New Screenshots of Cities XL

by: Randy - posted: 4/17/2008 11:22:00 PM

I'm not gonna lie, this one slipped completely under my radar.  But Monte Cristo, creators of CityLife, are diligently constructing a multiplayer online city-builder game, newly-dubbed Cities XL (formerly Cities Unlimited).  Although these freshly-snapped pics don't show off city mayor avatars strapped in all the latest war-crafted "purple" gear, the framework is being implemented to allow players a bold amount of socio-economic interaction, all while expanding their city limits with competently-rendered infrastructure.  Remember CityLife's re-energizing take on the city sim that put people -- not pipelines and power connections -- at the fore?  Well this is the obvious-when-you-say-it-out-loud-but-nonetheless-brilliant next step in that evolutionary chain.  I'm still a bit slack-jawed by the possibilities, and my interest is rocketing as we speak.  This one's broadly aiming for a 2009 release.

Monte Cristo Unveils the Next Generation of City-Builders
Think massive, think online, think CITIES XL™

PARIS, France. April 17, 2008 - Monte Cristo is pleased to announce CITIES XL™ for Windows today. In this next-generation take on the city building genre, realism will be pushed to the limit with cities that are bigger, more realistic and more sophisticated than ever before. CITIES XL™ will expand upon all the features that make city builders fun and interesting, while also letting players take their game online, as they interact with others in a massive online environment.

Download new CITIES XL™ screens at:
http://www.calico-media.com/montecristo/citiesxl/CitiesXL.zip

CITIES XL™ allows gamers to develop cities on realistic 3D maps using an incredible collection of unique structures and monuments based on American, Asian and European-influenced architectural styles. The maps feature a variety of environments: mountains, hills, canyons, beaches and islands, all set in different climates from tropical to desert, Mediterranean to temperate. Players must create the right combinations of social services, leisure activities, special events and other job opportunities within their cities in order to feed, clothe, employ and entertain their citizens. Be it planning and building a new zoo, public park, residential neighborhood or transit system - there's always a fresh and exciting challenge for would-be city managers and mayors in CITIES XL™.

"We believe that the level of detail and realism brought to CITIES XL™ answers the needs of city-builder fans," said Jérôme Gastaldi, COO of Monte Cristo. "We believe fans of the genre will definitely enjoy CITIES XL™ and many of those fans have provided us with feedback on our development so far. We are really proud to have such a cool and proactive community."

The game's online features and services will allow players to create interconnected cities on virtual and persistent planets. Mayors can share and trade with one another, specialize their economy and team up with befriended cities to create sprawling metropolises. Life on the planet will be punctuated by events and competitions - a concert held in one town may, for example, be attended by visitors from other areas who can also enjoy a walk around the city to admire the urban creations of multiple players. By combining a fantastic single-player game with the social and multiplayer aspects of an MMO, CITIES XL™ will shape the future of the genre by offering more variety, bigger cities and multiple gameplay layers.

For more information about CITIES XL™, which will ship in 2009, please join the continuously growing community at www.citiesxl.com