The Digital Press

Metropolis 1998 is a hand-drawn, true isometric city-building game inspired by the 90s art style, currently in pre-alpha with early access expected between late 2024 and mid-2025. The developer emphasizes technical innovation in sprite sorting and pathing efficiency, aiming to capture nostalgic aesthetics with modern performance.

Why it matters: The game revives classic 90s isometric art and gameplay, appealing to fans of retro city-builders like SimCity and Age of Empires.

The big picture: Development is mostly solo with some contractors, highlighting the challenges of indie game creation and the lengthy timeline to release.

Stunning stat: The game can handle around 100,000 moving units on a single CPU core and the entire game is just 27 MB in size.

Commenters say: Many appreciate the nostalgic art style and technical achievements, while some express patience and excitement despite the slow and ongoing development.