EA Games announced yesterday on Twitter that it was releasing a beta version of SimCity 5 to the public from January 25th to January 28th.
While the finished game won't be out until March 5th, the beta release allows enthusiastic virtual mayors to sign up and play a "one hour slice" of the new game during the trial period. One hour isn't exactly enough time to set up an empire of a metropolis, but you'll probably get the feel for the moment-to-moment gameplay mechanics in that amount of time.
What should you expect from the new SimCity 5? According to PC Magazine, it will come with the first ever SimCity multiplayer, built-in with support for up to 16 players building in the same area. The sequel also features a cloud saving feature which will automatically capture players' progress while they play online.
As far as the gameplay is concerned, it remains to be seen whether or not the resurrected SimCity will be much different from its' predecessors in the series' decades long legacy. Familiar features making a return include: zoning blocks for commercial or residential use, increasing or lowering taxes, demolishing derelict buildings, and sending emergency support when fires breakout randomly on street corners.
One big difference with SimCity 5 is how the game will look while you carry out these age-old tasks. The new game offers full 3D graphics and awesome visuals - especially compared to the SimCity 2000 I played on my parents' Macintosh Quadra almost 20 years ago. Take a look at some of the visuals pulled from SimCity's Twitter feed.