I got a free download of Simcity Buildit from Starbucks a few weeks ago. I’ve been playing it regularly and I’m now up to level 10. Does the game reach a point where you’re simply unable to keep up without having to buy the Sim coins or cash? Right now, although it gets frustrating, I can still play and keep a decent 75-83 percent approval rating. I’ve read online that it becomes impossible to play at later levels , buildings always catching on fire and endless demands for expensive services that you’d be required to spend real money to buy the Sim money.
Opinions?
Without having played it myself, I would assume the answer is “no.” It’s a freemium game published by EA, so I would not assume that its monetisation strategy would be any less abusive than the one in their Dungeon Keeper remake.
I have been playing it for months and I haven’t spent a dime. I’m around Level 30 with a 96 percent approval rating. I think the key is slow growth.
When I first started the game, I built as many residential buildings that I could, but I couldn’t afford to build fire/police stations and hospitals. So my buildings kept burning down and people got pissed and left. When I restarted it, I went real slow. Build a couple of houses, then the other stuff. Now I have a good tax base and don’t really have a want of game money. So baby steps.
My biggest frustration is getting the stuff to expand the map. But if you are patient, you can get them.