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Virtual Villagers |
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Developer: Last Day of Work Publisher: Big Fish Studios Genre: Simulation > General Released: Jul 14, 2006 Players: 1 |
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Ever wonder what it would be like to start from scratch? I mean, wipe your slate clean of work, chores, housing, clothes, food, family and friends? Well, developers Last Day of Work managed to create a real-time simulator that legitimately lets players decide the fate of a small group of storm-wrecked travelers. Virtual Villagers is a resource management, strategic livelihood game that empowers players to feed, house, and develop the likeliness of seven villagers. If successful, players can breed and evolve the community of villagers into an entire small population that aims to prosper on the mysterious little island.
I must mention, though, this game is not your typical RTS, RTM, or simulation strategy game. This game is, however, in real time. Because of this, the island evolves and grows even when you're not playing. There is the option to pause the game, though. So it's not entirely dependent on players having to sit at their computers 24/7. The reason I mention that this is not a typical RTS, though, is because this game isn't about directing people to a task and knowing they're going to get it done. Virtual Villagers requires constant checking, managing, and surveillance every once and a while. The whole goal on the island is to discover the sixteen different events. Although, for those who need more than events to uncover, an online statistics tracking allows players to compete for first place with their stats, indirectly.
The game can be played over the course of weeks, if not months. It takes a couple of days (in real life) just to stabilize food and housing for your villagers. Afterward it'll take some time to get the beach cleaned up of debris, and lots of research before your villagers can start planting crops. There's a series of tasks and researching requirements that will help benefit the progress and independent supplement of the villagers. For instance, villagers won't just stick to a job if they're not good at it. Players must help guide villagers to keep trying constantly and working at specific tasks in order to help raise the villagers' stats. As villagers continue to work at farming, building, healing, parenting (or breeding) and research, they become more adept with their skills. Soon, skillfully trained villagers will acquire the title "Master" and can help teach newer generations while they're young. This is reinforced if players create a school to help teach kids under the age of fourteen (young kids can't work, although they can pick mushrooms for food).
Eventually, the game allows players to have their villagers exercise, go swimming, plant crops, bury the dead, honor the dead, sculpt temples, pick flowers, relax under palm trees, or even do laundry or argue with one another. The list of features just keeps going on. Unlocking every aspect of the game is something that even die-hard gamers probably cannot do within the first week of playing the game.
It's also a really cool game in that it targets gamers who are looking for something more mellow and longevity-oriented. Many games have eight through ten hours of gameplay. In the long haul, any gamer looking for something more has to settle for a lesser game, or buy addons. Virtual Villager offers gamers much more expanded gameplay. It'll take at least a week before acquiring the ability to research level 2 breeding, science, spirituality, farming or building. In this way, the replay factors are reinforced via the requirement to play the game long enough to unlock all the events and assets. Afterward, for die-hard gamers, they can aim to out-score other players using the instant-update stat tracker, within the game. Up until recently I thought I had a pretty good position with the low burial count of my villagers. But still, there's lots more to aim for and plenty of time to rack up more score.
Graphics:
The sprites in this game suit the beach atmosphere...the trees, surrounding areas, and background imagery is also drawn quite well. The game is not heavy laden with any particular art styles, however the simple designs and individual villagers give the game a unique enough look.
Sound:
There's not a whole lot of sound effects, but each villager has a voice when you select them and every action has a sound effect. Most notably, the music in this game carries through with a huge plus side. The mellow mamba tunes and new age jazz melodies come together nicely with the relaxing scenery and humble gameplay layout. Props to the composers, they really knew how to set the mood.
Gameplay:
The gameplay is quite easy. Players use the mouse to direct their villagers to a task, and that's it. There's no confusing button combinations, no keyboard layout to memorize, no platforming puzzles to discover, etc. Everything is easy enough for any casual gamer to pick up and play with ease.
Concept:
Real time strategy is something Last Day of Work has nearly come to master with a grade of pure excellence. Virtual Villagers is the latest and best of their use of real-time strategy and gameplay. Management and population progress is something that was handled with genuine originality. Yet, at the same time there's plenty of room for players to explore and play the game the way they see fit.
Value:
From pricing to replay, Virtual Villagers comes through with blinding stripes. I don't even have to mention that this game will keep players busy for months on end (not hours, nor days, or weeks). And with a budget price this is a tough one to pass up if you're a gamer looking for a long lasting real-time simulation.
Recommendation:
If you have even the slightest hint of doubt as to the quality of this game at this point, give it a try. It's not a particularly large game and it's not a taxing game on computers. If you're looking for a alternative population management game, which separates itself from the rest of the herd, you can't go wrong with Virtual Villagers.
I must mention, though, this game is not your typical RTS, RTM, or simulation strategy game. This game is, however, in real time. Because of this, the island evolves and grows even when you're not playing. There is the option to pause the game, though. So it's not entirely dependent on players having to sit at their computers 24/7. The reason I mention that this is not a typical RTS, though, is because this game isn't about directing people to a task and knowing they're going to get it done. Virtual Villagers requires constant checking, managing, and surveillance every once and a while. The whole goal on the island is to discover the sixteen different events. Although, for those who need more than events to uncover, an online statistics tracking allows players to compete for first place with their stats, indirectly.
The game can be played over the course of weeks, if not months. It takes a couple of days (in real life) just to stabilize food and housing for your villagers. Afterward it'll take some time to get the beach cleaned up of debris, and lots of research before your villagers can start planting crops. There's a series of tasks and researching requirements that will help benefit the progress and independent supplement of the villagers. For instance, villagers won't just stick to a job if they're not good at it. Players must help guide villagers to keep trying constantly and working at specific tasks in order to help raise the villagers' stats. As villagers continue to work at farming, building, healing, parenting (or breeding) and research, they become more adept with their skills. Soon, skillfully trained villagers will acquire the title "Master" and can help teach newer generations while they're young. This is reinforced if players create a school to help teach kids under the age of fourteen (young kids can't work, although they can pick mushrooms for food).
Eventually, the game allows players to have their villagers exercise, go swimming, plant crops, bury the dead, honor the dead, sculpt temples, pick flowers, relax under palm trees, or even do laundry or argue with one another. The list of features just keeps going on. Unlocking every aspect of the game is something that even die-hard gamers probably cannot do within the first week of playing the game.
It's also a really cool game in that it targets gamers who are looking for something more mellow and longevity-oriented. Many games have eight through ten hours of gameplay. In the long haul, any gamer looking for something more has to settle for a lesser game, or buy addons. Virtual Villager offers gamers much more expanded gameplay. It'll take at least a week before acquiring the ability to research level 2 breeding, science, spirituality, farming or building. In this way, the replay factors are reinforced via the requirement to play the game long enough to unlock all the events and assets. Afterward, for die-hard gamers, they can aim to out-score other players using the instant-update stat tracker, within the game. Up until recently I thought I had a pretty good position with the low burial count of my villagers. But still, there's lots more to aim for and plenty of time to rack up more score.
Graphics:
The sprites in this game suit the beach atmosphere...the trees, surrounding areas, and background imagery is also drawn quite well. The game is not heavy laden with any particular art styles, however the simple designs and individual villagers give the game a unique enough look.
Sound:
There's not a whole lot of sound effects, but each villager has a voice when you select them and every action has a sound effect. Most notably, the music in this game carries through with a huge plus side. The mellow mamba tunes and new age jazz melodies come together nicely with the relaxing scenery and humble gameplay layout. Props to the composers, they really knew how to set the mood.
Gameplay:
The gameplay is quite easy. Players use the mouse to direct their villagers to a task, and that's it. There's no confusing button combinations, no keyboard layout to memorize, no platforming puzzles to discover, etc. Everything is easy enough for any casual gamer to pick up and play with ease.
Concept:
Real time strategy is something Last Day of Work has nearly come to master with a grade of pure excellence. Virtual Villagers is the latest and best of their use of real-time strategy and gameplay. Management and population progress is something that was handled with genuine originality. Yet, at the same time there's plenty of room for players to explore and play the game the way they see fit.
Value:
From pricing to replay, Virtual Villagers comes through with blinding stripes. I don't even have to mention that this game will keep players busy for months on end (not hours, nor days, or weeks). And with a budget price this is a tough one to pass up if you're a gamer looking for a long lasting real-time simulation.
Recommendation:
If you have even the slightest hint of doubt as to the quality of this game at this point, give it a try. It's not a particularly large game and it's not a taxing game on computers. If you're looking for a alternative population management game, which separates itself from the rest of the herd, you can't go wrong with Virtual Villagers.
By: William Usher
Posted: Tuesday November 07, 2006
Posted: Tuesday November 07, 2006
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