Tycoon City: New York

A wonderful place..?

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Frank Sinatra loved it, Hollywood directors love it, tourists love it, New Yorkers love it - that's right, and you might've guessed - it's the city of New York to which I refer. Even if you've never visited, you've probably heard about it, and one day hope to. But, if like the poor among us you can't afford the 200 quid return flight from the UK, then around a tenth of that to construct your own may suffice for now. What's more, it's an enjoyable and rewarding experience with the added bonus that there isn't a builder's bum in sight.

Tycoon City: New York heralds the start of a brand new generation of tycoon simulations in that the game's environment is in the proper three dimensions, meaning that you can explore, inspect and experience a world of your creation like never before. From the air all that can be heard is the bustling of traffic, the obligatory noise of impatient yellow cab driver's horns and the softer sound of a passing wind. However, zoom, zoom, zoom downwards and you'll be able to see the ant-like people turn into real-looking people; individuals with unique looks, personalities and needs. Just like in any society, finding the balance to please everyone isn't the easiest of tasks, but if you want to progress that's what you'll have to do.

The game begins with a task which centres on the artsy, student-types in the district of Greenwich Village. The residents primarily want coffee shops, theatres and nightlife, as relayed to you in a cut scene that stars two of the aforementioned people. Each establishment you build has its own circle of attraction. This is displayed as a large light that emits from where it is placed and helps you decide whether building it in your chosen spot is a good idea. If the people in the area around it like it, the buildings they occupy turn green, if not, they'll turn red instead to communicate their disapproval. The other important consideration in each of the buildings and businessess that you erect is their appearance. Each has a limited number of upgrade points that increase the place's appeal. By spending a little time to make your business and leisure dwellings look nice you're making sure you're well on the way to getting the customers you need. Things would be unrealistically easy if you didn't have any competition, however. You'll notice AI controlled businesses popping up around the place as you play, so keeping on top of them is important to make sure they're not nicking the best plots and consequently, your potential trade.

Your activities are controlled via a menu bar that you'll learn to navigate with ease after just a few minutes play. From these menus you can upgrade, extend and check up on the status of your ventures as well as deciding on buying new ones as they become available. More expensive and elaborate structures are unlocked by doing well in the 'opportunities' (read 'tasks' - that you are prompted to accept throughout the game.) By succeeding in these tasks that involve increasing factors such as happiness or monetary wealth by a certain percentage or by a certain time, new sectors of the cities are unlocked, providing more opportunity for your entrepreneurial tendencies and leaving in your wake the previous district where your businesses, provided you kicked ass (in commercial terms of course), should take care of themselves.

The knowledge that you are doing well is brilliantly complimented by the fact that you can see in detail just everything running smoothly. Rather than a lot of flashing dollar icons, you can easily maneuver the camera to street level to see New York's residents enjoying the environment you have created for them. Every part of the city, from the ground up, has detailed textures and a nice solid look to it - good, considering that the last thing you'd want is for your buildings to look precariously paper thin and structurally unsound. Sure the planning and architectural inspectors would have something to say about that. The only obvious graphical flaw lays in some of the residents, who despite their troubles in the earlier version of the game still insist on ignoring the rules of spatial awareness, so there's quite a bit of walking through things - and each other - when they probably shouldn't be. There's nothing more to say about the way the game looks other than it looks satisfyingly Metropolis-like in a way you've never seen before, and, most importantly that the novelty of soaring around the streets never ever wears off.

What's great about Tycoon City: New York is its accessibility. Whether you're a rookie on the bottom rung of the tycoon-gaming ladder or an old hand, friends with Sir Alan Sugar and as proud as can be with your magnificent railroads, rollercoasters, pizza restaurants and intergalactic cityscapes, the game never tries to make you feel unwelcome or try to confuse you. There is always a clear objective, always something to do and no one rushing you to do it - that is the beauty. Ultimately Tycoon City: New York is a game of the player's creation, the more time you put in the more you'll get out. For example, when a message pops up to tell you that one in your chain of lingerie shops is the most productive in the city you can rest back in your chair and shout about it. 'It's taken me weeks, but finally my lingerie business is the best in New York!' Your friends will think you're a nutter, presumably, but until they've experienced all that Tycoon: City: New York has to offer they just won't understand.

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By Andrew Macarthy