It is pretty amazing how many things that you have to keep an eye on as you play, but that is part of the fun. You do this by making sure there are places for people to live, places for them to work, emergency and social services, power, water, and so on.
You start with a small bit of land and then you need to help it grow into a thriving city. The goal of the game is the same as it has always been in the series. The sounds the sim folk make are as annoying as ever, but that is part of the charm of this series. The soundtrack is about what you would expect.