Automobile Tycoon
Well… it’s not bad… but it’s not good.
I’ve burned quite a few hours in it, and keep coming back because I’m a car junky, but when I want that fix, I’m more often reaching for Automation, Gear City, or Production Line, and honestly I still prefer running Detroit in DOSBox, which this is supposed to be a spiritual successor of (it doesn’t catch the same magic though)
This is a decent spreadsheet simulator (turn off the inflation, or you’ll spend all your time micromanaging prices because costs spiral quickly but there’s no option to scale the selling price with inflation) but it isn’t really a car game. You could replace the products you’re making with just about anything, and change the R&D tree. Feels like it was built to be modular but then didn’t take off so they didn’t push it out with other assets.
– Real player with 43.4 hrs in game
Read More: Best Management Economy Games.
It is an enjoyable game. It provides different starting conditions which provide longevity. The drawback is that it does not provide clear cut challenges and it feels more like a big sandbox, which should explain some of the earlier bad critics. If you have no need for step by step challenges (like objectives or do this and that), you will find this a very nice game.
I personally dislike these step-based gameplay, where the game leads you through specific paths. so this game is my piece of cake.
– Real player with 42.0 hrs in game
Empire of Sin
Main quests:
- So far two of the paythroughs I have had have game breaking bugs for the main quests.
Police:
There is not enough interaction with the police, they are basically not even a problem. Give them more power, create tiers of police, where there are cops, investigators, feds, etc. Make it so that if you piss the police of by killing a lot of people you get a heat system.
Economy:
There is apparently a non ending need for alcohol, the game would be more interesting if your bar saw less profits and patronage because your neighboring faction has a better bar, higher quality booze, etc.
– Real player with 63.3 hrs in game
Read More: Best Management Crime Games.
Seems like the game has that weird Paradox disease where the game is garbage day one but undergoes radical changes that make it into something really special. I bought it after the precinct update and I’m hooked. I like the combat and gang management elements as well as the almost seamless switching from tactical map to street view to turn based combat. There’s also room for strategy, you can cut off sections of someone’s territory to destroy their supply lines or trade poison disguised as high end alcohol to set some one up for the moment you take out their brewery in an ambush leaving them with nothing to sell and no one to sell it to. I think that it’d be a whole lot better with more room for customization but it’s a solid solid game.
– Real player with 56.0 hrs in game
Gangster Empire: Vendetta
IN A WORD: MAYBE
IN SHORT:
WHAT TO EXPECT: Crime enterprise simulator. Mature themes. Low budget production. Basic graphics and audio. Simplistic, limited gameplay. Good range of random dynamic events provide core strategy depth. Minimal supplemental gameplay mechanics. Very repetitive. Clicker like tempo. Played on fixed-resolution window. No settings apart from muting audio. Singleplayer only.
ACHIEVEMENTS: NONE.
STATUS: COMPLETE. A FEW BUGS. ONE CTD.
– Real player with 13.7 hrs in game
Read More: Best Management Replay Value Games.
Overview
If anyone seeks out REXCurse for an opinion about a gang-themed game (especially a gang-themed game involving management) you know ol' Il Pallino is on the job. With no sort of backstory and a mostly casual experience, Gangster Empire: Vendetta doesn’t have anything in the way of a “vendetta” against anyone or anything. Instead, there’s just turn-based strategy gaming in which the player controls a gang with a maximum of eight people and looks to complete the game by either satisfying requirements for money or reputation. Crimes involve petty theft, violent assaults, hacking, drug dealing, long-term schemes (which can be either violent or non-violent), and good old fashioned legitimate businesses. Sometimes the player may be asked to assign gang members to complete various tasks for outside bosses who provide large amounts of money upon completion and an increase in reputation the player can either hoard in hopes of reaching their overall goal or spend on attacking a rival crime boss who occasionally schemes against the main character’s gang.
– Real player with 8.8 hrs in game
The Shrouded Isle
My my…this is certainly a game that casts cynicism upon religious belief, is it not? Apparently “ignorance” is a virtue, boys and girls!
So what the hell IS this game? Well, it’s a strategy game/management simulator, in which you basically have to keep a bunch of aristocratic houses onside, while finding one poor soul to sacrifice every season to the mighty deity Chernobog! (A sly reference to a certain Ukranian nuclear power plant disaster, perhaps?) To do this effectively, you must interrogate potential candidates and keep abreast of their various vices and virtues, in order to decide who is most worthy of such sacrifice, and who is more worth keeping around to undertake morale-boosting tasks. But be careful! Target a single house one time too many, and there might be nasty consequences…
– Real player with 16.0 hrs in game
I got this game at launch. The premise seemed strong, the art direction was compelling, so I took the jump.
Positives
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Simple to learn - the mechanics are easy to get used to. The fundamentals are not bad, so you don’t need much time to get going. The important thing is how you apply them.
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Very hard. Go into this expecting to lose but have fun. Treat it more like a choose your own adventure crossed with XCOM or Darkest Dungeon.
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Art is amazing. The minimalistic use of colours looks top notch. The game allows you to switch between colour palettes, as well, so you can go with whatever feels best. I believe the limited usage of colours was a strong choice in making the game look a bit otherworldly.
– Real player with 9.2 hrs in game
Epic Manager - Create Your Own Adventuring Agency!
For $5 more you can buy Darkest Dungeon, and I think that’s a better value.
If this goes on sale for 4.99, give it a whirl if you like offering contract deals and/or telling greedy heroes what hole they can find their raise in.
For a game with Manager in the title, you do very little management. Management is centered around your heroes, herefor referred to in my own experiences as the Badasses of the Happy Snack Cake Adventurer Agency. Recruit your badasses, send them on quests for gold and fame. All good, the combat isn’t silly or hard, smack him, heal him.
– Real player with 143.8 hrs in game
There is a box I did not check referring to if I received this game for free; I am a ruthless discount shopper, and often wishlist dozens of games in hope of making the move to acquire a license if one is ever appallingly cheap. As a result, I usually have a handful of classic games on deck that I’m not ready to play yet,
I don’t remember which game it was or what became of it, but I once regretted missing that greenlight game in which the protagonist is a retired adventurer who now buys or otherwise acquires cool items, then offers them as rewards to heroes he dispatches on quests. The premise quite captured me, but I was a Mac gamer when it came and went. I’ve searched hard for good attempts at that concept. Recettear gets a little too grindy too quickly. Empire TV Tycoon is similarly addictive, and similarly impressive while still lacking replay value that it is growing into gradually as the Devs add content. Any good team eventually gets bored and decides to build a whole new game - usually a better one, not unlike in the games they make.
– Real player with 58.2 hrs in game
Omerta - City of Gangsters
tl;dr version:
PROS:
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Easy to learn, not that hard to master
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Authentic language, music and scenery
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Functionally combines Economy Sim and Round-Based Combat
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“Sandbox” Mode where you can check out tactics you didn’t try in the campaign
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Fine-tune your henchmen and their weaponry by leveling them up and finding new firearms
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All weapon classes (Revolver, Pistol, Knife, Baseball Bat,…) have their own playstyle and useful
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All STATS (Strength, Endurance,…) are useful and you can reset PERKS for your player/henchmen easily
– Real player with 108.9 hrs in game
A Pleasant Surprise
I saw the mixed reviews and wasn’t expecting much of the game, but was actually pleasantly surprised how good it is. I can see why it got the mixed reviews though, as it has shortcoming but it is still very much enjoyable if you know what you are getting yourself into.
Basically the game is divided into two parts: XCOM like tactical combat and business management sim. On its own these two parts are not very special but luckily the game is more that the sum of it parts.
– Real player with 108.1 hrs in game
SkyBoats
Pros:
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nice interface
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games done in no more than 30 mins and they’re saved if you can’t finish them
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2 versions of the game (after 17 hours I’m yet to play the other though will do when I finish this one!)
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active dev interested in engaging with the community
Cons:
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you learn the rules as you go and some are not that clear. Fortunately, Inventarius has done a brilliant community guide which helps you understand how to get near his level and therefore play more and enjoy it more
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once you reach your max level, replayability is limited - you don’t want to lower your level by failing too often. I have more hours in Axes & Acres (48) than I will have in this (probably max out around 25-30) so buy in a sale.
– Real player with 29.4 hrs in game
As always with BrainGoodGames, this game is lots of fun and very challenging. It takes a while to grasp the rules but once you understand them you will appreciate the complex strategies you can use.
The tutorial will get you started but I recommend turning on practise mode to really learn the rules and not lose ranks. The support from BrainGoodGames is great as always.
– Real player with 19.5 hrs in game
Football, Tactics & Glory
If you’re a fan of football, you’ve probably played your fair share of the Football Manager series and FIFA. This game, FTG, is far superior to both of them. FTG is not a really a Management-simulator, but you do take on a managerial-like role in some aspects; signing/selling players, deciding whose contracts to renew, spending your money earned on upgrading the clubs stadium and facilities etc. But these things are quite straight forward. You’re free to focus on playing the matches themselves. You can quickly move on from on match to the next, which is what you will want to do.
– Real player with 1586.3 hrs in game
I’ve been in love with football management sims since the days of One-Nil . That’s 1992, my friends.
I’ve never enjoyed one as much as this one.
This game is simple enough to play that you can jump right in and start playing. And if you want a casual experience, you can play this game like that. Don’t think too much about your decisions, just pick what feels right. You can do that and have fun.
Or, if you want a more analytical experience, you can take your time over each decision.
– Real player with 1520.0 hrs in game
The Monster Breeder
This is a turn-based fantasy strategy game with RPG elements. The game has two main layers: the first is the monster breeding, the second is the tactical turn-based arena combat.
Main Features
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Create Monsters
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Tactical Arena Combat
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Large variety of tournaments
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Warrior training
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Forging
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Alchemy
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Base upgrading
Players can purchase eggs and juvenile creatures from local hunters. The next step is to set up a magical treatment to enhance the creatures’ strength, agility, and other attributes. Nearly all these traits can be manipulated with magic scrolls, potions, blood infusions and runestones, although overuse of magic and potions can cause severe illness, infertility, shorter lifespan, or even death.
Natural species are weak and perform poorly in the arena, but all have at least one valuable ability. There are three classes of creature available: insect, reptile and carnivora. Players can only crossbreed species within the same class, and the best offspring can then be selected for magic treatments to improve their combat performance. Only eggs and juvenile creatures can be treated. Adult monsters earn experience fighting in the arena and learn new skills when leveling up, but these skills are not inheritable.
There are multiple options for players to house their monsters in the various chambers and cellars of the Old Keep, or they can build a small hut or kennel in the courtyard and upgrade it. Depending on their temperature tolerance, some creatures can live in a flooded dungeon cellar while some others need a warm environment to remain healthy. Only healthy creatures can fight and earn money for their masters.
Combat in the arena is tough but not always deadly. Beginners can participate in non-lethal tournaments without the risk of losing a character or monster. Lethal combat pays much better, but this is a game with permadeath, so be aware!
How much risk are you willing to take? Which tournament are you going to enter? Only you decide. Players get money if they take part in a tournament, but only the winners receive the glory and extra rewards.
Warriors, archers and sorcerers can be hired to fight side-by-side with monsters in the arena. Players can personalize their training and equip them with weapons that match their skills and strength, although to be overburdened with armor comes with serious penalties in combat.
Characters earn experience in the arena and gain new skills when leveling up, and older warriors can be valuable trainers depending on their intelligence and trainer skills. Some hired characters may refuse to participate in lethal tournaments, but slaves can also be trained for combat.
Players need to hire a blacksmith and alchemist to be able to craft items like weapons, armor or potions. Every craftsman has unique skills and traits affecting their products’ quality, their rate of work, and the amount of material they use.
Various types of equipment can be purchased to enhance productivity: recipe books, alembics and extractors are all useful accessories of the alchemist’s lab, while weapon and armor molds, alloy smelters and special forges are exceedingly beneficial to the blacksmith. Apprentices can be hired to improve productivity and players can employ them as blacksmiths or alchemists when they graduate.
Players can construct or upgrade various types of buildings, allowing them to keep more monsters, incubate more eggs, create more weapons and potions, or increase storage capacity and the size of their living quarters.
Some buildings have unique features: Hatchling’s Cabin provides the possibility of using runestones and magic fields to modify juvenile creatures’ traits, while the Alchemist’s Shack and Blacksmith’s Hut provide more places to hire craftsmen and also give an efficiency bonus. The Old Keep is the default building at the beginning of the game. It has multiple chambers and cellars, all of which can be assigned to any purpose.
This Is the Police 2
I can highly recommend This is the police 2 for everyone who played the first game as it heavily improves on the gameplay. In every call you get to choose how your officers react, what happens after that and how it actually goes, something the first game didn’t really offer. The officers are also much more human. While in the first game they were basically a portrait with a name and a professionalism stat, here they have various more stats, individual loyalty levels and a few special traits. For instance Kamatari Kurosawa is really lazy and only does one call per day, Galen Woolbag smells bad Leo Bradhi loves coming with his own uniforms. This along with some “Can I have a day off?” questions unique to a certain officer or them asking go to a funeral when a fellow officer dies or developing alcohol problems when they see them die in front of them makes them seem much more human and adds to the atmosphere and adds a new layer to gameplay.
– Real player with 252.0 hrs in game
I loved This is the Police 1, but unfortunately this fails to reach anywhere near the same quality.
There are some genuinely good additions made here:
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Having officers with particular skills (speed, etc) made calls much more interesting (and gave a great incentive to keep good cops alive)
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The XCOM style tactical combat system is a very neat idea, and at times was very fun to play. I would love to see this done in any future related games.
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The ability buy and give out equipment to cops with relevant skills was a nice touch, and made the dept. feel much more real
– Real player with 35.8 hrs in game