SimCity Societies

SimCity Societies – The world’s got awfully small all of a sudden...

It always astounds me how small the world has got these days. It continues to take my breath away when I also get to see popular PC and console games being able to run on a bit of kit you can keep in your pocket. So think just how terrified the Sim population must feel about having you in charge!

Ok, we all know that Sims don’t have any real concept of life beyond the screen, but in SimCity Societies, you’re the mayor of SimCity and your goal is to build the biggest city with the strongest economy and the happiest Sims that you can. Each month, you’ll construct new buildings within the city, listen to the concerns of your Advisor and the complaints of your Sims, and then take action.

When everything is going smoothly, you might see an opportunity for a special project to enhance your city’s reputation.

Your city needs three types of buildings to grow. Homes, so your Sims have a place to live (and sleep), workplaces so Sims can have jobs and pay taxes to City Hall, and to help the city run more efficiently, and venues so your Sims have somewhere to go and unwind after a long day in the office.

This game becomes a balancing act to choose the right buildings and the right locations for these selected buildings at the right time to ensure the continued development of SimCity. As the game likes to remind you, ‘Your society is more than a collection of buildings and Sims in a city. The way you decide to solve the problems of your growing city helps define your society as Liberal or Authoritarian.’

In a Liberal city, Sims have more personal freedoms which can flourish and become highly productive. On the downside, this means that the Sims have more freedom to express themselves, which can mean they’re more likely to complain and indeed become unhappy – which will have a detrimental impact on your productivity and the SimCity itself.

Alternatively in an Authoritarian city, the Sims work in aid of a common goal. This sidesteps the issue of unrest quite nicely, but it does have an impact on overall productivity and there’s a higher need for entertainment to pacify the masses. However, you can’t rest on your totalitarian rule, as in either case, should your choices go awry, the Sims will demand a change!

The controls are a straightforward affair, with using the d-pad to navigate your way round and the use of the keypad to open sub-menus which you can then select and activate from accordingly. As many know, information is key and by monitoring the Sims complaints and the development of the city you can swiftly change your fledgling city into a modern-day Utopia.

This game has all the subtleties and gives you all the attributes to use as you so wish. By being in control and have everything you could require at your disposal, this game offers you plenty of fun and entertainment – particularly if you like a bit of puzzle and organisation challenges.

Rating 84%

Positives

Smooth graphics

Plenty of controls to keep you firmly in charge

Lots of random events e.g. Sim Criminals who damage businesses and effect the output

Perfect for megalomaniacs

Negatives

Can be a little fiddly when getting used to at the start

Keeping everyone happy is quite a challenge

A little formulaic and unrewarding