All the new features in Cities: Skylines 2

Paradox Interactive’s upcoming city-building game, Cities: Skylines 2, is getting a major facelift in the form of brand-new features that make the game more interactive and immersive. 

Cities: Skyline’s first installment of the game kept the players hooked for almost a decade with base content and DLC that added a new dimension to the game. Now, the developer has meticulously plucked out some valuable DLC features, replacing them with new ones. 

If you played the first game, you should know that Park Life DLC or city-rebuilding mods like Move It or Prop Line Tool won’t be included in the upcoming city-building title. This means park customization would be limited to some extent. However, the developer has replaced the mods with better, immersive features. 

• Related: All you need to know about Cities: Skylines 2

Cities: Skylines 2 new features 

Here are all the new upgraded features in Cities: Skylines 2. 

Photo Mode

Besides being an architect, players will also roleplay as professional photographers in the game with the new Photo Mode that puts part one’s camera to shame. The new camera mode in the game has extensive options and settings to take your urban photography to a new level. 

The customization options are endless, from changing how the lens works to the weather. With the new camera, players will no longer have to wait for the perfect weather to take their shots, as they can add climate effects later. Besides this, players can tinker with effects like Motion Blur, Bloom, Vignette, Film Grain, and more. 

Development Trees

Paradox has introduced a new progression system in Skylines 2, which includes two layers: Milestones and Development Trees. The latter allows you to unlock more advanced services.

The former can be earned through accumulating XP, but it only gets you basic services. As you unlock all Milestones, you receive enough Development Points to unlock everything, opening advanced options for you. 

Road Customization

Roads are the life of a city, and the new game allows you maximum control over the customization and traffic. In Skylines 2, Paradox is introducing a new Grid Mode, letting you create seamless city blocks with just three clicks at every corner. A Parallel Mode also allows you to add two roads simultaneously, saving tons of time. 

Road design isn’t the only new feature in Skylines 2. The citizens in the game interact realistically with the time zone. For example, more cars would appear during the day and less during late night hours. 

Climates and Seasons

In the original game, the weather was standard throughout the city, which was less realistic. Skylines 2’s climate will vary based on the area and region. So, if it’s rainy in one part of the city, expect pleasant weather in another. Some areas may also experience constant snowfall, based on their positioning on the globe. 

Map size

Paradox Interactive’s upcoming city-building title is much larger and more expansive than its predecessors, allowing 159 kilometers of real estate. There are 441 buildable tiles, making it five times bigger than the first installment, which originally had nine tiles but was later upgraded to 25.

Besides the massive size, the game also allows you to add details to your craft, with North American and European architectural styles to choose from.

So far, these are the new features Paradox has confirmed for Cities: Skylines 2. But players should expect more trailers and news before the game officially releases in October 2023.