After nearly a decade since the last numbered entry, SimCity is finally back. The recently released game features a brand new engine, the GlassBox, which will allow for more interactive cities and more complex visual elements.
The game is technically the sixth major release in the franchise, although it is more in line with SimCity 4, leading many gamers to refer to this new entry as SimCity 5. The biggest change overall is the "always on" online features, which require you to be connected to EA's Origin service to play the game, even when running in singleplayer mode. This feature allows players to share or sell resources to neighboring cities, work together to create "Great Works," and deal with shared obstacles such as pollution levels and waste disposal.
However, the always on features have caused some concerns, mostly due to a somewhat rocky launch that had many gamers unable to connect to the servers. In a similar case with Blizzard Entertainment's Diablo 3, a majority of the issues were ironed out in the first few days, so hopefully it won't be long before Maxis gets their SimCity services in order.
The game also features full 3D graphics, enhanced visual elements such as pollution, traffic, and financial well-being, as well as an overall more vibrant, bustling city.
The game was released on March 5, 2012 for the PC. It is currently available on disc and through EA's digital distribution service, Origin. A Mac version is in the works, and will be released during the first or second quarter of the year.
If you'd like to check if your PC can run the game, the minimum and recommended system specs are available below.
Minimum Specification for PC:
Processor:
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor 2.0GHz or better
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core 4000+ or better
Hard Drive:
10GB HD Space
Operating System:
Windows Vista/XP/7
RAM:
4GB RAM
Graphics Card:
nVidia 7800 or better*
ATI Radeon HD 2×00 or better*
Intel Series 4 integrated graphics or better*
Broadband Internet:
Minimum 256 kbps download, 64 kbps upload
*Minimum of 256MB of on-board RAM and Shader 3.0 or better support.
Recommended Specification for PC:
Processor:
Intel Core i5 or faster
Operating System:
Windows 7
RAM:
4GB RAM
Graphics Card:
nVidia GTX 275 or better, or ATI 5850 or Better