Okay, here are my thoughts after having the game about a week. Overall, I like the game. (Granted, I have only reached a city of about 150k, so far after failing numerious times) I'll start with what I like. The visuals are great and I love the roads. Being able to make roads at all angles and curves is quite nice. I also like the transportation AI, the people are much smarter/logical is getting to where they need to go, in SC4 I had the hardest time get the Sims to use the highways and public transportation I wanted, on this game, the people use the roads I want them to and roads I'd use, if I lived in the city. I like the potential of the trade/economic system. The fact that the good and services produced/sold in your city have to have a buyer/seller, is something SC4 never had and adds a complexity to the game I like. Trying to balance it all is quite challenging and fun. the online portion of the game, the GEMs, etc I think have lots potential to keep people playing for a long time.
Criticisms: No public transportation. While at this point, I don't really need, it is a major thing missing from the game. Trade system, as much as I liked it, in Solo Mode having only one person to trade with makes things very hard. Online trade, was very buggy and people should be punished for canceling contracts early, or else it's not really a contract! This point in time no real reason to pay to play online. I think it has lots of pontential, but MC has to deliver first. It is something I'll revist in a few months time, but will stick to solo play for now. Pollution...while more realistic than SC4, there's really no way to combat it. What's really missing is the "city ordinances" from SC4, that would nice to have and be used to help specialize your city more (and could be a way to combat pollution with anti-pollution ordinances). Education system, seems no matter how many schools you plop down makes little difference, that should be fixed or better explained. Hotel system very much the same, they always seem unhappy or low profitable to matter what I do, so either needs fixing or better explanation on how it works. Resource map, one minor thing, but would nice to be able to view where all the resources before you start your city. Sometimes, I found I started my city in the middle of an oil field or fertile farming land, so would either have to demolish or start city all over and remember it from last time. Being able to rezone areas from low to medium to high without demolishing would be nice too.
So overall, I enjoy the game. Has many things I like, many flaws, but many can be fixed with simple patches, expansion packs, etc. Probably be a much better game a few months from now.
