Let it be known that although
Sim City 4: Rush Hour is an expansion for
Sim City 4, it is more of an update that will make the game identical to the
Deluxe Edition. This is the main reason that most of the changes are on such a micro level that you'll start to wonder why you even bought the pack in the first place. Fear not, because everything that comes with
Rush Hour will transform
Sim City 4 into the game it should have been when it was released.
Rush Hour's main contribution to the core game is all the neat stuff that it gives you to deal with those pesky transportation problems. A route tool will let you click on any road or railway and give you a detailed list of how things are going there, eliminating the method of waiting for accidents and traffic jams to happen before you get around to fixing them.
The route tool tells you what's happening, and the new microphone tool tells you why it's happening. This feature lets you click on any pedestrian or vehicle and get their opinions on all sorts of matters in the region.
The most obvious addition to the game is the ability to take control of any vehicle Matrix-style, ground or air, and speed them all over the place. Not only is this more fun and better implemented than Streets of Sim City, but it also helps you get an idea of how well the roads are laid out.
Along with the ability to controls your sims's vehicles come driving missions. Completing these missions, which have you skidding around the streets of your city in checkpoint fashion, will grant you new buildings and skyscrapers that will eventually adorn your metropolis.
