Here is the first review from Marc Saltzman over at Gamezebo

Sweet! Thanks for letting us know!

Oh, and I see he likes the music!

This comment is pointed towards a few co-testers, and they know who they are!

Hey! Great review! Congrats LDW team!

Although I'm not really surprised, we all knew it was a great game!

Well-deserved review!

Here is the review from about.com

Here is the New York Times, Thursday August 10, 2006

WOW! The New York times? That's the big time!! Congrats again LDW!

The comon con I see in there reviews seems to be that they are unclear on what to do next, assuming this is having to do with the puzzles. What I don't get is why are they complaining it's a game it's not meant to be easy and self explanitory (sp??)! Other then ending leaving you aggrevated wanting the next VV to come out this game was great and I couldn't have asked for more. But again the ending does occomplish one thing, leaving you wanting more, that seals the deal for a repeat customer base. Thanks for a great game LDW!!!!

LDW is the best game people ever i have only two games from u tho cuz my account on pogo doesnt sell a whole lot of your games I have FT and VV

Sorry to you fans, but I can't give VV a glowing review. Don't get me wrong. I loved MOST of the game. Overall it is very well done but I just can't get past my disappointment at the ending.

It didn't leave me breathlessly waiting for a version two... It made certain I won't spend any more money on a future version... because I figure it will be just as boring an ending.

For sure solving the problems along the way was fun... like watching a coach solve problems on the field and helping his team overcome... but the ending of this game is like watching that.... then seeing a tie at the end. Leaves you totally unsatisfied. That's why the pro sports teams have tie breakers.............. so they can have a grand finalie. There is a finalie here, but it is anything BUT grand.

Speaking of boredom, here are a few creative ways to have fun with the game once you hit max population and are waiting on the last obstacle.... especially if you get tired of hearing the 'halo choir' sounds when the 'star' is roaming around..... yuk........

1. If you are handy with an Art program....find the image folder and redecorate the landscape with your own images. It does give you something to do while waiting. The lagoon looks cool with skinny dippers in it and roman statues fit nicely into the flower garden...and a little graffiti on the boulder can help with the frustration...Tarzan doesn't look bad hanging from the vines either. LOL ( Seriously, this is probably against the rules so you probably shouldn't do it and........ No, I won't forward any copies of altered landscape pics.

2. See how many couples you can get into the 'Love Shack' at the same time.

3. See how many times you can get one guy and two gals... or vice versa into the shack at the same time. Yes, It can be done.

4. When you hit max population. Reset all villagers to 'breeding' Talk about a crowded hut. They even ignore the 'halo choir' sometimes. Sweet revenge. LOL

5. Set all villagers to 'Research' and try to herd all 90 of them to the table or ocean at the same time. Not so sure that can be done but it was fun trying. LOL

To you 'Last Day' folks.... Man, you guys have a 95% winner. Did you just run out of ideas at the end? I want so much to say I loved this game and recommend it to friends... but the anti-climatic ending really soured me.

I do wish you well though. I know a TON of effort went into the project.

I don't agree....what more excitement do you want? All games have to end, and just getting there should be enough in an action-packed game such as this! I wasn't thinking of getting the Windows version of VV as I've got Village sim on my PDA, but fortunately for me, my daughter (knowing my proensity for LDW's games) bought the Windows version for me and WOW, I think it's even better than VS for handhelds. The villagers are nothing short of cute and the whole playing experience promises to be more addictive than ever. Even though I sort of know the ropes, I'm still hooked to the play! I only wish there were a way of minimising the full screen in play, without having to quit the game when one wants to do other things. or perhaps there is...?? Otherwise, no complaints ! Congratuations to the team!

Hit the - button at the top right hand side of the game window. It will minimize it and let it run in the background.

When you want to go back to the game, just click on the virtual villagers button in your start bar.

Thanks Madonnaearth!

I agree 1000% with you, HappyTxGirl. It was good and I expected it to continue at least staying good, if not getting better, but I was sorely disappointed. Maybe one of the developers got sick or fired or....? But for the future, they should make games a lot less anti-climactic.

I loved the game, and so many people love the game i feel they should make virtual cowboys or ranchers, virtual hospital, virtual students, virtual shoppers, any and every type of lifestyle would fit into it's own game and with all the enthusiasm they would all sell too. Look at how other companys are selling so many forms of diner dash and people play them all, it should be done i would play them all.

I was disappointed with the ending, i really wanted to meet the thing with the eyes but i do want to try out the sequel as soon as it's out.

I really enjoyed putting those little eyes behind the boulder, but I see that they probably promised hidden content, when they were intended to hint at a sequel. Oh well live and learn!

As always, thanks for all the kind words, everyone.

Here's the review I've been posting at various gamers blogs etc. I wrote it quickly, so it's TOO chatty, but here ya go.

=================================

I am QUITE pleased with this game. It's a "casual" downloadable game -- not meant to be MYST-like in complexity, time or skill. It's what I call a "little" game, and for little games, it's very fulfilling. Think of all those "put three in a row and free the [fill in whatever]" games. Anyone must admit this is FAR more complex and intelligent.

Two main complaints are the speed of the villagers and the anti-climactic ending. I'll just address those:
VV is a real-time game and not meant to be played constantly for months. Think about it in the real world. Nobody could move all those rocks them all while cooking/eating dinner. Early in the game how many villagers are working on it? (And you know how "independent" they can be, so they probably relax, eat, exercise, tell jokes, explore -- oh! That [censored] curiosity! -- tell stories, mate, try other skills, and goodness knows, doing laundry, etc unless you are there to drag them back on top of the thing every time they wander off.) It would take a small group of REAL people a LONG time to move the rocks (especially all the way across the village.)

I'll agree on the anti-climax, but in a slightly different way than others. The one "key" solves too many of the milestones and, as a bonus, is annoying as heck. I named my first "Paris Hilton" <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> It felt a bit like a cop-out on the developer's part. The beginning takes time to figure out, but the final milestones happen lickety-split. I didn't mind so much that it ended WHERE it did. I did mind that solving ONE milestone, in effect, solves most all of the rest without any more brainpower/work from the gamer and the villagers.

However, I've found other ways to still enjoy. My first game is still running, though I've now removed everyone's chosen skill and don't ever give them new ones. I did this to see how inbred their talents are (not as inbred as they are;) Population is still quite good, even though I've not "taught" several generations of villagers a single thing.

My current game started with me renaming my villagers Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel and so on. I'm not to the New Testament yet, so I'm not solving the milestones. You may guess when I will allow the "key" to appear...(think Messiah.) I'm also learning that women weren't named much in Jesus' lineage. It's very very very male-centered.

Back to VV. Here's my advice: Be creative -- this game can be played with MANY different goals in mind. They don't have to come strictly from the creators of the game. Make up your own. Don't rush through on 2x speed. Learn to just "check in" and fix what needs attending to (put them all back to work) and maybe you can do something else in between.

I look forward to the next chapter with great hopes that it will be possible to do an "add-on" or an "upgrade" to the current game I already have (with an apprentice sniper for Paris Hilton.) Simply an addition to what's already happening would be so terrific!

And it's well worth the price -- certainly when you compare that to popping bubbles, matching tiles, stacking falling bricks or other similarly categorized games.

4 stars from me -- Ella

Here is PC GAMER from October 2006 (Gamut Minis Section, page 108):)

I like this Game its Awesome

But i you should have more then 90 peoples

I am so addicted to this game, but I will admit that I was very dissapointed in the "ending", but I couldnt stop from starting all over again... and when i found out there would be a 2nd I wasn't so dissapointed anymore... I can't WAIT for the 2nd! This game is awesome

I haven't reached the ending yet, but I love to play the game and hope the 2nd will come soon!
Normally I didn't start the computer in the mornings but now I have to check on my villagers!

You forgot to mention how this game promotes the Pro-Life, anti-abortion agenda. LOLOL. Anyone notice that they add to the # of villagers from the moment of conception? Hmm...a little subliminal mind programming, anyone?

Nothing subliminal at all, just a programming technique similar to the one in Fish Tycoon.

awesome review... great job guys!

Here is the USATODAY review:

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/jinnygudmundsen/2006-08-31-virtual-villagers_x.htm

another great review! they sum it up perfectly!

Is it just me, or does that reviewer (about.com) need a better editor? hahahah

They should let people that play the game for longer than one day write the reviews.

"The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running." ~Author Unknown

Look what landed on top in this website...

http://my.bigfishgames.com/Altair

Here's a thorough review from Commonsense Media.

Am I the only one that was scared to death, that when the boulder was removed there would be some prehistoric Dinosoar or monster that would come out and eat everybody? I was relieved that the game didn't end. I learn something new about the little people every day. There are so many different things you can do to make it interesting and on going, if you're creative enough. I am more amazed every day at the thought and work that had to go into this game. I love it and I know there are somethings you just have to leave to your imagination, like eating and sleeping. Good work. I can't wait for VV2.

Check out Arthurs interview over at Gamasutra. There is some stuff on VV1 and VV2!

Interview

Nice! It still leaves me wanting VV@ to hurry up.

I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying!

Arthur, you're a nice guy and we love you but please stay off the forums until you're done. Just joking.

LOL QuickStorm!!

I thought I would get banned for it.

Another interview of Arthur, this time at Gametunnel (a website dedicated to the independent gaming scene). Here is the link:
http://www.gametunnel.com/gamespace.php?id=337&tab=6

And more for the villages to do.

Out of all the games that I purchased V V is the only one that I open every single day. It has been about five months and I have not missed a day checking my three villages.

I tend to get bored with regular puzzle/strategy games after completing them. This one just keeps me coming back for more. Yes, I thought the completion of the puzzles was a downer but it doesn't mean the game is over. Two of my villages have a dreaded GC but the last one doesn't.

I think this is a great game and depending on the person quite addicting. Looking forward to V V 2.

My own review of Virtual Villagers: A new home.
When you start the game, you start caring for a tribe of little villagers, who have fled from there own homeland because of an erupting volcano. And they land ashore on an island called Isola, but they need your help, this little gang of villagers can't take care of them selves, you help them by teaching the basics of servivel. There is two main parts of the game:
1. Helping them servive in the little island, of Isola.
2. Solving the 16 puzzels, wich don't really need to be completed in any order. There are some funny actions they can do like:
Draging a villager around the village, and dropping them on parts of it. Or by putting a boy an a girl villager on top of the other can make them sometimes kiss and maybe have a baby. And even putting them on the little researching table, earns them points, that can be spent on new technologies, that improve the village, and help complete the other puzzles. The technologies are:
Building, farming (One of them most important ones.) medicine, science, fertility and spirituality. Science makes the villagers earn more each go, if they succeed on it. Medicine improves how long the villagers random age they can live up to, some villagers even live up to 102! Spirituality makes the villagers be able to do stuff like, laundry, and a few others. Farming improves there harvesting enviroments. Building, makes the villagers complete more complex tasks. Fertility allows them to sometimes have triplets or twins. The game also plays, even when your game is down and your off the computer! So when you come back to your little vilagers, things like events may of happened. There are a lot of unique villagers on the game, all with there likes and dislike, and some without any of them, but they may learn and be made to have one with an event. The villagers also have six skills, farming, science, research, healing and breeding, it's possible to make a villager with every skill a master. And each villager looks humanly, because of there actions.
The end, unfortunatly, just stops, but you can set goals, and see if you can reach a place on the VV leader board, and it's fun to see all the cute villagers little actions!

Above all, I would recomend this game to anybody. And I hope you enjoyed this review by me, Charley323!