cities-xl posts

Black Friday is just a few days away but PC game downloads Steam and Direct2Drive aren't waiting; they have a few sales they have launched on Monday that should keep away the price bugs from biting:

• Direct2Drive has put both versions of Dragon Age: Origins on sale until next Monday. The regular version of BioWare's RPG is now just $39.95 to download while the Deluxe Edition of the game is on sale for just $54.95. Both sales cut $10 off their usual prices. Also Monte Cristo Games' city sim Cities XL is on sale until next Monday for just $29.95, a savings of $20 off its normal price.
• Steam has put the railroad sim game Railworks in a bundle with its Challenger DLC for just $34.49, a 50 percent savings from its normal price. Also the Colton and Northern DLC for the same game is on sale for $11.99, another 50 percent savings. The Steam sales also last until next Monday.

Monte Cristo Games' city simulation title Cities XL has fulfilled its promise on delivering new downloadable content and today owners of the game can now automatically grab the first such content pack via the game's launcher. Every owner of the game will gain access to three new buildings; a high school, a small family farm and an official Ford car dealership (shown above) where your city's citizens can buy and drive several Ford vehicles.

If you are a subscriber to Cities XL's Planet Offer service you can get even more extra content including a set of Old England style buildings, three new maps and three new mega structures (including the Alcatraz prison). You can get more info on that content at the game's official web site.

It's been a long time since SimCity has seen a new numbered release. The latest in the franchise, SimCity Societies, almost completely forgoes the city aspect to forge into new territory for the series. Monte Cristo has taken up the mantle of the city simulation, and began work on the Cities series, which as seen two releases. The first is City Life, which was hammered for lack of content and general poor quality. The second is the recently released Cities XL, which attempts to revolutionize the city simulation genre by including an MMO-styled component. While ambitious and interesting, Cities XL still falls short of the depth and ease of Maxis' defining series, which is a shame, because it has a lot of potential that was simply overlooked or neglected.

We've already had a huge response to our giveaway contest where five of our readers will get a Steam download code for Cities XL, the recently released multiplayer city simulation game from developer Monte Cristo Games. However all good things must come to an end and for our giveaway the end is very near.

You still have until 11:59 pm Eastern Time tonight to head over to our contest page, make a comment and then wait patiently to see if we email you back saying, "Hey, you are a winner." Because let's face it; everyone really wants to be a winner.

"Cities XL is the next-generation in city-building games, allowing gamers to develop cities on realistic 3D maps using an incredible collection of unique structures. Would-be Mayors are challenged to create the right combination of social services, leisure activities, special events and job opportunities within their cities in order to feed, employ and entertain their citizens.Realism will be pushed to the limit with cities that are bigger, more realistic and more sophisticated than ever before."

Download HD Cities XL Launch Trailer (54 MB)
Check out all Cities XL downloads

Monte Cristo Games' recently released city simulation game Cities Xl promises to not only have players build their dream city but also link with thousands of other players in a massively multiplayer "planet" full of of urban areas. Now Big Download is giving our readers the chance to win one of five Steam codes that will give them access to the full game.

As with most of our contests, entering the giveaway is simple:

• To enter, post a comment on this contest page.
• The comment must be left before 11:59 pm Eastern Time on October 18
  
• You may enter only once.
• Five winners will be selected in a random drawing.
• The winners will be sent a Steam code that can be use to download a full copy of Cities Xl (valued at $39.99 each)
  
• Click Here for complete Official Rules. You must be a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec) who is 18 years or older to enter this contest.

Our thanks to Monte Cristo Games for the donation of the prizes. Good luck.

While the previous Cities XL gameplay video dealt primarily with covering the basics and a largely single-player experience, this one deals with the dynamics of building your dream city online with other players. Players will influence the development of neighboring cities in the online game by making an impact on the global economy. Additionally, players are free to socialize with each other and visit each other's cities. If that weren't enough, players can pool their resources and collaborate to build a mega structure, like the Statue of Liberty, and receive all the fame and benefits it brings, making Cities XL much more than just a city management game. However, features that don't appear to be included in the game are interplanetary trade (you can pick one, but you'll have to stay there) and raising a military to take territory or resources by force. Maybe that'll all come with the expansion.

Download HD Cities XL Multiplayer Gameplay Video (142 MB)
Download HD Cities XL Single Player Gameplay Video (126 MB)
Check out all Cities XL downloads

Cities XL lets you build a city from the ground up and allow it to develop in whatever direction you want. This narrated video runs down some of the features players can expect from the game when it releases this month. Those who don't want to wait can get an early look at the game by trying out the demo, which can be downloaded here.

Download HD Cities XL Gameplay Video #1 (126 MB)
Download Cities XL US Demo (998 MB)
Download Cities XL EU Demo (1 GB)
Check out all Cities XL downloads

Gallery: Cities XL

In Cities XL, players will be able to interact online with a community of fellow city designers. Part of that interaction involves the possibility of setting up trade to help boost the economy. Alternatively, players can try building a self-sufficient economy instead, thereby dodging virtual trade negotiations. You can give the game a spin and reach out to neighboring cities by downloading the Cities XL demo here.

Download HD Cities XL Trailer #4 (59 MB)
Download Cities XL US Demo (998 MB)
Download Cities XL EU Demo (1 GB)
Check out all Cities XL downloads

This is the official US/North America demo for the online city planning game, Cities XL. It allows users to play online for 7 days, creating a single city with the maximum population of 22,000 citizens. Afterwards, players can decide to start all over again from one of the demo's three different maps. Chat and trade are enabled, and players have one Capitol City to visit. The demo represents roughly 10% of the full game.

European players can still download the demo here.

Download Cities XL US Demo (998 MB)
Check out all Cities XL downloads