Seven Cities of Gold - Ozark Softscape - Atari 800 - 1984
One of the great appeals of videogames is its ability to role-play. We are given the promise of visiting any land, any time, any place, seeing any sights the artists and designers can conjure, and experiencing any number of things we never can in real life. At the very least, that's the promise. Most games, since the very beginning, has been content to pound us with explosions and dumb violence.
When I think of the great potential of the videogame, as a entertainment and storytelling medium, I'm reminded of the sheer brilliance of Seven Cities of Gold. It is a game full of action, excitement, and suspense; but it can also inspire wonder and curiosity. It's imagination and originality shames most contemporary games.
Seven Cities of Gold allows you to recreate one of the most exciting periods in history - the Age of Discovery. It's a concept that seems so obvious, and yet it has been so rarely explored. Why is that, I wonder? Videogames have always been the domain of blowing things up - why not try to discover some uncharted territory?
The promise of sailing to the New World, to "discover" the Americas - what a great concept for a game! What a great way to relive history! I don't think this is merely my own nostalgia talking; show me a nine-year-old who wouldn't become hopelessly drawn in after a few moments of play.
So what do you get to do? Playing the role of a Spanish explorer in 1492, you are given men, supplies, and a fleet of four ships, and set sail for the New World. After a short journey across the ocean, you sight land, anchor your ships, and lead the expedition. You have discovered a New World!
What happens at this point is entirely up to you. For you see, this is not a game about high scores, or mission objectives, or poorly-scripted cut scenes. Seven Cities of Gold is a game about discovery, and the player has complete freedom to proceed as he or she sees fit.
Do you wish to travel along the rivers, and see where they lead? Do you wish to walk through vast mountain ranges and great plains? Or would you prefer to sail along the coast to see if you discovered an island or a continent? Build a fort or a mission? All of the above? None of the above?
This open-ended approach is one of Seven Cities' greatest strengths. There really isn't a goal, or a finish line, to be found. You can continue until you've discovered everything, and then begin again with a newly-constructed world. If that doesn't appeal to you, then check your imagination. Most people are sorely lacking.
Of course, you have another option, and this is where the game's real tension comes from. You can be explorers, but you can also be conquistadors.
Dan Bunten and Ozark Softscape created MULE with a keen eye on simulating market economics. They clearly wanted to teach their audience a few things while entertaining them. Seven Cities clearly pushes this idea forward. What better way to learn about history then to relive it? This is the insight that was imparted on Sid Meier, who then pushed the envelope even further with the great Civilization.
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