Dynamic climate, more progression, infinite possibilities: All the new features of Cities: Skylines II

We are just over a month away from the launch of the sequel to one of the best management titles of all time. Cities: Slylines II is a reality, and we have had the opportunity to test it first hand by designing our town thanks to the good advice of Mariina Hallikainen, CEO of Colossal Order, with whom we were able to chat during our stay at Gamescom.

After my first clumsy foray into the game (very intuitive even for a neophyte like me) I showed him my creation. "I'm also about making cities more functional than beautiful," Hallikainen confessed to us off-microphone. An important aspect, since you have to provide services to all industrial or population areas, because now the seasons are advancing and the cold and harsh winter is approaching on the horizon.

And the seasons and the weather are one of the most outstanding novelties in Cities: Skylines II. "If we think about a city during the winter there is a lot of need for heating. So you have to make sure that there is enough energy coming into the city.

"When it snows the snow accumulates on the roads. So if you don't actually clear the roads from the snow it will get slippery and you will have more traffic accidents."

It also highlights how the new subsystems converge and complement each other. For example, if there are more illnesses or accidents due to snow, you're going to need better healthcare facilities. Building progression and improvement is key. "Whereas in the first game you had to put the same type of hospitals all over the city, now you can have more capacity for patients, for example, by adding an extension to the existing service building."

"And building improvements affect the relationship with citizens." A crucial point, because we will also have to keep an eye on the mood of the city, which influences industrial productivity, for example. That they have comfortable homes, with nearby amenities and an affordable mortgage is vital.

And although Mariina Hallikainen did not mention it in the interview, trade is also another important new feature, as we will be able to use the surplus to trade with other cities, or create a self-sufficient city. The choice is yours.