Noclip did a doc about it recently (https://youtu.be/GtNvEna6bxc). I remember seeing it for the first time at a buddies place growing up, but I didn’t have a strong enough computer to run it. I did though when black and white 2 came out and it was awesome! I feel the only thing comparable to it currently is the Anno series, no spells or anything but just city management and stuff.

I feel that when it first came out all my podcasts that I was listening to at the time were talking about it for at least 6 months. It really got its hooks into me and I also come back to it occasionally as well.