We're not sure why companies are competing with Zynga directly, but alas here we are again. BigPoint, creator of hit free-to-play MMOs (massively multiplayer online games) like Battlestar Galactica Online and Lord of Ultima, has released RamaCity. And this free-to-play city building game looks a helluva lot like CityVille, Zynga's number one Facebook game. In fact, we're so inclined as to say that RamaCity is looking to compete directly with the 90 million-strong social game.

Honestly, RamaCity is nearly indistinguishable from its would-be opponent--it was even created in Flash, the primary tool developers use to make Facebook games. Players are given their own small town that they must erect a bustling city out of. The game limits players' actions with an Energy system like its counterpart, though it handles Goods production and stores differently. There are no farms in RamaCity.

We used the term "would-be" above because BigPoint's next big game isn't even on Facebook; the company is hosting RamaCity on its own dedicated website. And you can even add new friends to collaborate and play with through email, Facebook and Twitter. What you have here is essentially a social game without the Facebook integration, and one that seems to be trying very hard to repeat CityVille's runaway success. But whether BigPoint can accomplish that without true Facebook connectivity has obviously yet to be seen.

Click here to play RamaCity through BigPoint Now >

Have you had a chance to dive into CityVille's next big adversary? What do you think of companies that are trying to compete with Zynga directly? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.