There are cozy city builders, and then there is Town to City. On paper it looks familiar: build houses, keep your citizens happy, expand your town. But after a few evenings with the game, it becomes clear that this isn’t just another Banished clone. It’s a title that actually respects your time, doesn’t punish you for playing slowly, and gives you enough tools to either build the Mediterranean town of your dreams or spend hours tinkering with fences, plazas, and flower pots.
The first thing that hits you is the art style. Voxel visuals are nothing new, but here they’re done with a level of polish that feels handcrafted. Watching a simple fisherman’s hut grow into a lively waterfront feels oddly rewarding. Decorations aren’t just cosmetic filler either. They tie into the happiness system, and suddenly that fountain you placed “for the vibes” has real gameplay impact. I’ve played plenty of builders where decorations are window dressing. Here, they’re the glue that holds your city’s mood together.
And let’s talk sound. The soundtrack is not just background noise. It’s the kind of music you catch yourself humming while making coffee the next day. Warm, Mediterranean tones with just enough variation to keep you company for hours. It fits the game’s pace perfectly. No bombastic orchestras, no sterile loops. Just cozy melodies that say: relax, take your time, make something pretty.
Gameplay-wise, Town to City finds a sweet spot between accessibility and depth. You can play it like Townscaper or Tiny Glade, focusing only on aesthetics. Or you can dive into heat maps, research trees, and citizen needs like in a lighter version of Anno. For me, the magic lies in the balance. The research progression never feels grindy. You’re always unlocking something new at just the right moment, but you’re not forced to rush. Want to spend an hour arranging hedges? Go for it. The game won’t punish you.
What really surprised me was the sense of community. The citizens aren’t faceless numbers. They bring quests, requests, and tiny stories. A husband wants to show love to his wife with flowers. A group wants a reading club. These little side quests add charm and, more importantly, create spots in your town that feel personal. I built a “quiet park” because one villager complained about noise. Now, every time I scroll past that corner of my city, it feels like a living memory.
Of course, not everything is perfect. The game is a bit too easy right now. Happiness is rarely a real challenge, and if you plan even half-decently, your approval ratings hover around 80% without stress. Roads and upgrades can be finicky, sometimes snapping in weird ways. There are also missing quality-of-life tools – like snapping fences at angles – that make building less smooth than it could be. And while the game runs well overall, some players with weaker CPUs might notice spikes during saving or heavy building.
But those flaws never killed my enjoyment. In fact, they highlighted what makes the game different. It doesn’t try to bury you under spreadsheets or endless supply chains. Resource production is simplified. Needs are delivered via workers, not complex logistics. That might annoy hardcore sim fans, but for me, it was refreshing. Instead of worrying about ratios and spreadsheets, I focused on design, mood, and storytelling.
After a few days, I realized this was the first city builder in years where I wasn’t min-maxing. I was just… building. I’d pause to admire how the sun hit the rooftops. I’d redo a marketplace because I thought it looked better with more space. That’s not something I ever did in Banished or Anno.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely, if you’re looking for a city builder that lets you breathe. It’s not a hardcore economic simulator, and it doesn’t pretend to be. It’s a sandbox that respects both the creative and the strategic player.
Best nugget? Use decorations not just for looks, but to counteract population density penalties. It keeps your citizens happy and makes your town prettier at the same time.
Town to City: Town to City feels like the cozy city builder many of us have been waiting for. It’s art, it’s play, and it’s surprisingly deep when you want it to be. I loved every minute of it. And honestly? I can’t wait to start my next town. – Alicia
