Airport Tycoon 2

For some, the first introduction to a new city is when arriving at the airport. The personality of the country (at international airports) and the host town can be conveyed within the terminal walls. Some airports are seemingly sterile environments that push people through as quickly as possible.

But have you ever considered how designers come up with the ideas for the runway layout, or the location of the various buildings that comprise an airport. And what about all the peripheral business that pop up around an airport. How do they figure into the management structure.

Sunstorm Interactive and Global Star Software give simulation game players the opportunity to delve into the wheeling, dealing and design of a major airport hub with the release of Airport Tycoon 2 for the PC.

There are two major ways to play Airport Tycoon 2 ­ either in the scenario mode with goal-driven missions, or in the free play mode, which enables you to begin by buying a piece of land and developing it from there, all within a budget.

Your goal is to turn a profit but just when it appears that things are moving smoothly toward that end game, a blizzard rips through Chicago and you are shut down. You are losing money, and those who have contracts with you are getting nervous. From weather to contracts not being renewed, and a host of other problems, players will be forced to deal with the vagaries of running an airport.

Other game features include 25 cities worldwide in which to locate your airport and 60 buildings that you can plunk down on your plot of land.

In free play, after you have purchased your plot of land (and the game does not feature any real clues about how big a plot of land you should buy to begin with), you activate the build window by clicking on the pop-out construction bar on the right side of the monitor. This is all select, drag-and-drop building, you really don’t have to create anything from scratch. The building menu is divided into seven categories: scenery, public services, airport support, storage facilities, airside navigation, transportation and emergency services.

Dropping a structure into the land area is not set in stone. You can demolish any structure you have created and recoup the funds spent on it. Contracts offered can be negotiated, and you will also receive event messages about disasters and other major happenings within the scope of the game.

The player interface has been designed with ease of use in mind. The learning curve for this game should be relatively short in terms of being able to navigate through the various elements of the game. However the game is still rife with the challenges of deciding what to build where, as well as the intricacies of building a people-friendly complex.

The game’s sound is annoying. This is strictly arcade or elevator music. This was one of those occasions when being able to turn off the music was a bright moment.

Graphically the game is solid. The buildings boast good detail, and the animation is smooth.

Airport Tycoon 2 is a full three-dimensional real-time management simulation requiring players to understand and utilize their resources well. Those players who like a grander arena may pass on this title, but Airport Tycoon does sport challenge and requires careful thought.

This game is rated for Everyone.

Gameplay: 7
This in intricate, time-consuming gaming where you manage renovations and building, as well as signing service contracts. If you are the type that likes to micromanage, you will enjoy this aspect of the game. The drag-and-drop construction does speed things up considerably and you can go from bare plot of land to working airport in about 30 minutes.

Graphics: 7.4
The animation is nicely done, but the game seems relatively sterile. The elements are bright and seem well detailed, but there is an intangible missing that would really send this game, graphically, over the top.

Sound: 6.9
The soundtrack is cheesy at best. Yes, some of the sound associated with an airport are there, but the music is so upbeat that it can be annoying after a while.

Difficulty: Medium
The goal-driven scenarios are challenging, but the free play is more so. While you don’t have the overall goals of scenarios to guide you, working to turn a profit while realizing your vision is tough.

Concept: 7
In a genre that allows players to micromanage entire cities, an airport seems a little limiting. That said, it is the focus that makes it enjoyable.

Overall: 7.2
Simulation fans may enjoy the challenge of managing an airport, of the minute details that go into the task. This is a game that will likely have a small but gritty fan base. While it does a nice job graphically, elements such as the soundtrack and limiting gameplay may limit its success.