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City Life

(2006, Video Games - Simulation, Rated E, Play it on: Windows)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 7, age appropriate for kids over 8; suggested age 8.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Smart game lets kids build cities -- and skills.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 8 and Up

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    Teaches city management and planning, economics, social dynamics, and many other skills.
 

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    The game features social classes, such as the "Have Nots," which may trivialize real-life problems.
  • Violence & scariness:

    Mob violence, riots, and arson are all possible, but rare. Close-up views of the violence are possible via the city media.
  • Language:

    Not an issue.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

This review of City Life was written by Jeremy Gieske

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.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • 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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More on City Life

What’s the Story?

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.

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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.

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Publisher’s Details

Released on 06/02/2006, price $39.99, not online enabled
ESRB rating: E (for Mild Violence, Use of Alcohol)

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Oklahoma
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 4.0

    Starforce?!?!

    There is no damaging software on this game. The Starforce software installed does not even access your system directly.

  2. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

  3. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in New Hampshire
    I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 0.0

    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.com & 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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