Monopoly Here and Now Review
| Developer: Glu | Download Game |
Pros |
Game Features |
Rating/100 |
||||||||||
|
Good graphics ConsA little sluggish |
Sound |
78
|
| Review Details | |
|---|---|
| Handset | Nokia N70 |
Costas Stephanides’s Review
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From Brick Lane to Knightsbridge
The first Monopoly game was and still is a great success and actually came in the UK top 10 downloaded games for 2006.
Glu could have rested on their laurels, sat back and counted the pennies but the game is a few years old and was in need of a revamp.
There is only so much you can do in a sequel to a board game and they have done pretty much all you could expect (apart from Bluetooth functionality). Monopoly Here and Now is based on the newish version of the game where train stations have been replaced by airports and the now trendy Old Kent Road has been dropped in favour of Brick Lane. There are also a few new pieces such as a laptop and a Moto Razr.
The graphics of the game have been totally redesigned and have a 3D style about them and the pieces actually jump from square to square. All in all a big improvement on the top down original mobile game.
Obviously there is not too much room for manuvere in terms of gameplay. However, they have added an option to customise your game. It's very unlikely that mny people play Monopoly strictly by the rules but everyone has their own house rules. The options screen tries to cover all the variations. 6ou can choose whether all the properties will be auctioned if not bought and you can set Free Parking as a jackpot square of big cash or the taxes and fines collected during the game. You can even play the speed version where everyone starts with some random properties.
You would expect this version to be much better and it probably is if you have a very good handset. It felt like the N70 was struggling with the graphics and there are lot of pointless menu selections during the game. It all combines to create a rather cumbersome experience - at least for a single player game. But, add a few friends to the mix (no more than 3 mind) and all the minor delays disappear while the handset is passed round. As it's a lot more compact than the real board version it's therefore perfect for playing while on the go with friends.
