Cities XL was intended to be an Online Multiplayer game, where people would build their own cities and trade materials or blueprints. This was one of the ways to improve the game City Life and bring more detailed and grander experience. But it became a single-player game, due to the lack of online subscriptions, so now any new player will have the tools and possibilities, meant for a much bigger project. Cities XL Platinum edition of the game added even more features.
The gameplay is straightforward – players have access to the resources and landscape, and they have to build a city with a working infrastructure. Three types of building can be built in the assigned zones: Reside, Commercial and Industrial. Social classes of potential residents can separate residential areas. The task is to run a simulation of a functional city, where the mayor has to listen to the concerns of residents, building and fixing roads and means of public transportation and make sure, that there’s always enough energy and resources. Players will be able to build more than 1000 buildings on 60 expansive maps.