Cities Board Game Review: Chill Vibes, Forgettable Fun

Cities Board Game – Relaxing, Simple, and Easily Forgotten

Some games demand your attention with tense mechanics, dramatic turns, and moments that spark table-wide excitement. Cities is not one of those games. Instead, it floats in like a warm breeze—pleasant, harmless, and gone before you even realize it. Designed as a light city-building experience for 2 to 4 players, Cities invites you to construct little neighborhoods using tiles, objectives, and stackable buildings that look charming on the table and feel like LEGO’s cousin. It’s got the vibes of a cozy weeknight filler—perfect for unwinding after a long day, not for testing your tactical mettle. But while the game succeeds at being easygoing and visually cute, it also stumbles in ways that make it hard to recommend. Because once you play it? You’ll probably forget you ever did. Let’s talk about why Cities is a game you won’t remember—for better or worse.

A Quick Overview

Cities is a 2–4 player city-building game where each player drafts buildings, objectives, and features like parks or marinas to fill out a personal neighborhood. The core mechanic is simple: place your worker on a row to draft resources and score points based on endgame objectives. The art is charming, and stacking the tiny buildings is satisfying—until you inevitably drop one and experience the true pain of barefoot board gaming.

But beyond that initial charm? Not much sticks.

Relaxing to a Fault

The game’s biggest asset—its simplicity—is also its biggest weakness. It’s incredibly easy to play, almost to the point of being automatic. You’ll make some choices between public and private objectives, pick a building, maybe rush for a tile you want. That’s about as intense as it gets.

We literally played this game while chatting on the phone and didn’t miss a beat. Not because we’re brilliant multitaskers—but because the game simply doesn’t demand your focus. There's no real tension, no escalating stakes, and very little room for cleverness. The decision space is wide open, but rarely engaging.

Gameplay That Drifts Like White Noise

Cities feels like the board game equivalent of turning on a random TV show while folding laundry. It’s background entertainment—cozy but weightless. You’ll build some things, score some points, and then promptly forget what you just did.

The public and private objective cards offer minor tactical choices, but nothing ever feels pressing. There's no “aha” moment. No thrilling combo. No gut-punch steal from your opponent. If someone told you the game was halfway over, your reaction would likely be, “Oh… okay.”

Not Bad. Not Great. Just There.

To be clear: Cities isn’t bad. It’s a pleasant game. If someone pulls it out at a convention or game night, we wouldn’t roll our eyes. We'd play it, enjoy it mildly, and then never think about it again. It doesn’t do anything offensive—it just doesn’t do anything particularly memorable either.

We kept hoping it would give us that Kingdomino-style relaxing-yet-clever feeling. Instead, it added a little more complexity without ever delivering meaningful strategy. Even as an end-of-night “cooldown game,” it lacks the charm or energy to stand out.

Who Is This Game Really For?

Honestly? It’s best for players who want something ultra light. Maybe your friend group includes non-gamers or people who just want to sip coffee, chat, and move pieces around. In that case, Cities fits nicely. But if you’re looking for even mildly engaging gameplay, you’ll likely walk away underwhelmed.

We can’t recommend Cities as a buy. It’s fine for a quick demo, fine as a convention curiosity—but it’s not a keeper. You’ll play it once or twice, say “that was nice,” and then move on. It’s more ambiance than experience. A background game, not a centerpiece.

Final Verdict:

Land of Geek Rating: 6/10

Cities delivers a soft, breezy city-building experience with decent components and a chill vibe—but it lacks the staying power or engagement needed to keep it on your shelf for long.

✅ Pros:

• Easy to learn and play
• Calming, low-pressure gameplay
• Cute aesthetic and fun stacking buildings
• Suitable for casual players or light filler sessions

❌ Cons:

• Shallow decision-making
• Low player interaction and strategic depth
• Quickly becomes repetitive
• Lacks memorability or compelling replay value

Cities is a soft, forgettable city-building game that offers a mildly pleasant time and nothing more. It's not offensive—it’s just a game you probably won’t remember by the next day. Play it once at a convention. Then forget it existed.

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