New Software To Be Reviewed Review

Did you ever dream of owning a multi-franchise corporation controlling businesses and utilities in a bunch of cities? Well, your dreams come true in virtual reality with Youda Games' Virtual City!

Virtual City has very simple goals. You start off by buying trucks for transporting raw materials from farms and oil derricks to factories that will sell finished products for a profit at the local shopping mall. You can also start transportation lines from one city to another to increase trade.

When you're busy constructing housing and industries, you also have to clean up garbage and recycle them to keep your 'Environment' rating positive -- a good trendy twist to a city-building game! You will have to clear up forests for your construction, but you can build fountains in a neighborhood, and even plant trees to keep your city eco-friendly. Each structure can also be upgraded to contain more people, produce more goods, and to make them produce less trash.

The people of the cities will love you for putting up bus stops and giving them rides to go to theaters, parks, and stadiums. Incidentally, you can also use these public places to hold special events. Build hospitals and fire stations to cope with diseases and disasters. The 'Happiness' rating shows your skill to keep it cool with the locals!

So it's not only about making a profit. Sometimes you'll be allotted with 'philanthropic' objectives to help people overcome financial crises, environmental pollution, and population explosion. You are rewarded with achievement awards as you reach specific goals.

It sounds easy enough, and it indeed is! Except at some points, you'll probably reach a bottleneck, and the whole flow can break down. You have to use your available resources judiciously to keep a balance between your profit and the environment and happiness ratings.

I was expecting a little bit more strategy. But there's barely enough space on the map to give you better choice of construction sites. You do have the tools to demolish existing structures and roads, and build the city the way you want. But you don't get a 'clean' land to build on, since the map already starts with buildings on it.

The graphics, animation and music are not that attractive. I could barely differentiate a truck from a dumpster, since they look quite small even in Full Screen mode. The same goes with the buildings and their associated icons, it's hard to make them out. Sometimes it's like a clutter. I was not able to switch to a windowed mode, but most games I play have that ability.

You're given hints at each level on how to reach your goals, and it's very helpful as you ease into the game. There are 50 levels played in 50 different states, starting with Colorado. Sandbox maps are also available for 'free' play. There isn't an end to types of buildings you can construct or goods you can manufacture and trade! It doesn't get boring.

Summing up, with all its down sides, it's a lovable city-building game. No wonder Virtual City is the No. 1 downloaded game from Youda!