Some maps have beaches that will let you build a tourist’s dream, while others are barren deserts that offer oil for the taking. On a map with open fertile plains, a farming community will be a good start. On a mountain map, it will be easiest to build a successful city by building a ski resort. There isn’t a campaign really, but there are plenty of different maps that will present different opportunities to you. You’ll never feel overwhelmed though, since you can pause the game at any time, or change the speed of time passing. It starts out very slow-paced and relaxed, and it can become a hectic numbers game very quickly. People need jobs, jobs need resources, resources need more people, more people need retail and leisure activities to stay happy, and all of these things need even more people to stay running. And anything that you add will always put things out of balance.

MSRP: $39.99 (Standalone), $14.99 (Expansion to Cities XL 2011)Ĭities XL 2012 is a captivating balancing act that is constantly pushing you forward. This makes it more like an expansion for some, and if you are a newcomer to the series, it’s still worth $39.99. Thankfully, Cities XL 2012 is out, and it’s a great expansion to Cities XL 2011. If you already own 2011, you can pick up 2012 for just $14.99. I’ll admit that it can be a hard genre to sell, and we don’t see a whole lot of them today. It’s been awhile since I have played a good city builder.

Cities xl demo