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[Calhoun]

Considering I picked this up not long ago (Before realizing that CitiesXL 2011 would be a separate purchase) I would be all over that.

[PTTG??]

Looks like it's available on steam!

I've got to say, really quiet release. I don't get it, really. All signs seem to say it's a plenty decent game, and there hasn't been a good city builder in years. Why is it so dead?

Also, anyone know if the steam version comes with SecuROM?

Hmm... apparently, it's available, but you can't buy it... whatever that means.

[Soulwynd]

You can look at it, but you can't touch it. =p

[Deon]

I'll download it in an hour and tell you if it's worh the buy. The screenshots look fine but I am not sure about the gameplay part. We all know Simcity Societies and how less detailed, complete and clever it was than SC4.

[Viken]

I played the original Cities XL when it came out with the beta system (didn't buy the game myself), and found that the gameplay very nice and easy to control and understand.  Think of it like SC4 on steriods and fully in 3D.  The maps are bloody huge, and you can either build the roads yourself or let the system build them for you around each type of sector, ect. 

Cities XL 2011 edition is supposed to be even better, allowing you more customization options, more buildings, and the added stuff like installing city transit systems like bus-stops and subways that really cut down on congestion.  Its like that expansion to SC4; so that gets a plus in my book.  I'll be looking more into it and I'll let everyone know how it goes.

[Deon]

All right, I saw the Let's play and it looks really cool. It looks like they simplified the economy part, but it's still in and you still can control it, just don't have to. Basically the game does a lot of things for yourself, but you can control. It's a good way to "simplify" stuff: casual players can enjoy the game, and it still gives you opportunity for more customization. Plus, I am in love with the amount of details this game gives you. Sometimes you just want to pause and look around the city. And it has no disappearing-on-sight cars and people, which adds to the immersion.

Too bad they've disabled the multiplayer aspect, I would love to trade with my friends and visit their towns .

P.S. The torrent was closed almost immediately after it had appeared... Wow. I was lucky to grab it. I'll try it and buy it.

[PTTG??]

You know, it really makes you wonder what exactly you pay for when the free version is available now, with no opressive DRM, and the paid version comes with a free SecuROM install and is in a strange netherworld of being neither available nor unavailable.

[Deon]

I pay for the hard work of the developers whos work I like. If I don't like the game, I just try and trash it. At least it's how I'm used to it.

I watched more videos, and it's really said that they switched off the online gameplay part with the ability to trade with other people various tokens (there're different types of industry: food, heavy ("dirty" hehe), manufacturing,  hi-tech and office (banks, lawyers etc.)). You can mix them in your city, or build a specialized town and buy missing "tokens" from nearby cities (as I said the system is simplified to tokens, but it doesn't change the gameplay, just makes it more transparent than "units of something"), so you can have a hi-tech city which buys manufactured goods and electricity from your neighbours.

You also could enter other player's city views and walk around as a person: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAWWjQYmYT0&NR=1.

[Viken]

The thing is, with the other system they kept having server overloads because they required even single-player games to be logged online, and their 'free week trail' thing totally wrecked everything else.  But as a city sim in the style of SimCity 4, you cannot beat it.  I've spent the last three hours nose-deep in my own city, building it up.  Had a total of about 20K citizens, and had just unlocked alot of cool stuff when I got off.  Wasn't happy with the way my city was. lol.

Cities XL 2011 edition is a vast improvement over the original, even when missing the online components.  The game isn't nearly as laggy/buggy as the original release, and no annoying DMRs to mess with anything else. It loads quicker, saves better, and the graphics are glorious, even on my Nvidia 8800 GT 512MB card. lol.  I'm happy with it, and will probably sit here and fiddle with the game some more in a little bit.

Also, the added tutorials help. Alot.  In the first one there was what? 6 total? This one has more, and goes more indepth into the systems that support the game in such a way that it makes me laugh at how easy it can be. I hope you all enjoy!

[Sowelu]

On these reviews, I'm putting it in the "buy" pile.

[Calhoun]

I pay for the hard work of the developers whos work I like. If I don't like the game, I just try and trash it. At least it's how I'm used to it.

Me too. I don't have much disposable income, and can't afford to buy a game on a whim.

Hmm... apparently, it's available, but you can't buy it... whatever that means.

Weird... I bought it about a week ago.

[Lap]

Whereas it was very easy to lose/ go bankrupt in SimCity2000 I don't know how you can fail in CitiesXL. It is way too easy and becomes boring after the second or third map you play with.

[Sowelu]

Whereas it was very easy to lose/ go bankrupt in SimCity2000 I don't know how you can fail in CitiesXL. It is way too easy and becomes boring after the second or third map you play with.

Aren't there different difficulties, or different terrain types?

[Viken]

The different available resources and map types in Cities XL denotes the overall difficulty for building a city there. Want a more challenging experience? Play on a mountainous map with no natural resources. Enjoy! And don't forget to have FUN!

[PTTG??]

It's up on steam now!