from the beginning. I have owned all of them and especially liked the Nintendo console version. I, as many of you did, had every intention of pre-ordering this game, no question.

Both Nintendo made Simcity and Simcity 64 are considered black sheeps by the fanbase because they are viewed as unfaithful to the franchise.

 

Both have constantly reviewed as bad as Simcity 2013 for the most part (Simcity 64 is rated worse)

 

The DLC adds very little to the game, so you aren't missing  anything of value.

The only piece you should buy is the digital upgrade if you have the standard game.

 

DLC regularly goes on sale as does the EA cash cards, so there is no reason to pay full price.

 

Paid DLC is the future, thanks to Americans eating it up.

For some reason Americans demand and love DLC for thier games.

[GoldLeader 1]

Both Nintendo made Simcity and Simcity 64 are considered black sheeps by the fanbase because they are viewed as unfaithful to the franchise.

I didn't know that. I actually never read game reviews when I was younger so I guess I just didn't realize what a turd I was playing with Haha.

[Xenocity 343]

 

Both Nintendo made Simcity and Simcity 64 are considered black sheeps by the fanbase because they are viewed as unfaithful to the franchise.

I didn't know that. I actually never read game reviews when I was younger so I guess I just didn't realize what a turd I was playing with Haha.

 

Actualy it has more to do with control and missing content from the PC version (Granted the PC version had 3 or was it 4 expansion packs).

Though the SNES version has better graphics, frame rate, special buidlings including Casinos, Mario and his special statue you can earn, etc...

 

Simcity 64 on the other hand was developed completely by Nintendo and tried to be different.

Though it was the first full 3D Simcity

It never sold enough to get a Western release.

[reReticulated Spline 69]

I have fun with it. But if you ask if SC4 is sufficient: they are totally different games right now. SC2013 lacks the ability to build large regionwide city sprawls and 10 years of mod content. So you go to SC4 to build the city of your dreams. SC4 on the other hand, lacks interaction between the buildings beyond the demand bars. If you like constant tinkering with a city dynamically solving problems you go to SC2013. Until some sort of bigger maps/adjecent cities arrive along with modding tools, it's not going to be the limitless creative tool SC4 was. I do enjoy the gameplay of SC2013 a lot more as it has a lot more decision making and complex problems with no right answer to solve.

[ebalosus 19]

I'd have trouble recommending it to anyone, because to simcity fans (the ones I personally know) it's a big step backwards from SC4, and to anyone else interested, it's not really representative of simcity.

 

Take it from me: It's good at killing a few hours when you've got nothing better to do, but if you want to play it seriously, then prepare to be disappointed. Once your city gets big enough, the simulation breaks down, and you're stuck with issues for which there is no logical remedy.

[simcity1999 34]

SimCity 4 is the sole "proper" simcity game, and the best city building game ever. SC13 has many negative comments, no mods, and cities are very small. On the other hand, SC4 is the fan's favorite simcity game, have more than 20000 mods, most of them are in Simtropolis Exchange (STEX) or BSC Lot Exchange (LEX), and although the largest city tile is only 4x4 meters, you can build metropolis by joining city tiles. And SC4 is also much cheaper than SC13, $15-20 versus $70-80. And since SC4 is an old game, a low end hardware can run SC4 near perfectly, with some tweaks.

[Fatherted 129]

I already have SC4, and just wanted to see if SC13 was a worthy addition to my pathetically small PC portfolio (SC4...and that's it). Now I see it isn't.

Plus the term "Maxoids" makes me feel like I'm five again. No thanks.

Thanks for your time.

[Noobi-Wan 22]

If you do buy it from a store. You should be able to get it much cheaper than on origin!

[Ocram's Razr 964]

I just bought the game today and it seems like fun so far. I plan on preordering Cities of Tomorrow.

--Ocram

[Zapf Dingbats 7]

SC4 is broken because even if you have god mod, the game is still broken with traffic completely pack the road, nobody can even move 1 inch.

 

SC2013 is very very good except some critical issues like there is no highway, mass transit is finicky (sometimes the train will not work at all, I don't know why), and freight orders keep saying unfullfilled no matter what you do.

 

To me, SC2013 should sell for $20, not $40. Simply it isn't worth that much.

[GeometryMath Algebra 614]

SC4 is broken because even if you have god mod, the game is still broken with traffic completely pack the road, nobody can even move 1 inch.

Well, the NAM fixes the pathing flaws of SC4, and also, if you run the game for at least a few months, there's a chance that the pathing will fix itself...

[simcity1999 34]

Yes, SimCity 4 is not broken with NAM. With SC2013, the pathfinding is awful, sims prefer the shortest way, let's say, they will choose a 1KM dirt road than a 1.1KM expressway. SC4 is best!!!