Model City

This.... is not a game. Nothing is explained and all you do is fill in squares and that is it. The controls are just awful, you want to scroll out? Scroll wheel right? Nope, it's the same button as the back button, wtf? Moving forward you are scrolling in if you want to or not unless you look up, so unintuitive! You cannot turn down the music, on or off is it. It took me all of 5 minutes to fill in the squares and that is it, the game is done and gives no explanation at all about what you are doing. There is a video just before the screen shots above, watch it and you have seen the entire game. This is not something I would play even for free.... good thing I got it for free, now I want my time back! I thought maybe this was early access? Nope! I though okay, maybe they just put this out? Nope, it's 2 years old and this is it! Amazing the crap people are allowed to charge money for on Steam...

Once again, steam needs a neutral option for rating games. Is it horrible? No, but I've seen more compelling mobile games. I barely feel like I will get my $ worth even though I got it on sale, so it gets a negative rating. -This is less of a city builder and more like a basic resource-balancing puzzle in the way it functions. -There is no explanation of what to do or why. You just have to click around until you figure it out, which wasn't very engaging. It runs smoothly, so if you're looking for super simple, it might appeal. -Basic game play makes this pretty boring fast, unless you just like a terrarium that looks like a city. It feels very shallow and I don't know how it could have much replay value.

Model City is a compact city-building simulation developed and published by GTGD that embraces simplicity over complexity. Rather than challenging players with intricate economic systems, traffic management, or citizen demands, the game focuses on the pure enjoyment of designing and growing a miniature urban landscape. It presents itself as a digital model-building experience where experimentation is encouraged and failure is virtually nonexistent. This approachable philosophy makes it an appealing option for players who enjoy city builders but prefer a more relaxed and accessible experience. The gameplay revolves around placing different types of zones across a grid-based map. Residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, and park areas all contribute to the overall value and development of the city. Each placement influences nearby tiles, creating a light strategic layer beneath the game's straightforward mechanics. Players are encouraged to think carefully about how zones interact with one another, balancing different land uses to maximize growth and unlock higher-value developments. While the systems are easy to understand, there is enough depth in the placement mechanics…

Its barely a game at all.

This game has little to no substance. There's no tutorial and it does not explain how to get better prices on land squares. I would not suggest buying this game because it is not complete. It has a good initial concept but the developer or developers failed to follow through on the rest of the game. Spoiler: [spoiler] I was able to get the 90k achievement by building the houses out from the middle and putting the other four property types in the corners and filling out each area based on the percentage demand to keep it "balanced". [spoiler]

Simplistic and structured, not immediately intuitive but it grows quickly. Sublime track, promotes a soothing easy-going city tile puzzle builder. My first attempt almost cleared the top hurdle. Just a few thousand short of the needed city value. I am pretty sure I could pick-up this spare. Controls are sparse, it isn't Maxis after all. But they did well for what you have, and for the price it's worth showing the dev some love for putting forth the effort, and producing a meaningful 'polished' product. If I had a gripe it would be the controls, you can't move forward without following the cursor, but I was soon accustomed to using the bound vertical keys. Just move around holding Q and it's good, or look up just above the horizon, so you don't have to back up and adjust every so often. I'd say try it out, and it's easy enough that a young mind can find joy in it, and possibly learn with deeper meaning. It's a good starting point for game exposure. In around 30min I was able to discern some of the patterns, which make them easy to explain and contextualize, and nearly completing the game. But nothing is pushing you forward, you can assume any pace you wish.