SimCity 4

Pros

• Improved graphics
• Simulated weather
• More buildings than ever before

Cons

• Very complicated
• Takes some practice to play

SimCity 4 is a real estate simulator that gives players the freedom to build their dream city from the ground up. While previous releases in the SimCity line mostly showcased a city from a top-down perspective, this title allows you to take a look at the nightlife in your growing metropolis like you were a real person on foot. That gives it a far different feel than any of the city building games that came before it.

When players put a building or zone territories in their city, nearby areas will be impacted by it. People don't like to live near anything that puts out a substantial amount of noise or pollution, so individual residents might start to leave if they're forced to live next door to anything that irritates them. On the other hand, SimCity 4 allows savvy players to raise property values by putting parks and monuments near residential and commercial districts.

The inclusion of weather is probably the biggest change those who've played other SimCity-style games will notice. Different weather patterns can impact the behavior of your population, which can make it more difficult to figure out which steps they're going to take.

You'll also notice that the developers took the time to add countless new types of buildings, which should help to increase the overall replay value of the game. Chances are that you'll want to try out many different types of configurations to see which city layouts get you the best mix of residential, commercial and industrial structures. Depending on how much pollution contaminates your city, you may even want to try your hand at getting farms to spawn as you build it.

Pros

• Improved graphics
• Simulated weather
• More buildings than ever before

Cons

• Very complicated
• Takes some practice to play