Cities in Motion is a tycoon game(you know how much I love those) similar to the classic Transport Tycoon of ye olde days(by Chris Sawyer and published by Microprose, remember those guys?). Developed by Finnish development studio Colossal Order, it is a modern take on the transportation tycoon type games. You build a public transportation network in major cities and manage the corporate affairs of your company. It’s surprisingly good and could be a sleeper hit next year.
In Cities in Motion, you have the usual sandbox game where you get to select any 5 European cities, set a starting date and a multitude of other tweaks and just play in that city indefinitely. No real objective other than the ones you set for yourself and your company. And then there are the scenarios(which the campaign will be a set of scenarios) that put you in special situations that you must overcome. A Vienna that wants to go green, or a period in time with a major economic downturn, or even with the task of modernising the transportation system of Vienna in the late 60’s.
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| View all sorts of data to figure out where your citizens are going |
I like playing the scenarios in tycoon games, so it goes without saying this is the mode I will gravitate to in this game. Working out a plan of action to tackle a particular problem always tingles my brain. And let me tell you, boy there is a lot going on in Cities in Motion. Your brain will get a lot of exercise. There is a load of detail being simulated here that will give a commercial airline flight simulator a run for its money(okay I kid). Before I get ahead of myself, on to the basics first…
All Manner of Vehicles
If you loved playing with train models when you were a kid, you’d love Cities in Motion. You have access to busses, trams, metros, passenger ferries and even helicopters. You set them up and watch them go round and round. It’s not quite as simple as that though(what has ever been simple anyway). The key to managing your transportation empire are your lines. Using your line creation tool, you can select all the stops you want one particular line to have. You must close all lines by selecting the first stop to form a circle(some exceptions to ferries, helicopters and the metro).
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| You'll have to keep an eye on that line. Lot's of grumpy passengers. |
All the lines are divided by the transportation type, so you can’t have a tram share the same line with busses. You’ll have to create a new line for each new transport type you add to your city. If you’ve played Transport Tycoon, you’d feel right at home here. Cities in Motion uses the Transport Tycoon way of managing things and its line system.
It’s quite a handy and easy to use system…way back in the 90’s. While I think it does work well enough, I think they could do better. There are way too many windows and a lack of information about things like which line is the most profitable. To do that, you’ll have to click on another group of windows that opens up your company report and search under all the vehicles you own. You can only sort vehicle profitability(but of course you can then use that to judge which line is more profitable).
The City is Alive!
The city in Cities in Motion looks great. Fully rendered in 3D, the city comes alive with pedestrians going about their daily lives, cars driving around the city, freight trains transporting industrial goods across town, boats shipping goods and airplanes flying overhead. Also depending on the period(1920’s to modern day) you’re playing the game, you’ll get period specific vehicles moving around the city.
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| Demonstrations are a pain in the ass! |
On top of these, you might get news(in a news ticker at the bottom of the screen ala SimCity) saying that a demonstration is taking place or a road accident has occurred. These events have an adverse effect on the traffic around the area. You’ll have to take a hit on passenger satisfaction as your queues in bus stops get long waiting lines for your buses and trams.
Speaking of satisfaction, there is a reputation system in Cities in Motion. As you move more happy people, their opinion of your transportation company increases. And there is a wide array of demographics that uses your transportation system from blue collar workers to students. Each have their own level of tolerance for late buses and their own destinations. You’ll need to keep tabs on their needs when designed your transportation lines.
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| No one likes it when their rides breaks down |
It’s the economy stupid!
Cities in Motion has a surprisingly detailed in game economic system. Being a game about transportation, you know the economy is going to be important but an economic cycle, unemployment rates, individual user satisfaction and company reputation makes this one a complex beast. It’s all accessed on the report window which allows to views your companies performance as well as the cities economic outlook.
Not enough money? Take a loan. But keep an eye on the interest rates. They can suck your companies coffers quick. Need to build brand awareness? Run an advert campaign in the papers or the TV. There is a lot of depth and challenge here for a very long playthrough.
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| View how much profit your vehicles bring in |
In closing
Cities in Motion is looking promising. It offers the classic gameplay of the old Transport Tycoon as well as adding a lot of depth in terms of the economy and citywide events. It’s one to keep on the lookout if you’re a fan of such tycoon games. The only issues I found for now are user interface related.
Some information are hard to find and a lot of the windows could be consolidated. I would have also preferred the zoomed out city view to show you a lot more of the city. It’s currently in beta and if Colossal Order manages to clean out these things, I’d be quite pleased with this game. Cities in Motion will be in stores early 2011.
Cities in Motion Review is done!
Box quote:
Main Features:
- Realistic 3D graphics with over 100 unique buildings
- Advanced economy simulation including banking and fluctuating economic trends
- Play through 100 years of transportation history across four eras between 1920 and 2020
- Choose between over 30 different vehicles based on real-life models including buses, trams, water buses, helicopters and a subway system with underground view
- Real-time city and traffic simulation as people commute between their homes, workplace and social lives.
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