game dev tycoon sound design or tech

A few years ago I had the opportunity to teach a course in Video Game History at a University in Florida. I eagerly accepted the position, and for many semesters thoroughly enjoyed getting lost in the history of this fantastic medium with hundreds of students. While I obviously learned many things in those years, one thing still sticks out in my mind- video games had a tumultuous, exciting, wild-west style beginning. Greenheart Games, in their economic simulation "Game Dev Tycoon," have managed to capture a large part of the freewheeling, creative spirit of those early years.

The Game

"Game Dev Tycoon" begins in a garage where you, a single developer, work alone to develop a game. Creating games is a matter of stages. First, you choose a genre and a type of game (a werewolf-themed action experience or a space-themed RPG) along with the platform you want to release it on and the game engine it will operate with. Right at the beginning the game already calls for strategy, because finding the right genre/type combination on the right platform is tricky enough. In the next three stages, you choose different aspects of the game you want to highlight: story, engine, gameplay, dialogue, level design, graphics, sound, and so on. It is in choosing which aspects to highlight that the game derives most of its challenge. Certain game types call for more emphasis on certain aspects over others. In an RPG, for instance, you want to focus more on story and dialogues while action games focus more on engine and artificial intelligence. Finding the right combinations for a hit game, researching new technologies, and growing your development company give "Game Dev Tycoon" nearly unlimited replay value.

The Experience

The overall premise does seem to speak more to video game lovers, though the strategy behind such a complex simulation should be a satisfying puzzle for anyone to figure out. The real joy of this game came after about half an hour of playing it. I was scratching my head wondering why my past three games had all met with mediocre reviews until I remembered my video game history and remade, as best as I could figure out, a duplicate of an early success from history. Unsurprisingly, the positive reviews came pouring in and soon I was out of the garage, researching new game technologies and hiring other designers. Any game that can approximate actual history with similar outcomes deserves time and attention.

The Content

There is no objectionable content to speak of.

Rating

While definitely geared towards the gamers, "Game Dev Tycoon" is a surprisingly deep simulation that will have you crossing your fingers hoping your next big title gets good reviews. Available on PC ($9.99) and most mobile devices ($4.99), mobile version reviewed here.

4 out of 5 stars

Nathan Snow is a freelance writer for Where It's @. Follow him on twitter @nathanssnow