City Life

Sim City! There – it’s been said. While City Life, from CDV and Monte Cristo, bears a strong resemblance to the EA/Maxis franchise, this PC title forges its own place in the city simulation genre with some interesting elements that are tied to the population that inhabits the city you build.

Essentially, City Life allows players to build cities that thrive on social classes and the differential between them.

There are a couple of ways to play the game. In addition to the tutorial, that does a fine job of walking players through the nuances of the game, there is a scenario mode and a free mode. In the scenario mode, there are five regions (temperate, tropical, sunny, canyon and mountainous) and each region has several possible scenarios. However, only the temperate and tropical regions have maps and scenarios that can be jumped into and played immediately. The others have to be unlocked.

During each scenario, you will need to fulfill the conditions, which include employment, housing, needs such as medical, and of course having the right services to cater to your expanding populace. Perform well enough and you will get a key, which can allow you to unlock other scenarios.

Of course, the free mode is sandbox in design. You can get a plot of land and then begin creating your own dream city.

The game is heavy in social classes. In that regard, players will have to be mindful of catering to the various classes. There are, from bottom to the upper end, the Have Nots, Fringe, Blue Collars, Radical Chic, Suits and Elite. As you begin a city, you will have to cater to the lower end of the spectrum (class wise), and as you fill in your population, see to the needs (such as having the work opportunities as well as advancement opportunities) of the population, you will unlock better services and city accoutrements. Do not expect to be able to terraform land, or to add things like trees and such.

The game is big on the sociocultural front and thus distinguishes itself from titles like Sim City.

The game begins, as previously stated, by purchasing a land parcel and dropping in your city hall. From there you can begin placing roads and zoning out areas for residential or business development. City services are vital, but unsightly, so you won’t want a waste water plant in the middle of a zone set aside for elites.

Players will also have to keep an eye on the cash flow. There are reports that will give you a good overview of the needs and desires of your populace.

Now, there are other elements that creep into the game plan, including the need for a fire department and you may even need to have a SWAT team available if crime starts to get out of control (and the point can be made – when is crime ever under control).

The control scheme is intuitive and the graphics are solid. The sounds are mostly musical driven, with a few environment sounds underscoring the gameplay.

City Life has a few elements missing that could have made this a much more vibrant experience, but still, the game provides both challenge and entertainment. There is a nice backdrops of environments, the controls work well and the graphics provide a nice visual experience.

Gameplay: 8.2
There is a bit of a learning curve, but once you understand the concepts, there are aspects you can employ in all the scenarios. The controls are also easy to understand and use.

Graphics: 7.5
The graphics are serviceable, but there are some anomalies that will suspend the belief of a vibrant thriving city. Zoom in and you may see people phase onto a street from out of a concrete wall. Still, the game does provide a nice city environment.

Sound: 7.0
Average, with solid music and decent environmental sounds.

Difficulty: Medium
Expect a bit of a learning curve.

Concept: 8.2
The way the game defines the social structure is very nicely done. The interface is easy to use and the dev team did a solid job in bringing the city to life.

Overall: 7.9
There are a few things missing, and long-term gameplay in the scenario mode may be a little repetitious but City Life does a nice job of creating a city management sim that has its challenges, but is entertaining and enjoyable.