This is a disappointingly boring game. Great graphics and atmosphere, but there really isn't much "gameplay" here.
Sure, looking around from street level at the busy neighbourhood you've built is great. Hundreds of people milling around, street signs flickering... the ambience is great fun. But ambience can only take a game so far. After two or three hours, it all starts to feel kind of bland and uninteresting.
It's like a nice looking move with no plot. Half way through you realize you just don't care, and you walk away from the TV to find something more interesting to do.
I'm really disappointed. Aimless, open-ended games are generally my favorite genre. Tycoon games have been among my favorite--from Railroad Tycoon to Rollercoaster Tycoon. But this game just ain't it.