Project Highrise going to Las Vegas in first expansion

Having grown up with Judge Dredd and 2000 AD, I'm fascinated by games about building unreal skyscrapers crammed with apartments, offices, shops, restaurants, galleries, and the other bits of a city all under one roof. I think the developers intend them to be utopian but I always imagining unbreathable air forcing humanity into towers, and hidden basements with Resyk facilities chipping corpses for food.

None of that will be revealed in the first expansion for Project Highrise [official site], the newly-announced 'Las Vegas'. As you might guess, it'll razzle-dazzle with casinos, hotels, clubs, celebrities, and all that.

Publishers Kasedo Games announced the expansion this week, explaining:

"Along with the main game's offices, restaurants and retail stores, Project Highrise: Las Vegas brings a whole new array of units to allow you to compete with your city rivals. Attract tourists, and their money, to your skyscraper with all new Vegas style casinos and nightclubs. All these visitors will need somewhere to stay and where better than one of your very own hotel suites, complete with room service and cleaners. For entertainment, and for a fee, invite the stars to perform as you host the biggest and best shows in town which will be sure to bring in the crowds.

"Show that you can stand the heat of the desert with new location challenges and scenarios. Place all important air conditioning units, hoping they don’t fail and ensure all your hotel and event staff can get around with new special service elevators. Brand new NPCs and animations complete the Vegas feel."

Megasinos in the post-apocalyptic desert?

The Las Vegas expansion is due in March. No word on a price yet.

If you've not played Project Highrise and have fond memories of simulating towers back in the day, do be aware this isn't quite what it might seem. As Alec said in his review:

"I know the words 'Sim Tower' are flickering hungrily across the hind brains of readers Of A Certain Age, but I should say off the bat that Highrise has the mentality of an idle or clicker game as much as it does a sim."

If you're interested in the full infrastructure and ecosystems of simulated towers, you might be fancy a look at Block'hood, a build-o-manager where there's a real challenge in creating sustainable communities. You get to build some pretty neat-looking futuristic towers too.