Prison Architect Reviews
The game is so deep that no review can capture all you will see and do in Prison Architect, but rarely does a simulation game hit on all levels from building down to micromanagement so well. Prison Architect overcomes a few minor glitches to earn extraordinary status, and is a must-play for anyone looking to kill some time punishing crime.
How difficult could it be to build a jail and keep everyone inside? With this impressively detailed simulation, you're about to find out
Prison Architect is a deep offering of gameplay elements, interconnected systems, and emergent storytelling, all of which remain addictive for fans of such micromanagement. If all this sounds like more work than fun, you're probably right; this game just isn't for you. There were times when I looked at the game in my library and became stressed at the idea of playing it some more. Controlling a population of inmates who, by the basic nature of prison, don't want to be there, can feel like a second job. More often, though, I was amazed by the game's intense level of detail to the human element of being behind bars, and I walked away from the experience with an appreciation for such a stellar genre title. If you're a fan of simulations, Prison Architect is one of the best there is.
The pick up and play nature of Prison Architect in tandem with its wealth of gameplay options make this title far outshine its few flaws with a charming and engaging overall package.
A lot of things can behave badly in prison, and I'm not just talking about the prisoners. But Prison Architect told me an engrossing story—and taught me a thing or two—with its tutorial and design.
Introversion Software and Double Eleven did a superb job making sure Prison Architect was more than your typical simulation game.
Prison Architect is a fantastic simulation game. Its clever systems combine in interesting and intuitive ways to create an experience which is tense, challenging, and engaging. Niggling control issues aside, the title is a terrific example of how a traditionally PC-only genre should be ported to consoles.
I recommend the game wholeheartedly to that certain brand of gamer that gets satisfaction out of building intricate little machines and watching them go. It's a unique sandbox game that has all the necessary ingredients to hook you, if you let it.
Prison Architect is one of the more unique game releases in years. What would seem daunting at first, with building and managing a prison, quickly reveals to be both an addictive and entertaining gameplay experience. While minor bugs can still be found from time to time, these don't distract from the overall enjoyment of creating the perfect prison. Entrepreneurial prison designers, this is the game you need to buy.
After some time with Prison Architect, I can't say that that I've completely warmed up to the genre just yet. Still, that doesn't mean I regret the time I spent playing it either. Even though Prison Architect has its share of flaws and limitations, it's still a fun experience I'm sure fans of the genre will enjoy.
Prison Architect allows for freedom and creativity with its deep simulation systems and the multitude of player options. Players may become surprisingly invested in their prison and in their prisoners, something that can only be achieved by letting them mess with every small detail.
Prison Architect isn't the easiest game to delve into, but it provides patient players with a deep, challenging, and entertaining experience.
Prison Architect is a solid simulation experience that raises the stakes thanks to pulling no punches when it comes to human beings being locked-up. A surprise treat.
Prison Architect is a great simulator that made the transition from computers to console admirably.
Creating a candid simulation of a correctional facility is Prison Architect's purpose. Its power is allowing the player to decide if moral indifference—their own or Prison Architect's—is either a strength or weakness. Prison Architect's trip to the PlayStation 4 undermines its capability with an unnecessary layer of obstruction, but the interference it creates isn't impossible to overcome.
Prison Architect is an excellent sandbox, a throwback to the days of Bullfrog's Theme series that forces you to balance an eye for aesthetics with pure functionality. Those who don't need to be led by the hand to explore the deep systems at play will find an excellent simulation to lose themselves in, with online sharing options providing a huge selection of prisons to explore, tear down and rebuild. If you can stomach the morality of prisons for profit you will enjoy Prison Architect.
The game definitely suits one who loves crafting games, though as a beginner in the field this game works well as it's fairly user friendly and small enough in scale you won't get lost in it, strangely addictive at times yet not enough to steal you away from the big names in terms of longevity.
Smart, thought-provoking and uniquely compelling
Prison Architect is a mostly-honest and unflinching look at our modern society and its approach towards prisoner rehabilitation...or lack thereof. It's a fascinating game, in no small part because it so expertly casts a real-world debate in video game terms and in doing so forces players to examine their own beliefs. And it's a hell of a lot of fun, besides.
Prison Architect isn't going to appeal to everyone; the simple graphics and initially overwhelming influence may scare off those hoping for something as immediately accessible and fun as Theme Park. Those who persevere will find an incredibly complex simulation that will gradually reveal more and more layers of strata as the hours invested pile up.