Pharaoh

"Wow....Just...Wow!"

This is the best city-builder of all, second only to simcity. And even that it rivals. In fact, i'm not even sure, I think this may be better! You can play a freeform game or do scenarios, and both are excellent. You provide water, food, religion, beer, linen to everyone, their houses grow to support more people, which requires more beer, more linen, more food, more water....it as all the elements of the perfect citybuilder. And that it is.

Story/plot: 8/10
The only story there is is that you start as a village elder or a Pharaoh (it really depends on where you start) and make a city. But because it's so simple, there's nothing to make you wonder, no plot to get tied up in. This gives way to pure and simple citybuilding fun. Hence the 8/10 mark.

Graphics: 11/10
Yes folks, it's that good. You can see even the tiniest detail on anything and everything under the camera. Everything looks real. This game will wrap you, bind you, and pull you in to the game. From the rough texture on tents to the gleaming stone of temples to the glittering beauty of gold, this game has the best graphics I've ever seen on a game from it's era.

Play control: 10/10
Easy to master. You can adjust how fast the camera scrolls, the game speed, and the control interface is just point and click, or click and drag, or some times a few rapid clicks in succession. Either way, you can make big changes to your city in less then a few seconds. I can plunk down a residential block with bazaars, water supplies, medical care, fire and police services within 30 seconds.

Sound: 10/10
The tunes are catchy, and the music is quite strange, but attracting. The sound is crystal clear too, and your villagers talk to you. Plus there are also sometimes sounds when you click on something, like a temple.

Gameplay: 15/10
This game is amazing. I'm surprised that I didn't fall over and get a heart attack when I played the game for the first time. You can put down zones where immigrants will pitch their tents. You watch them walk down the road that you build, with their children and supplies, and then a tent appears. The immigrants disappear into it. You start out with basic tents which can hold five people each. Once you provide water to these tents, they turn into huts, which can hold a dozen people, meaning that you now get more people to serve as the workforce. Once you provide food to them, they turn into shanties, then when you provide religion, they become cottages. When you give them pottery, they evolve into homesteads, and the list goes on and on.

Replay value:15/10
WOW! This game is so addicting that you'll be skipping school to get at it. This game has so many different ways to do things it just seams REAL. After a few days you'll be getting stone to build a pyramid and sarcophagus to store your mummified body when you die. And when you're done with that, you go out and mine gold for days to get enough to make your ceremonial headdress for all your subjects to see.

Overall: 20/10 I would have given the game this if gamefaq's allowed it. But they don't so I'll put it here. You'll be twitching with joy as you lead your citizens to a thriving city that YOU control. YOU provide food and water. YOU provide services. And YOU protect them. And they worship you. This is the ultimate citybuilder. It's a shame it isn't being sold anywhere right now though. (at least not that I'm aware of)

Get iit if you can, citybuilding fans, because this is one game you cannot live without.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 05/25/04