 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
City Life
- Windows
- Price: $39.99
- Genre: Simulation
Common Sense Media says
Smart game lets kids build cities -- and skills.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this game has many educational aspects and can teach some of the basics of city planning, economics, and so on. Players may experience riots, acts of arson, and other forms of violence -- including organized crime -- if tension between social classes gets too high.
What's it about?
CITY LIFE gives players a chance to build, grow, and run a city. They manage the city's finances and services, keep an eye on pollution and traffic, and assign plots of land for development. But City Life players must do more than grow the city and keep it in the green. What makes this game different from others of the genre is its focus on social hierarchies.
Players must work hard to keep the peace among the different classes -- which range from the poor "Have Nots," who do the city's dirty work (like cleaning up parks and running the town dump) to the "Elites," who can put serious cash to the city's coffers but also require a multitude of city services to stay happy. Players who let tensions rise too high may experience riots and acts of arson -- or even an infestation of organized crime, requiring the skills of an expensive SWAT team to root out.
Is it any good?
Players will find this game challenging and fun. And it's beautiful, too. The 3-D graphics allow players to look at the city from almost any angle; they can even go into a first-person mode to take a stroll through their streets. It's also possible to view the city at a variety of times of day, from the twinkling lights of night to the hustle and bustle of daytime.
The game can grow formulaic, which may reduce its long-term play appeal. Also, in contrast to the design, the text and dialogue boxes are sloppy. Overall, though, this game is structurally sound. Kids and adults looking for new challenges in playing mayor will find it with City Life.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about what they like about this game. Is it fun to have control and build buildings -- and even watch tensions spark between different classes? They may also want to talk about how a game like this is different from a shooter game. Are creative games like this getting more difficult to come by?
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AGE
Starforce?!?!
There is no damaging software on this game. The Starforce software installed does not even access your system directly.
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AGE
Danger - Installs Starforce software on your PC
This looked like a great game from what I read on this website. I was going to buy it for my son. Then I checked out Amazon* & there were numerous complaints about the Starforce software that this installs on your PC that can cause great damage. Too bad. Sounded like fun.
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| Platforms: | Windows |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Simulation |
| Developer: | Monte Cristo |
| Release date: | June 2, 2006 |
| Price: | $39.99 |
| ESRB rating: | E for Mild Violence, Use of Alcohol |
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