One of the most pleasant surprises found on the floor this year is a completely revamped SimCity. Featuring a new visual style inspired by tilt-shift lenses, this entry in the long running series stands out by also embracing another deviation from its predecessors: multiplayer.
In the demo, we were shown a three person multiplayer game. The cities run independently and asynchronously, meaning one player can be paused and planning while the others play and build. However, the cities affect one another: we were shown a situation in which criminals from a tough, blue-collar town traveled to another city for a good old fashion bank robbery. Another example revolved around the three players working together to construct an international airport that would benefit every player’s city in various ways.
The game is insanely detailed. Builders arrive to zoned areas, sims move in, go to work, go shopping, travel to other cities…it was very impressive how alive the cities felt. Check out a trailer:
SimCity will be available early next year for the PC.
