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SimCity 4 (PC) SimCity 4 is a significant evolution of a classic series, displaying a refinement and balance that borders on revolution. Ever since the initial title in this extremely popular series was released was back in 1989, the franchise has become world renowned and recognized in nearly every continent on the planet. Maxis has the potential to produce groundbreaking titles, but does SimCity 4 live up to these standards? SimCity 3000 had the potential to be a massive leap in the series, yet it seemed to fall short in several respects. Maxis has taken the initiative to correct these problems and implement a wealth of new features that will keep gamers playing for hours on end.
When first starting the game, players are introduced to a very different layout that than the previous game. Instead of just seeing one city, you are presented with an single region full of many cites which can by interconnect to form many different possibilities. When starting on a city, the player is in a sense, what would be called God mode. Here the player can form anything from massive mountains to rolling hills or small rivers to giant oceans. Once the terrain is finished, get ready for the non-stop action to begin. Once you're done shaping the land you begin the next quest on you journey to the great metropolis city of your dreams. In mayor mode you do everything from choosing which zone to place to setting the taxes to your liking. A new feature that is available when placing your zones is auto roads feature. Each density level has its own road settings; the low density zones have fewer roads than the higher density areas. Much of the same transportation services from its predecessors are still here like roads, airports, rails, and subways. While players will be required to build public services like schools, police and fire stations, parks and hospitals to keep you people happy. Players are also able to build many different landmarks to make their cites look more beautiful. As in the other SimCity series, there are special rewards that will become available when you complete certain tasks or reach certain population levels. Other rewards are only given when you cities funds go into the red. These usually bring in money, but they also bring along some nasty side effects. The Mayor's House, radio station, major league stadium, and university are just some the reward you can get.
Compared to the other SimCities, SimCity4 has been greatly improved upon aesthetically. The buildings elements are fully rendered even when on the closest zoom. The developers have taken great effort in the small details for the game, from children playing in the parks to the sims movement around the city. Another new thing in this series is the day and night cycle. When the sun goes down the lights in your city slowly turn on which is quite a nice sight when fully zoomed out. SimCity 4 easily surpasses all expectations and is a very strong title overall, everything SimCity 3000 was meant to be. Although the limits of computer technology at the time of its release were somewhat limited, the developers made use of what they could, fortunately for us that limit is not nearly what it is today. With its numerous enhancements, region play, city centralization, and classic gameplay, SimCity 4 can keep any player entertained for hours on end, something few modern titles are able to accomplish. |
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