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BOO YOU STINK Maybe
In over five years since SimCity 3000 ("Unlimited" included only add-ons), one would expect major advances in gameplay with this next in the series. Sadly, SimCity 4's creator Maxis failed horribly. The result was SO bad, that the original version of SC4 is no longer published. "Deluxe" includes the "Rush Hour" expansion add-ons that were intended to improve gameplay and fix major errors with the game, but ends up doing neither.
For the first time, SC4 attempts a system where the citizens of the cities would actually "think" (AI) about what is located around them within the city and how each would get to that destination. Unfortunatley, this system is a disaster. Citizens most likely pick congested streets instead of a clear highway next to them to get to a location. Since nearly everything else in a city is intended to run off of this AI (from pollution - to emergency services - to land worth), thoughtful city planners will fail in maintaining a city. Patient and easily entertained gamers may eventually come up with goofy stategies to combat this awfully designed system, but SC4 Deluxe will leave thinking gamers wondering how (and WHY) this game was even released. Even Maxis has admitted it will be "back to basics" with the next version of the series. Given this disastrous version, SC5 should take MANY years to release. Those of us gamers not easily hyptnotized by colorful graphics are hoping more thought goes into it ... for the sake of ALL gamers.
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