Absentmindledly sifting through gaming news a month or so ago, I saw a list of Germany's top ten games of 2002. This list in particular showed a game at number one that I had never heard of - Anno 1503. This list wasn't just strategy games or just German games or just games with Anno in the title, this was the complete list - so why had I never heard of this game Germans crave above all others?
Apparently Electronic Arts saw fit to give the game a US release, because they're releasing it in the US. In fact, it should be here March 4th, as man reckons time. A demo for it popped up and then popped back down again because, well, I don't know why, and I don't particularly care either because I have it.
I am of the opinion that it is marvelous. There is just a lot to the simulation. For example: Where most games are satisfied to let you click somewhere and build a town hall, The New World sports a much more rigorous scheme.
To Build A Town Hall:
First, pause in the stillness before creation.
Then, gently alter the fundamental properties of the universe so as to siphon worldstuff via the anomalous geysers of existence.
Fashion planets and seed them with potential life in the form of seemingly random proteins.
Bake on 450.
Sculpt an idyllic no-place that your sentient children will despoil.
I have been playing it for six days, and I only just took a break yesterday. All I'm saying is that there is a lot to it.
(CW)TB
