Was it Really That Bad?

Written by: Adam "ManKorn" Korenman, CC2K Video Games Editor

5) Itty Bitty Living Space

I don’t mind the idea of regions. In fact, I really like some of the gameplay elements introduced by the concept. Building Great Works is a lot of fun and a great challenge. Watching cities share resources and services gives the region of a lived-in feeling. But the size of the maps for each city is just too cramped. You barely get your feet wet when you hit that invisible wall and have to move on to the next town. I wanted to set up an amusement park, but i had to clear half my map just to have the room.

Cities may not have the details of Maxis’ game, but it has scope. You can really stretch your legs and build a massive metropolis without any artificial barriers. And, for many, that is reason enough to go with Colossal Order’s title over SimCity. 

I think that EA and Maxis achieved something truly great in SimCity. It comes down to the little things, and they seriously put in the effort. Sims actively work on the generators at power plants, they get to school and go to a specific class, they gamble and complain about their losses, they get rich and move to bigger houses. They live in their world in a very believable way. Had it not been for the petite map sizes and the inexcusable launch, this would have been THE city builder for the year. As it was, Colossal Order came out swinging for the fences, and they hit big. 

What are your thoughts, looking back at the two titles? Do you lean one way or the other? Let us know in the comments below!