Game Dev Tycoon Review

By – Omar Khan

The only thing more ironic than writing a review about a game in which you strive to develop a company that makes perfect games, is to write a review about a game in which you strive to become a reviewer that writes perfect reviews.  Nevertheless, here are my thoughts on Game Dev Tycoon.  The first thing to mention about this game is its simplistic, stripped down approach to GUIs and controls.  Game Dev Tycoon’s only button is the left mouse, but with it you can create a company that makes EA look like a backstreet indie dev that churns out Minecraft knock-offs.

With a simple click of a mouse button, you bring up a contextual menu, which in turn brings up a GUI full of further options that help you unlock, well, even more options.  Games like Hospital Tycoon and Theme Park Tycoon have dazzling (well, at the time at least) visuals that give you a sense of accomplishment when you zoom out and behold your sprawling behemoth of a creation. Game Dev Tycoon however, just rewards you with a bigger office, and slightly more staff.  The graphics have a childish cartoon effect, and while the visual aid of exp taking the form of bubbles on screen is appealing, the fact that this is the most exciting aspect of the game speaks volumes.

The problem I faced when playing Game Dev Tycoon, is that I’m looking at the game within a backdrop of the modern industry. The game sets itself at the turn of the gaming revolution, in the late 80s.  I was trying to create new, innovative IPs that shaped the future of the industry whilst tantalizing audiences with the possibilities of the medium.  However, Game Dev Tycoon is a game of numbers. A Medieval-Simulation game on ‘Ninvendo TES’, doesn’t add up.  And much like when you realize Pokémon is a game of formula and complex mathematics hidden behind a wall of cute battling monsters, the game loses its magic, and you die a little bit inside.  Despite these flaws, however, the game does give you an immense sense of satisfaction from developing your company from the ground up.  Starting in your garage and ending up who-knows-where (I’ll be honest, I wasn’t good enough to reach the dizzying heights of beyond a rather cushy office), your company is developed through research.

Researching costs points, which you get by developing games and studying them.  These points are spent on developing your own engine, improving the variety and options within development, and upgrading your staff when you eventually get them.  All this takes time, and a large amount of it will be spent waiting around seeing as Game Dev Tycoon doesn’t give you the option to queue up actions. You also probably won’t get too far in your first couple of tries.  I ended up going bankrupt twice before I got used to the passage of time and how much things cost.

Developing a game costs time and money, and over time your expenses build up, be it wages, rent, or research. Spending a long time on game development can make you forget all these expenses the first time you play, and soon you’ll realise you’re spending more than you’re making, particularly if the game isn’t well received. You’ll find yourself in the red more than a couple of times the first time you play, but eventually you get used to the finer points of finances.  This is another annoying flaw of Game Dev Tycoon.  When starting from scratch, the game can become horrendously repetitive.  The tutorial hints are unskippable, and the same companies bring out the same software over and over again.  Nothing you do has any impact on the world around you, and that can be disheartening.  I know “Ninvend”’ are still going to release their “TES” console at some point, but a little variety in timings wouldn’t go amiss.

Is It Worth Your Money?

Ultimately Game Dev Tycoon feels like a polished and very absorbing online flash game. Especially considering I played one once about setting up your own game dev company a while back.  However, for £6.99/$9.99, I have to admit, it’s an addictive little game that eats away at your time.  The giddy thrills received from getting rave reviews, along with more and more fans, is equal to the thrill of any racing game, shooter or beat ‘em up  Although this review sounds negative, it’s only because Game Dev Tycoon definitely shows potential, it just feels a little barren at times.  But if business sims are your jam, this pocket-sized version is definitely worth the cash.