City Game Studio: a tycoon about game dev
City Game Studio
I joined the open beta for City Game Studio a little while ago. Ever since I have seen it grow substantially. The game has been improved so much in a short amount of time and I can only see it getting better and better from here on out. The developer is very active and takes all the feedback and criticism he gets very seriously. Many of my own suggestions have already made it into the game and whenever an issue arises he is quick to fix it.
The game takes place in a city where you can rent, buy and even build your own studios and exhibitor centers. When your company is doing good you obviously want to expand and get even larger teams working on even bigger titles. The result of that can be very satisfying.
– Real player with 198.3 hrs in game
Read More: Best Moddable Sandbox Games.
Overview
First off, on advice from this author’s attorney Frankie “Fine Print” Lymann, copycat games are not a crime. (See Data East USA v. Epyx for proof that copycats do not constitute copyright infringement.) Remember Game Dev Tycoon? Take the awesomeness of the aforementioned game, add interior decorating, an outside world where buildings can be rented, bought, and even constructed, and then add in some nice new ideas (along with a bad idea) and you have City Game Studio. In case the reader doesn’t know, the game is a management sim in which the player starts a game company starting in the year of the player’s choosing, and goes from rags to riches through developing and publishing video games.
– Real player with 43.6 hrs in game
Der Milchbauer
If you need to speed up your carpal tunnels inflamation, this game is your best choice. Buying 300 cows = clicking 300times (+), no +5 , +10, mark with shift etc… If you want to inseminate the 300 cows you have to click 300times, but also need to scroll in slowly reacting list. The worst GUI execution is dragging this game completely down. And with the real economic data, well I am not really sure. Its better to buy the cows and sell them when they stop milking and buy new ones, than to inseminate them. Does not sound reallistic to me.
– Real player with 6.2 hrs in game
Read More: Best Moddable Singleplayer Games.
It’s really, really hard for me to give this game a review. First of all: It’s a very small game, don’t expect anything big. It’s more of a clicker game. You cannot be very active in terms of building visible new buidlings. You can upgrade buildings, but just via text.
The whole game takes place on two screens: The farm screen and the stable screen. There is no tutorial or anything like this, nothing is getting explained, yet the handling is pretty simple and I guess it’s part of the game to explore the few mechanics by yourself. You start off pretty empty with 50k bucks and no cows at all. First step is obviously buying some cows and sell the milk. The nice thing is, the whole game was built around real data from German farmers. The price you get for your milk changes every day and is NEVER really high.
– Real player with 1.0 hrs in game
Global ATC Simulator
I have to say that I keep coming back to this sim when I need something to organize… which ain’t that often. But that’s just me. If you like logic problems and solving simulated emergencies then crank up the settings and go for rush hour at JFK or ATL.
What I like about the game is that it’s easy to configure and control. When I say control, I mean manipulating the planes as they come and go. The airport database is very complete and I’ve yet to find an airport worth controlling that’s missing. And, from what little I’ve experienced in real life, the SIDS and STARS are pretty darn good.
– Real player with 59.5 hrs in game
Read More: Best Moddable Singleplayer Games.
I love a good aviation similator (to include ATC) and this simulator does well at simulating real world situation and probably would make a good training tool, as I Aerosoft typically makes applications for. So first off, the blemishes…
With every Aerosoft package I’ve used they AI is barely functional, they just can’t seem to get a programmer on staff with any kind of appreciable skill at providing intelligence to air traffic or the environment. So what do I mean by that? Well in this simulator, an aircraft pilot should refuse some ATC requests based upon weather conditions. When I had visibilty down to under a mile and clearly ILS landing conditions, I was able to get planes to accept visual approaches while well outside of visual capabilities (10 miles and FL130+). Any intelligent pilot would have radio’d back “unable”. Altitudes and speed restictions over certain navigation aids were not enforced and I didn’t appear to get “dinged” for not meeting the required conditions at the navaid. The only “realistic” feature I did find is if had aircraft landing “with” the wind they would abort a landing and would radio back to me they were unable to land due to a lack of runway due to tailwind conditions. I suspect that Aerosoft is expecting a trainer to be monitoring a student who will apply a “thwack” to the back of the student’s head when mistakes are made. The tutorial states that multiple commands can be given at once via the command line but I have yet to be able enter more than a single command a time, even using the example they provide.
– Real player with 49.0 hrs in game
Parkitect
Let me begin with, I was one of the individuals who contributed to the Kickstarter to help this game become a reality. Heck, I remember when Sebastian was showing off his concept work using programmer art to demonstrate the systems he was working on. Then Garret hopped on the train and the game REALLY took off. I would liken this game to a beautiful fusion of the original Theme Park by Bullfrog and RollerCoaster Tycoon 2. I will explain the how and why later on in my review. This game as a whole is a massive labor of love by everyone involved and it truly shines because of this.
– Real player with 1688.1 hrs in game
Buckle up; it’s a lot of words!
I initially “reviewed” Parkitect back in 2016, while the game was still in it’s alpha state of development. Not a full-fledged review, more a preview. It would be unfair to judge something that isn’t done. Yet, back then, I felt the urge to write about this wonderful game (as will be clear when you read it below).
The alpha version in 2016, it was already really good. But it has always been good. The thing is, now, it has consistently gotten better - and better. Every month, somehow, the updates are exciting and interesting. Sometimes grand, sometimes small but helpful. Always stepping up from the excellent work that has been done before.
– Real player with 1056.2 hrs in game
Pro Strategy Football 2022
I came into this series last year with Pro Strategy Football 2021. A game which, for an old time gamer sparked a lot of nostalgia in the way it was presented. There were things missing like game keeping records for head to head etc I fixed that little itch with a spreadsheet and small things like not being able to navigate to a players career stats from any screen. Still the game was a little gem.
Those things have been addressed with this addition along with numerous other improvements and continued optimizations as the game feels tighter and slicker when loading if that makes sense.
– Real player with 798.4 hrs in game
A tremendous effort by a lone indie developer with a day job. This game was created with love and passion for the game. Know what you are buying first, because it won’t be for everybody. Please read the description and feel free to ask things in the game forum first if you wish. The developer (Kerry) is very honest, open, and transparent - and very consumer friendly and a great guy! (plus it is a really terrific community too).
The game’s strength is the on-field gameplay - and in that department, it is unheralded, producing an accurate, realistic simulation of the game. You will not be controlling the players with a gamepad - it is focused on coaching, or if chosen, spectating games. In the coaching department there are thousands of plays that can be designed on the fly. This year many new formations (both classic and modern) were added and entire leagues (or individual teams) can be tailored to utilise them in ways that create their own characteristics or flavor (and there are mods done by really talented mod authors covering almost the entire NFL, USFL, and various other leagues too –- including fantasy leagues and teams).
– Real player with 355.6 hrs in game
Pro Basketball Manager 2021
Very good game playing the PBM Franchise since 2017
I hope they would add more Leagues in the game especially Asian Leagues because I don’t know much about EuroLeague. The developers are clearly hardworking so I’ll give this a 9/10 rating for me hopefully it improves. Again a very good game I recommend it to a basketball fan or people who is dreaming to be a coach, I’m getting pretty addicted to this game
-from a PBM Fan
– Real player with 187.7 hrs in game
Teams in the ‘Turkish 2nd basketball league’ can not promote to ‘Turkish basketball 1st league’. At the end of Turkish 2st basketball league, normal season leader must be promoted to Turkish basketball 1st league and from 2nd to 9th teams will play playoffs and the winner must be promoted to Turkish basketball 1st league. I would glad you to solve this problem. Thank you.
– Real player with 141.7 hrs in game
Farming Simulator 22
Warning! Fanboy (and proud of it) review ahead.
This being the 5th version of Farming Simulator I have played; it’s pretty safe to say that I am a fan of it. There is no doubt. I will start by saying that this is literally the same game as FS19. As it is, FS17-15-13. A common complaint from some people for reasons that I do not understand. What makes our favorite games, our favorite game? If they turned it into a tractor demolision derby; would it be the same game we love now? While that does sound fun; it is not what we all originally bought the game for. We buy (and then rebuy) these games because there is something about them that we like. Why has the GTA Franchise been so wildly popular all of these years? For the reason I pointed out above. Standard Psychology aside…
– Real player with 108.4 hrs in game
(Summary at bottom)
NOT a reskinned FS19. I have about 650 hours on FS19 and I can most certainly say this is much better in many ways, and many things have been completely overhauled.
-
Sounds have had a major overhaul, makes the game feel more realistic and immersive.
-
More placeables than ever, including sheds with working doors, refuel stations (diesel, methane, and electric), seed & fert tanks, etc. Fences too, great addon, easy to use.
-
Many many new brands, and more tire brand options. Also license plates for equipment and vehicles.
– Real player with 79.3 hrs in game
Game Dev Tycoon
Game Dev Tycoon is one of those games that may look sort of boring from an outside perspective (Unless you decide to be a complete memelord on a Let’s Play or Livestream) but playing the game is a really satisfying and simple affair that is both equal parts trial and error, and also thought as to what does well.
You’ll need to think about what focus you put on each game, trying to think about what sort of aspect works well for what game, for the topic and genre it is. You do it right, and you get the satisfaction of watching those money and fan counters go up. But it’s not completely up to you to figure it out, as you play and as you create game reports in game, Game Dev Tycoon will keep notes on what works and what hasn’t worked meaning if you have the capital to try again, you can at least make another attempt at it.
– Real player with 70.0 hrs in game
Fun for a good while. The actual system for designing games seems frustratingly inaccurate and arbitrary at times, mostly the “how much effort should we focus on area X and area Y of making the game”, but it does have a lot of fun moments in spite of that. If the devs were still working on it, a lot of these issues could likely be fixed with some quality of life improvements, but they’re gone now. With the game as it is, solid 7.5/10 from me.
– Real player with 33.4 hrs in game
Orbi Universo
It’s Democracy meets Civilization.
Still a work-in-progress, and from a part-time indie dev, but what you see here shows promise.
If you’re a Civ/Paradox/Democracy fan, it’s an easy recommendation.
If you’re not too sure about it, grab it on sale, or wait until they finish all the ages that make the core gameplay.
Pros:
-
Less intimidating upfront than Democracy, you start from humble begginings.
-
You can start at any place in the globe
-
Many different paths to take your civilization through
– Real player with 81.2 hrs in game
This game is unique. Maybe not much replayability, but there definitely is some. In the bronze age I had a shining civilization, the entire Iron Age was a time of unparalleled ascension, but I quickly over expanded and then the disruption caused by the immense amount of minorities quickly destroyed my stability. I kept undermining the power of the clergy in order to stop them from toppling my republic, which caused the number of heathens and heretics to rise to such a point as to ruin my stability even further. There was this entire collapse scenario very reminiscent of the fall of the Roman Republic, culminating in a coup d’etat by the military which led to a quickly fragmenting military dictatorship that saw a snowball of decline that just kept rolling and rolling.
– Real player with 36.9 hrs in game
Winter Resort Simulator 2
While I see some people complaining about some features of the game and I agree they need to be changed, I still have to give this game a positive review. One big plus is that the devs and modding community is very active and they do seem to be listening to the community and making changes. If you join their discord they are very helpful and supportive. One big gripe I have is that only one in game map is included and is the only one where you actually make money, not only that but if you build new lifts you have to go into the LUA files to add them to the economic system. It would be nicer if there were in game editors. Now I would not get the game yet, wait for a sale or until some of the major bugs and optimization is done. I still think they should have kept it all in season one and added everything else as dlcs.
– Real player with 211.7 hrs in game
this game has many bugs. it snows inside buildings, the level of management over finances is extremely limited. the game is called winter resort simulator, but its focus is on ropeways, incomplete snowmaking and grooming. there is nothing else to simulate which is disappointing. the way to edit maps or trails, creating new trails is absurdly over complciated in which it requires you to edit the coding into a save game file. and if you mess it up… there goes your save game poof unplayable. i want to love this game so much, but i honestly feel as this is a beta version as it is not complete nor does it give the impression of being finished.
– Real player with 104.0 hrs in game