To original SimCity lovers and followers of the series throughout the years. Unsure if you should buy the new one?...
First off, as you've already heard/seen, map sizes are small. This is probably the biggest complaint. Next would probably be the constant online connection, no local save games, and no terraforming. Okay, we've gotten all those out of the way. So here's the deal...
This is a reboot. it's obvious. It's been explicitly states by the developers at Maxis. And as such, was built from the ground up. So give up your wants for all those features I mentioned above. It's a different game, now.
It's done something no other city/town simulator has ever done. It's simulated everything right down to the individual person. Don't care about those little sims? That's fine, but they are the foundation of what makes these cities (and regions) tic. And because of that, it is important that they be simulated. You no longer have to look at visual estimations of what should be going on in your city simulation based on statistical data (SimCity 4). The traffic jams you see are real, and there are sims in that long chain of cars headed to the arena for tonight's event that really just want to get home, or go shopping, or whatever. Got a fire? If that fire truck can't actually get to the fire because of a traffic jam (that's a result of all those individual sims leading their lives), then you've got a disaster on your hands! Need to find out why some of the city's students are not enrolled at the local grade school? Check the data layer map for education and see EXACTLY where every kid in the city lives... and which ones are enrolled or not. Oh! you forgot to put school bus stops in the new subdivision! Better fix that. Wish you didn't have to build another school to accommodate the ever-growing need for education? Don't have to now. Add a few classrooms, buy a few more buses, and now you have an upgraded school.
This is a solid new game, and an excellent simulation system. The data layer maps are incredibly useful and presented excellently. Where SimCity 4 is the wise and experienced grandfather to the series, SimCity (2013) is the offspring who has just stepped into the arena - the next generation of what's to come, and it sure looks bright.
This game is new, not a sequel. Treat it like one and you will be pleasantly surprised. It's got some bugs, it's got some restrictions, but so did the original... remember that.