Just thought I’d leave up my review for this game. I really enjoyed playing it alot and was obsessed with it over the past couple of days since it came out.
First off, I found out about this game via the anti-piracy debacle, which I think was a funny viral ploy that worked in raising sales. I think that anyone that cannot afford to pay $7 for a game needs to re-examine their priorities in life, and shouldn’t be wasting time playing games anyways. If you aren’t physically or mentally disabled, you can work as a cashier at Walmart and pay for this game in one hour of work. For the record, I purchased the game. Moving on to the actual game review.
I really enjoy the time aspect of the game which keeps it challenging, and the mystery of the sliders and what they do. I think you should be able to see a project breakdown at the end of each game which tells you who contributed what to bubbles.
I think there should be a historically random or inaccurate mode, where you can’t metagame and use your knowledge of the future to be successful. I have not tried the 30 year game mode or the 20 year game modes, yet, though. I have also not yet created an MMO and just last session figured out the criteria for creating large games. I like the mystery of determining what criteria unlocks what, which definitely gives the game that old school sim feel which existed before developers held your hand and put an arrow down that told you where to go next.
Bugs/defects I encountered:
- It seems you can develop an engine with capabilities that exceed the existing ingame systems. Doesn’t really make sense - each system should list what the capabilities are.
- Any console game should require gamepad as a gameplay option, unless the Gamepad option and research is meant to mean “focus on gamepad”.
- What does Grid do? I researched it but didnt notice much.
- If you are giving a new employee a intro course, and you begin research on a new game, his input reads NAN (not a number) %
- I really need a pause key, like spacebar, so I can micro manage.
If this game ever gets a sequel or expansion packs, I think the following features would really serve to make the game more immersive and addicting:
- Educational aspects - I don’t know if there are legal issues here, but I think there should be links to wikipedia that talk about the history of gaming as you encounter it in the game, and more references to historical events like the game already does a great job with. For example, the 2D Graphics V1 should show me some sample images of what that may of looked like and what games used the technology
- Expansion packs, and then DLC later on. I didn’t see any of these. Expansion packs were the predecessor of DLC.
- Adult should be another option to pick like Casual.
- Pick up and translate games from overseas: see also: Working Designs.
- The ability to design your office and the features inside it.
- Offshoring work. H1 Visas. The controversy over that.
- More content and focus dealing with obtaining licenses for things [ie, to make a Star Wars game, you need to obtain a Star Wars license].
- Split your company into multiple divisions
- More random events
- More choice/configuration for consoles. I want to make a mobile console
- More focus on the piracy issue which especially for non consoles was an issue