New PC games let you be anything, from zoo director to merchant

By Peter Muench Apr 10, 2011, 3:07 GMT

Berlin - If you've ever dreamed of running a zoo, being a Middle Ages merchant or exploring your medieval side, the new crop of PC games has something for you. There are also plenty of games out there to appeal to your shoot-em-up needs.

First, for the shooters out there. Many fans of first-person shooter games had been waiting ages for Crysis 2 from Crytek. The first instalment of the game in 2007 introduced a minor graphic revolution and set a high standard for other game developers.

This time, the setting isn't a cheerily colourful tropical island, but the devastated New York peninsula of Manhattan. The graphics wow again, with lifelike explosions and light effects.

The nano suit, well known from the first part for making Alcatraz, the hero, invisible, comes back with several new functions: players can scan their surroundings for weapons and munitions, for example.

Old familiar suit abilities, like the ability to run fast or jump high, are automatically on in Crysis 2, unlike the first game, where they needed to be activated. The change makes the game more fluid.

The game comes in four difficulty levels, but even the first one, soldier mode, will be tough for people trying out the genre for the first time.

The game cannot be saved at just any point of play, to be picked up later, rather only at specified checkpoints. Crysis 2 also comes with a multi-player mode and restrictions for purchase by those under 18. Depending on the edition, prices start at 45 euros (64 dollars), with versions for both the Playstation 3 and XBox.

Some might not see much of a change going from the urban jungle of New York to running a zoo. But Wildlife Park 3 from Deep Silver was made with fans of building and business simulations in mind.

The aim of the game is to start a zoo from scratch, bring in animals and food vendors or other services and then draw in visitors. It sounds easy, but demands a lot of strategy and management skills. There are 25 varieties of animals to choose from. After that, there are cages to be built and gardeners and animal attendants to hire.

There are two variations of play. In campaign mode, there are 20 missions, ranging from building up a big city zoo to rescuing an endangered species in the wild. A freehand mode lets players create their dream park in a variety of different landscapes.

The game also scores points with its graphics. The animals are made with detail and are not only seen from a bird's eye perspective, but from close up as well. There are no age limits. The game will cost about 40 euros.

The Sims, one of the most successful gaming series of all times, is also trying out new horizons with The Sims: Medieval, from Electronic Arts. Every element of the popular game has been retooled for the Middle Ages. An important addition is the inclusion of quests, or mini-missions, to solve.

But, at the start of the game, the goal is to fulfill the requirements of the kingdom, which earn players money for improving one's home and building up kingdom points. As time progresses, ever more characters that can be controlled pop up.

If a character is a minstrel, he might be tasked with composing a song to fulfill his quest. Overall, the game, selling for about 50 euros and also available for the Mac, offers a lot more layers than its predecessors.

Patrician IV, Conquest by Trade, is an add-on for the economics simulator and includes many additions and extras. Players of the earlier version who have already conquered all the seas of the Hanseatic realm can now turn to inland trade routes. Stores can be opened in cities like Berlin, Warsaw or Nijmegen.

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