GrE writes, "Sometimes it feels a little like the gaming industry lacks true innovation. So many publishers and developers seem to play it safe and stick to tried and tested genres, never daring to step out of their comfort zone to trying something new. That’s why it is great to see an amalgamation of the city building and MMO genres. This is a combination that I don’t think has been tried before, and in the case of Cities XL, it very nearly succeeds in its goal.

Comparisons to the SimCity series are pretty hard to avoid. With SimCity being such a landmark in gaming history, while simultaneously setting the bar for what is expected from a city building simulation, it’s inevitable that a game like Cities XL would be compared to such greatness. However, this could potentially be a big mistake, as I suspect SimCity veterans and newbies to the genre will have entirely different experiences…"