Cities: Skylines 2 promises 'the most realistic city simulation ever created’

Cities: Skylines II promises to be “the most realistic city simulation ever created,” according to its publisher, Paradox Interactive.

Developed once more by Colossal Order, Cities: Skylines II is the direct sequel to the Sim City-inspired construction and management simulation game that was first released for PC in 2015. The popular management sim was later ported to multiple consoles.

As reported by PC Gamer, in a press release provided by Paradox Interactive, it claimed that Cities: Skylines II will offer: “the most realistic city simulation ever created, in which players can build any kind of city they can imagine and follow its growth from a humble village to a bustling metropolis.”

"From individual households to the city's economy and transportation system, Cities: Skylines II offers a deep and immersive simulation that welcomes both new and veteran players,” continued the press release.

The first game in the series was well-received by critics with a Metacritic score averaging between 81 to 85, depending on the console. However, the Nintendo Switch port did not fare so well, scoring just 67 on the aggregate website.

Cities: Skylines II looks to improve on its predecessor in almost every way with enhanced modding and customisation tools, as well as a fully realised economic and transit system, to bring fantasy cities to life like never before. What’s more, gamers will have greater access to land allowing players to build out to 150 tiles.

It’s fair to say that sequel has a lot to live up to, largely due to the success of its predecessor but also in part with claims of being “revolutionary”, “realistic” and “the most open-ended city-building sandbox on the planet”.

No exact release date has been announced, but we do know that Cities: Skylines II will release for PC and current-gen consoles in 2023. At this time, there are no plans for a Nintendo Switch port.