This, together with OFP, is by far my most beloved good old games, and I still have the CD laying around . I have used countless hours at this game, mostly playing the city builder mode.
There are some flaws in the game play, for example I always get my ass kicked when in combat, (and therefor I play mostly on maps in less volatile regions), and I would like the trading part of the game to have been broadened/deepened, at least let the player trade with a larger amount of cities.
There is great satisfaction in creating a well functioning and stable city, but there are always new things to worry about, like the constant battle between unemployment, increasing city size and citizen happiness.
New players would probably find the game somewhat lacking in depth and missing some game play elements compared to modern titles, but still I find it to be a rewarding and satisfying game with a lot of challenges for the player.
Overall this game is probably my favorite game of all time, but I guess that nostalgia has a lot to do with that:)