IGN Previews SimCity Societies If you want an uproar, tell SimCity fans that their most cherished series isn't getting the sequel that they expected. When the first details and pictures crept out from Electronic Arts that SimCity would be heading in a new direction and that it would be developed by Tilted Mill and not Maxis, the community's collective head exploded and the Tilted Mill forums were splattered with the angry brain matter. While we were also a bit tempted to join the fracas (we're also fans of the series) we decided to refrain from comment until we'd actually seen the game for ourselves. We were afforded the opportunity yesterday at EA's pre-E3 event held down in their Los Angeles compound. Make sure to check out a quick off-screen video demonstration by Electronic Arts Producer Rachel Bernstein as well. While most of the information on the games shown at the event is embargoed until E3, they decided not to put restrictions on SimCity in order to get the good word out. To tell you the truth, we're feeling better about the game after seeing it and believe it does have some good framework for a creative environment as well as some interesting challenges. At the same time, this is definitely not the SimCity of old, which still is sad in some respect. While SimCity 4 was a bit too complex for many of us to really dig into, we did love the managerial and planning aspects of the city simulation. SimCity Societies isn't SimCity 5 for a reason. It's a new direction, not the next iteration. At this point, we just want to get our own hands on it and play around with the various gameplay mechanics. It's worth giving it a chance to succeed. The guys at Tilted Mill have been making city building games for a long time in one form or another and having another from them certainly isn't a bad thing. You can read the entire article here.
Ok, I've read the full article and watched the video. My opinion? It is NOT SimCity. They should not be allowed to use the word 'SimCity' in their game title, nor the other reference - SimCity 5. However, the game does look interesting and I will buy it. The idea of Energies sounds good, and I like the graphics so far. Tilted Mill should be proud of their achievement in creating this game, HOWEVER it should be branded as a stand-alone game. Of course, it has concepts and designs and gameplay from SimCity, and an element of the Aspirational choices in Sims 2 (Energies in this game), but it is not the old SimCity magic. Quite a lot of the key aspects of SimCity are not incorporated in this game, and fans will be wanting to see the features that they have come to love in the SimCity series. Societies would have more attraction, appeal, success, if it didn't have the word 'SimCity' attached to its title. It brings an air of expectation, and then disappointment when the old magic has been hacked apart to make way for new gameplay. Societies seems to merge some aspects of SimCity and Sims 2, which I'm keen to explore - the choice of 6 Energies that will shape your city into one direction appeals to me. How does everyone else feel?
I've read the article too. It sounds disappointing, is my first reaction, but then I hated SC4 when it came out, for being too complex. It really should have avoided the SimCity name though. Sim Societies would be more accurate and less contentious.
