*IGN now scores on a 10-point scale instead of 100.

Don’t expect exciting scenarios or random events, but do expect to be impressed by the scale and many moving parts of this city-builder. Getting in and creating something is easy, though mastering it will require extensive research on community wikis to understand why growth is stunted even when you address your citizens’ apparent concerns. It’s a really impressive and often beautiful simulation, where an amazing number of virtual people go about their business across a huge swath of land. More than anything, Cities: Skylines is about the simple joy of building.