WOW!!! What can I say about the SIMCITY 2000
software package except that it is excellent. At first, I had my doubts
about the entertainment value of this program because, let's face it,
the idea of running a city does not really sound that appealing.
However, Maxis has done an amazing job in creating a piece of
software that really captures the different aspects involved in the
month-to-month operation of a metropolis; from designing its layout to
balancing the budget. I especially like the fact that this program
allows you to have a somewhat omnipotent role. There is nothing more
satisfying than letting an alien loose in the metropolis or flooding
the city when it seems that the citizens are fed up with your
government or all your decisions seem to go wrong. The user interfaces employed in the game are very
smooth and very user-friendly. You can use either the keyboard
or the mouse to enter commands, though I prefer the latter. The
ability to simply point-and-click to initiate a certain action helps
tremendously when speed is required. Remember this clue when you are
trying to contain fires which break-out every now and then. As for the
manual, the tutorial at the beginning of the
book is a very good way of getting somebody acquainted with the various
tools, menus, and windows involved. The graphics and
sounds in the game are crisp and life-like (try crashing a plane
in the city and you'd swear you can hear the people screaming). One
neat feature in the game is the ability to zoom, either in or out and
the option of rotating the playing field. This allows you to see what
the city looks like from different perspectives. It also ensures that
all your roads, electricity lines, water pipes and subways are
connected to each other. Think how you would feel if you suddenly found
out that the subway route you were taking lead directly into a nearby
lake. Of couse, these are only some of the many fun features
incorporated in this game. To totally feel what this game is all about,
one must simply try and play it. It is of little wonder then, why
numerous computer magazines give this game so much acclaim. With this
much entertainment packaged into only their second city simulator, I
can't wait to try out the other Maxis programs. In particular, I
would probably enjoy playing the network version of SIM CITY
2000. Think of it, competing with four other SIM MAYORS who all
must worry whether the decisions they make will result in the growth of
their city or be the cause of their dismissal.
SIM CITY 2000 gets four and a half out of five mainly because the game is simply too addictive and tends to get quite long (even though you can adjust the speed). When you start playing, you loose all track of real-time. The only things you become concerned about are balancing the budget and fulfilling the needs of your ever-wanting citizens. Aside from that, however, this is a very good simulation program. In closing, all I can say to all the potential SIM MAYORS is "I think it's time to start another city !!!".