Fans of “sim" games should take note of Virtual Villagers 2: The Lost Children [App Store which was recently released to the App Store. The game appears to be a port of their Windows and Mac game of the same name. Free demo versions of this exact game can be downloaded for Windows and Mac from the developer’s website.
Readers may be confused as the style of the game seems quite different from the first installment of Virtual Villagers for the iPhone which was published by Vivendi back in October. Vivendi Mobile Games has since ceased operations and so it seems that this new version was produced by different developers.
This sequel seems to be more of a direct port than the previous version, and that means it is somewhat less suited for the iPhone’s screen. Characters can be a bit small to target with your finger, for example. The gameplay, however, is quite familiar and involves building up your village. You can manipulate the villager’s activities by moving them around with your finger to perform specific tasks and aid in their advancement. Villagers can be tasked to do a number of chores, including gathering food, building shelter, performing research and more. Research allows your villagers to build tools and make discoveries that are necessary to further develop their civilization. Forum user sushibox posts an extensive overview and review of the gameplay:
The play, conceptually, is very close to the first incarnation of VV. You have a rather bare village with a number of villagers, some old enough to perform helpful tasks some too young to do such things as build but can easily explore the map and find/discover items for your personal treasury collection. To get a villager to accomplish any given task, much like the last game, you simply press down on the villager and drag them to do your bidding. Should you want them to build a fire, build a hut, fish or farm, or simply have more children, it’s as simple as dragging your respective villager onto that target and they should quickly pick up the action. Just as the last game, the villagers seem to become proficient in that specific task, so you’ll notice their primary skill will be whatever they’ve been up to last. One young man in my village, Gin, is titled “Trainee Builder" because I’ve had him building a new hut, and so forth down the line.
Like the earlier version, your villagers will continue on their tasks even while you are away, so you need to be sure to check in on your villagers regularly.
This video will give you an idea of the gameplay, but trying the free Mac or PC demo will give you a more interactive experience:
[ Full HD version | Low Bandwidth version ]
App Store Link: Virtual Villagers 2: The Lost Children, $1.99 (limited time)
