Review: SimCity Metropolis

[EvilSpaghetti]

SimCity Metropolis
Mobile Game Review

Title: SimCity Metropolis
Developer: In-house
Publisher: EA
Release Date: 10/08
Format: J2ME
Game Features: Build your city how you like.
Reviewed on: SE K800i

Simcity_logo.jpg

Summary

As recently appointed major it is your role to keep your cities Sims happy. Determine the look and feel of your city as you watch the cities neighbourhoods evolve. Choose from an extensive range of buildings and shape the residential, financial, cultural and industrial districts. Be sure to manage your assets wisely as you solve humorous scenarios and handle unexpected crises.

Review

This week SimCity Metropolis, I’ve always been a fan of the SimCity series, be it on PC or mobile I don’t really know why, I just have. With the last SimCity game to come to mobile SimCity Societies being one of the best mobile games I’ve probably played I couldn’t wait to play this one, maybe I’m expecting too much from this game, but maybe it really is a good as I hope it to be.

Obviously this isn’t going to have the epic scale of a PC version; I mean sticking a PC game into a mobile is just a ludicrous idea, maybe in a few years time yes, but not just yet, but EA have had a pretty good go at it, ok you don’t get to build the roads but the main aspects are there, you start off with just the roads nothing more, so your main job in the game is to place the buildings, but you have free reign over where it is you place them. Buildings are divided up into three categories; residential, industrial and amenities, residential being housing, industrial giving your citizens somewhere to work and amenities are just to make your city a pleasant place to be.
Your city is judged by numerous stats and the buildings you use affect these stats, stats being; citizen happiness, job availability, power supply and productivity. Where big buildings may increase the amount of jobs available, they’ll also affect your citizens happiness, to be fair would you like to look out your window and see a big grey building staring you in the face? No neither would I, so you have to keep your citizens happy in other ways, a nice park should do the job quite nicely.
As I said before this is a mobile game so you’re not going to see the size of map you get in the PC version, so where as the main aim of the game is to build a city and yes you can build some quite spectacular cities if you try, most of the game is spread out in to levels, each with their own objectives to complete, saying that it follows the same concept of SimCity Societies, if you’ve played SimCity Societies the objectives are mostly to get one or of your cities stats up to a certain level, be it population or productivity etc, but you’re only given a few months to achieve your objectives, and completing objectives usually means one or two new building to help you along with the game.
Somehow Metropolis is better that Societies, probably because it actually feels like a PC game, its structure makes it feel like the original, I don’t know, maybe I’m old fashioned and I like the Old School games, and it just feels Old School, I like it a lot.
Moving on, progressing through the game, means more land, and more land means more people, industry and productivity, land comes in the form of islands which come from the sea, but don’t worry it’s not as mind-boggling as it seems, as in real life earthquakes cause land to move and this is how the islands are uncovered in the game, quite a alluring idea. These islands make life playing the game a lot easier e.g. one island could be used for residential, another for industry and so on, so you can keep your citizens happy and work rate up and everyone wins.
In each level you will face certain puzzles, be it from local police, residents or even crime bosses each with their own implications.
Whereas in most SimCity games money causes problems, that really isn’t the case in Metropolis, but sometimes it’s nice to have a few money problems, it keeps the game fresh and compelling.
The game is brilliant, I can’t praise the game enough, easy on the eye, intuitive and well something special, 120 buildings in a mobile game truly amazing.
For those who just want to build a city and do none of the challenges, well there’s some good and some bad news, the good news being that there is free-play mode, bad news you have to complete the game first.

Conclusion

So then SimCity Metropolis, it's rubbish, there’s nothing good about it, apart from its sheer brilliance, hours of fun and that it actually feels like a PC game, other than that it’s rubbish.
The fact that this is better than Societies makes SimCity Metropolis, makes it truly a dream to play, well done EA.

Screenshots

SimCity_Metropolis12.jpgSimCity_Metropolis13.jpgSimCity_Metropolis1.jpg

Graphics: 9/10
Great graphics which suit the game.

Sound: 9/10
Suit the game.

Gameplay: 9.5/10
Original concept with a twist.

Story: 9/10
Be the best.

Overall Score: 9.5 out of 10

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[James]

I've always liked the SimSity games too Aaron, great review! Now where can I download...

[Shadow]

Great review like we know!Good job Aaron! I like the game too.+rep

[RaulRey]

I've always liked the SimSity games too Aaron, great review! Now where can I download...

Here: http://forum.mobiles24.com/showthrea...hlight=simcity

and here (SE Versions): http://forum.mobiles24.com/showpost....5&postcount=17

[EvilSpaghetti]

Next review:

By whoever the new game reviewer is.

[gooblaster]

Next review:

By whoever the new game reviewer is.

Hohoho...
I cant wait to see who that is and what review he/she is gonna do... xD

[mitchman_93]

Wow sweet! A 9.5. Its truly worth it eh isnt it? Im still playing and i had it for 4 weeks.

[gooblaster]

4 Weeks?
thats a long time...
i delete my games after 1 week.

[the_dead_man]

great review...

[mitchman_93]

4 Weeks?
thats a long time...
i delete my games after 1 week.

LOL i only keep the really good ones so yeah.