Cities Skylines 2 lets you tread the line between chaos and safety with host of new services

ambulance in front of a hospital
(Image credit: Paradox Interactive)

The newest development diary for Cities Skylines 2 dives deep into a host of services that will be available to customize. 

"Cities Skylines 2 is all about people", according to the newest dev diary. "Anticipating their needs and desires, ensuring they feel safe and actually are safe" These needs all translate into services, and devs at Paradox Interactive have thought of just about anything. 

There's parks and plazas that'll make citizens happier, a welfare state to look after the most vulnerable citizens, and the internet, which will determine neighbourhood populations and successful businesses. 

On the stinkier side of things, you'll also have to deal with garbage and water and sewage management. You must process this waste effectively. Otherwise, your city will quickly descend into a Fallout-type situation with various disgusting wastelands forcing your citizens to pack up and leave. 

"This is the most realistic city builder ever, so you'll need to deal with a lot of... stuff". 

Unlike the first game, Cities Skylines 2 will let players scale up services like schools and hospitals, so instead of building entirely new structures, you can take up less space and upgrade the ones you currently have.

With all this talk of upgrades, it's essential to understand that making your city not just liveable but thriving will come at a cost. "Balancing these costs and the very real needs of everyone in the city is the name of the game". 

Of course, if this seems like too much effort, then you can always go the other way and burn your city to the ground with no regulations or safety nets for your citizens. "While highways with no speed limits can make traffic flow faster, it also increases the likelihood of traffic accidents". But at the end of the day, this and everything else in Cities Skylines 2 is your call, as it takes customization to the extreme.

Want to try out new jobs and skills? Check out our best simulation games to really hone your various talents.

Elie Gould
Features Writer

Elie is a Features Writer for TechRadar Gaming, here to write about anything new or slightly weird. Before writing for TRG, Elie studied for a Masters at Cardiff University JOMEC in International Journalism and Documentaries – spending their free time filming short docs or editing the gaming section for their student publications. 

Elie’s first step into gaming was through Pokémon but they've taken the natural next step in the horror genre. Any and every game that would keep you up at night is on their list to play - despite the fact that one of Elie’s biggest fears is being chased.