SimCity (also referred to as SimCity (2013), SC'13, or SimCity 5) is the reimagined version of the SimCity series, developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. The game was released on March 5, 2013 for Windows PCs. An OS X version was also announced and was subsequently released on August 29, 2013. SimCity began development in the spring of 2009. It is the first Maxis-developed main series SimCity game since SimCity 4, released a decade prior. The game brought back the zoning feature, as well as a new multiplayer mode where a group of cities work together or compete in an online region. Curved roads also make their first appearance into the franchise. SimCity received positive reviews prior to release; however, as a result of widespread technical problems such as difficulty connecting to the game's servers, many reviewers lowered the game's review score as a result. As a result of this, EA has offered early buyers a free game from Origin. Gameplay A new feature is that non-renewable resources are finite, so if a player uses up their resources too quickly, their economy may collapse. However, players can trade resources with other players online. In the demo shown at E3, a mayor from Stoneslow was able to pipe electricity into Taylor City. Every individual Sim has their own job, personality, education, life expectancy, etc. The design of the buildings is also customizable, as well as detailed traffic simulation, with cars lit up at night. Roads can be placed in different ways, such as straight, square, arched, freeform (curvy), and circular. There is no re-shaping of land in this game, although in Update 7 the player can raise and lower land, to a limited extent. The environmental consequences of running a city are also explored in this game, focusing on global warming and other environmental issues such as air, water and ground pollution. Like other aspects of the game, crime is also more detailed. When a Sim commits arson, the player will hear gasoline being poured and a match being lit, as well as panicked Sims running from the building, some of them on fire. One unit's behavior, such as moving into a new home and blocking the street with a moving van, could ripple out and cause a traffic jam, that in turn delays the response time of a fire truck attempting to put out a fire, which can result in a swath of the city burning. Regional play areas that allow co-operative players to collaborate and create great works. These can benefit the region, such as bringing in more tourists and allowing the purchase of solar power at a reduced cost. The feature of zoning residential, commercial, and industrial zones return, however players will no longer be able to zone in different densities. Densities are now based on road sizes and traffic around the location of the zoned area. Online multiplayer features regions that may house multiple cities from a variety of players. Mayors can also work together. In a demo presented at E3, several mayors were able to team up to create an airport. To access online features, players will have to be logged into an EA Origin account. Additionally, launching the game each time will require the player to be logged in to Origin. In Update 10, a new offline mode was introduced, allowing the player to play in single-player, and also allowing the player to switch between single-player and multiplayer at will.  Disasters In SimCity (2013), disasters can now again occur randomly, although in Update 8 players can now disable disasters by enabling the "Disable Random Disasters" option in the settings menu. Like in SimCity 4, the player can summon disasters by using the disasters tab. In multiplayer mode, disasters have to be unlocked by completing achievements, while in singleplayer mode, disasters are unlocked automatically, as achievements cannot be earned in singleplayer mode.

SimCity (Complete Edition)

Platform
origin

Region
Worldwide