From what I’ve played so far, the greatest achievement of Metropolis 1998, aside from its absolutely gorgeous retro visuals, is how it combines both macro and microcosmic city-builder mechanics. If you want, you can create an entire town in seconds, using intricately designed prefabs for shops, offices, and homes. But you can also create every building piece by piece – you can zoom right in and place walls, furniture, and intricate details, at the most granular level. Visually reminiscent of SimCity and Rollercoaster Tycoon, it nevertheless feels as complex and modern as Cities Skylines 2. You’ve got to try Metropolis 1998. Fortunately, the demo has just been greatly expanded.
Created by a single developer, ‘Chase,’ who also goes by the production label Yesbox Studios, Metropolis 1998 is much more than an homage to the city-building games of the past. Every single citizen is fully simulated. They work, run errands, socialize, and you can even drop the walls of their houses to see them eating, sleeping, and spending time with their families. Combined with the bit-by-bit building mechanics, Metropolis 1998 starts to feel like a mix of both SimCity and the original (and best) The Sims.
I spent an hour in the demo creating my own, mayoral home from the ground up, carefully placing the driveway, drawing the outline for every room, and then adding furniture and amenities. After that, I zoomed out, hooked up the road network, and swiftly placed down a gas station, a bar, and a row of low-density houses.
This is the key, the mix of small and large. And it looks spectacular. I’ll admit I’m a sucker for symmetry, bright, primary colours, and the isometric camera – anything that looks like SimCity 3000 or the original Command and Conquer – but I challenge anyone not to get a little lost in Metropolis 1998’s gorgeous cityscapes.
We spoke to Chase last year about the plans for Metropolis 1998. While the full release isn’t due until Q4 of 2025, the demo has just been expanded thanks to a more complex simulation system, so your citizens feel much more alive. The supply and demand calculations have been tweaked, and you now face the challenge of meeting quotas for industrial and office buildings. There are new objectives to guide your progress in the early game and the all-important road placement has been refined.
Metropolis 1998 could be 2025’s greatest city builder. If you want to try the expanded demo, ahead of the release, just go here.
Alternatively, try some of the best strategy games, or perhaps the best 4X games that are available on PC.
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