7 Beloved Video Game Franchises That Are Stuck In A Rut

3. Sim City

Where do you start when it comes to SimCity? It had so many problems before it was even released that it was a miracle to even play the damn game. After all the fuss about online DRM - which was eventually patched out - what was left was... not good. The maps are tiny, the features are limited and it's not exactly easy to mod, but hey it's OK, because EA were kind enough to plan a shed load of DLC at ultra competitive prices! But its problems become a lot clearer when you look at the recent release of Paradox Interactive's Cities: Skylines. It has been met with universal acclaim as a city builder with heart, one that gives the user incredible scale, a solid engine and hundreds of features. It puts the emphasis on customisation and gives the modding community free reign to overhaul the game, which they have, creating all kinds of amazing stuff. It just worked and did what SimCity failed to do. Couple that with the very sad news that Maxis, the games' original developers, have been downsized by EA and the situation looks bleak. Hopefully, the challenge of Cities: Skylines will force EA to wake up and accept the gauntlet that has been thrown down.