Class is Forever (SimCity 2000 (PC))

Member Name: JRW

Product:	SimCity 2000 (PC)
Date:	05/08/00 (47 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent SimCity sequel

Disadvantages: Limited longetivity

When you talk about strategy games, god games and the like, you invariably mention the SimCity series. From the days of the Amiga, this series has kept itself going and the second "proper" version was SimCity 2000. Using new 3D graphics, SimCity 2000 was very much a make-or-break game for Maxis, the creators.

There is no doubting the fact that the original SimCity was an excellent game, but the advent of super-speed PCs (with those lightning 100MHz Pentiums!) meant that games could offer both graphics and gameplay, hopefully in equal measures. The gauntlet had been laid down and SimCity 2000 certainly responded to the challenge.

Using the sound gameplay foundations found in SimCity, Maxis produced an excellent sequel with the top-down view no longer employed. In its place, a brand new 3D, rotating viewpoint which meant that you could view your magnificent cities (or burning wrecks) from different angles. Also, naturally, the graphics in general had come a long way from the days of the original SimCity which now look positively ancient.

If you're not familiar with the SimCity series, and some people are not, then, in a nutshell, your role is as Mayor of a town. You can begin with an empty map or start using a ready-built city and scenario with a specific task to fulfil. It is your job to ensure that all residents and buildings have water and power supplies and it is in your hands to develop your city - in industry, residential and commercial areas.

However, don't think that it's going to be an easy uphill ride. No siree! Earthquakes, tornadoes, monsters, fires and floods can strike at anytime and will have you rebuilding your city, perhaps in tears, from a shadow of its former self.

If I would have any complaints about this game then I would say that the gameplay experience is a touch limited. For example, when you built one city then you've built them all. The scenarios do tend to be a little sim
plistic and limited and once you've reached a certain level of play you realistically can advance no further.

However, let's not take away anything from this excellent ground breaking game. Quite simply, it's a classic

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