More than a decade has gone by since the release of arguably the most genre defining computer game of all time, SimCity. Maxis, an almost unknown developing house of the time, took what could politely be termed mundane subject matter and transformed it into an instant hit.
The first SimCity, now commonly referred to as SimCity Classic, hit the stores in 1989. The franchise subsequently went through several transformations in SimCity 2000 (1994), SimCity 3000 (1998) and shortly thereafter SimCity 3000 Unlimited. Now, almost 14 years on, the latest incarnation has been released.
If anything, Maxis should be commended for being so frugal with its sequels when one considers the alarming regularity (some might say monotony) with which most gaming sequels are released. This succeeds in adding to the allure of the franchise with copies of the earlier titles becoming sought after by avid game collectors.
However, the biggest question on the lips of fans and newcomers alike will be if SimCity 4 (some refer to it as SimCity 4000) does justice to the franchise.
It should succeed in appeasing die-hard fans, but the title does raise the eyebrows with several of its latest features (most notably the MySim mode). It certainly keeps in touch with the spirit of the original, brings in loads of new bells and whistles (as any new title should) but manages to fall short in several areas.
One of the first things regular SimCity players will notice is the introduction of SimNation. The concept behind SimNation is simple. It means that cities do not need to exist in isolation. You can now build a region of interconnected cities that rely on each other for resources.
Another new addition is that of the god mode. This enables you to shape the terrain before you start building your city. There is a plethora of tools available that allow you to add canyons, hills, forests and wildlife. Of course, you can make your own coastline and even put in a volcano or three. This is definitely a welcome addition to the franchise, albeit a belated one.
The third major, and probably most controversial, addition to SimCity 4 is that of the MySim mode. This feature enables you to import up to eight of your Sims. Unfortunately, you cannot control any of them. You merely import them, place them in a house, and wait for them to provide feedback on how good or bad your city is. While this was an expected move, I do not know how welcome it will be. Generally speaking, SimCity and Sims players employ contrasting styles of play. Where the SimCity devotees opt to work on a large scale, Sims fans prefer to tinker with the nitty-gritty of their characters` daily lives. By joining the two, Maxis is making compromises that might not endear them to fans of either.
A mixed blessing coming with the MySim is a close zoom capability. Players can watch their city grow in the most extreme view but, if they prefer, they can zoom straight down to street level. This might seem like a good idea in theory but it does not quite translate successfully in its implementation. When I zoomed in too quickly, I had to wait for the computer to play catch up. Okay, I know I might not have the fastest graphics card on the market, but it will tax your system resources the bigger your city gets. Eventually, I decided to discard the zoom capabilities and played from one view.
Another somewhat disappointing thing about SimCity 4 is the lack of scenarios. I enjoyed opening the Chicago of the 1930s just to look at a well-developed city. Of course it did not take me long to introduce a couple of disasters to liven things up a bit.
Any SimCity title must have disasters and SimCity 4 is no different. There are several disasters to choose from for those players wanting to liven up (or should that be destroy?) their cities. I really enjoyed using the thunderbolt on those pesky Sims, but the rampaging robot will probably be the disaster of choice for many city-building sadists.
SimCity 4 offers devotees enough new features to warrant the purchase if they are willing to forgive the game its minor imperfections. Newcomers to the series might be overwhelmed at first but, thanks to the new advisors in the game offering tips and tricks along the way, they should not flounder for too long. While SimCity 4 misses the mark in some respects, it is a worthy addition to the franchise and should see gamers occupied for many an hour trying to build that perfect city.
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