Evil Genius

 PC
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 150 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 116 out of 150
  2. Mixed: 25 out of 150
  3. Negative: 9 out of 150
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  1. AaronD.
    Jun 19, 2006
    5
    Could've been made better. A simple speed slider could fix a lot.
  2. MarkH.
    Oct 18, 2004
    6
    A user here rated the demo, not the game. Unfortunately the game does not quite work as well as the demo did because of one or two flaws that are apparant only after playing the full version over a longer period of time. The first and major flaw is the pacing of the game. Time and time again you will be forced to wait for your heat levels to go down, or wait to recruit lost minions, or A user here rated the demo, not the game. Unfortunately the game does not quite work as well as the demo did because of one or two flaws that are apparant only after playing the full version over a longer period of time. The first and major flaw is the pacing of the game. Time and time again you will be forced to wait for your heat levels to go down, or wait to recruit lost minions, or wait to uncover evil deeds on the world map, or wait, or wait.....you get the idea. Especially at the beggining, the game is punctuated by short bursts of action followed by lengthy periods of waiting. It took me 15/20 minutes of real time recruit enough minions - only to have over half of them wiped out by some agents. QUE: waiting another 15-20 mins of not doing much while you recruit more staff, and this was while spending the maximum on staff recruitment. Spend less (as your often forced to unless you use the money cheat) and the waiting times can be multiplied by over 4 times that! So you spend more on staff recruting, which means you need to amass more money, which means MORE WAITING as your minions steal from around the world. No matter what you want to do in the game, it always seems to result in you being pointed towards the same situation. WAITING. Want more money for faster recruiting? - WAIT for your minions to steal. Want to commit more acts of evil on the world map? WAIT for your minions to discover them first. Completed som acts of evil? Then you will have generated some heat, too much heat and your base will be overrun with "good" agents. So you WAIT for your heat levels to drop again before you can do anything else. Also the minion AI is not all that good. By design they will stand around doing nothing while your overrun with enemy agents. You HAVE to tell them what to do to EACH and EVERY enemy that wonders into your base, by clicking infividually on the agent. Your minions are incapable of making any smart choices themselves, and sometimes seem incapable of doing what you instruct them to do anyway. Add all this together and the only people who will see the later (and ironically more interesting) game elements will be those with a LOT of patience!!… Expand
  3. rotku
    Jan 31, 2012
    7
    Ever dreamed of bettering James Bond? Well here's your chance. A great original concept which has still not been bettered. If you like simulation games but are looking for something a little different then look no further.
  4. GamerMonkey121
    Aug 5, 2014
    8
    got this game on a whim because I like real time strategy games, as soon as I opened the game I was transported to the 60s in to a James bond/ Austin Powers cartoon. You play one of three evil geniuses, every different evil genius has different skills so choose your evil genius wisely. You may have noticed you have three basic minions and one henchman, like your evil genius your Henchmangot this game on a whim because I like real time strategy games, as soon as I opened the game I was transported to the 60s in to a James bond/ Austin Powers cartoon. You play one of three evil geniuses, every different evil genius has different skills so choose your evil genius wisely. You may have noticed you have three basic minions and one henchman, like your evil genius your Henchman has his own specific skills too. Your goal is to take over the world. How I hear you ask? Build an underground lair of course. Be careful with the design of your rooms once its build you cant go back. You cant run the world with that number of staff, so you will need to build a barracks straight away to get more minions in your staff roster. At the start of the game. It will look like your building a hotel for your minions but once you have build the basic rooms (more importantly your control room.) You will have the ability to send your minions world wide to Plot, Steal and complete jobs. This is where your multitask skills would come in handy. You will find your self cycling back and forward to your lair to map view trying to juggle killing spies or capturing them and sending your guys to steal, plot or do jobs. Worth mentioning also is you will have to micromanage mostly everything especially your avatar evil genius you do not want him in any room with spies. Don't worry though you can build traps, Armoury and freezer rooms to help you out. Oh No the electric cut off just remember to save a big room for your power plant this will get annoying once you build many rooms but I am afraid it as to be done. In the later game you will have enough minions to upgrade to scientist minions and enough money to build better new exciting rooms for all your staff. You will see a lot of the objects have upgraded like doors and traps. You will also be building a hotel to keep the spies occupied and off your tail. So there is a lot to do in this Fun packed 60s James Bond cliche game. Its to bad this game didn't get as famous but there is still devoted fans websites out there for this game. I loved it 8 out of 10… Expand
  5. WilliamM
    Dec 23, 2009
    10
    Evil Genius was a game that begged for a sequel and one was FINISHED, but the creators of Tropico shelved it when they acquired the rights.
  6. nick101
    Aug 1, 2016
    0
    This game is terrible. Mostly because when soldiers or Super Agents show up, they essentially can kill your entire minion force without being challenged. The social minions you create are supposed to distract those characters. But they don't. They either all stay somewhere else on the base, or they approach one at a time and get picked off. Its very frustrating to follow the rules andThis game is terrible. Mostly because when soldiers or Super Agents show up, they essentially can kill your entire minion force without being challenged. The social minions you create are supposed to distract those characters. But they don't. They either all stay somewhere else on the base, or they approach one at a time and get picked off. Its very frustrating to follow the rules and strategy of a game, and then have the game just fail. 0 stars for this one.… Expand
  7. PN
    Jul 4, 2009
    4
    The game is mind numbingly addicting, but detrimentally so. Everything takes forever. Want to go on a mission? Watch as the 10 guys you send out SLOWLY walk to the dispatch point, and then SLOWLY board the vehicle, before eventually arriving. Then, watch as half of them die right away, the mission is failed, and you have to wait for them to get trained back up again before another attempt The game is mind numbingly addicting, but detrimentally so. Everything takes forever. Want to go on a mission? Watch as the 10 guys you send out SLOWLY walk to the dispatch point, and then SLOWLY board the vehicle, before eventually arriving. Then, watch as half of them die right away, the mission is failed, and you have to wait for them to get trained back up again before another attempt at the mission. This can easily take 20 to 40 minutes. Nothing in the game happens quickly. Everything involves waiting on a minion to move into position and perform an animation. Once enemy agents show up prepare to be frustrated by their endless persistence. Every time you set up a defense they will, by design, be able to circumvent it, blow it up, or be ignored by it. I enjoyed the game for the first couple of hours. Then I got annoyed and started over, then I got annoyed and cheated, then I got annoyed and deleted that shit. Don't waste your time on this game.… Expand
  8. [Anonymous]
    Sep 6, 2004
    10
    Just played the demo and love it, can't wait for the full game.
  9. DavidW.
    Dec 5, 2006
    3
    The bugs and crashes made what could have been a decent game abhorrent, the amount of time to required achieve anything was unacceptable
  10. TommyW
    Jun 22, 2009
    10
    Anybody who gave this game a low score probably had a bad computer or only played it for about five minutes and made a misjudgment. The game is a little slow at first, but that's to help you prepare for down the road. If you take the time to look at the glossary when confused, you can find the information you need to solve nearly any problem. This has been my favorite game since it Anybody who gave this game a low score probably had a bad computer or only played it for about five minutes and made a misjudgment. The game is a little slow at first, but that's to help you prepare for down the road. If you take the time to look at the glossary when confused, you can find the information you need to solve nearly any problem. This has been my favorite game since it first came out, and it deserves a much higher score than it has received.… Expand
  11. RonCaruthers
    Jun 23, 2009
    10
    i got this game when it first came out when i had some money laying around and i got to say it is a very fun game. i have played it over 10 times and still dust it off to play more. i'm thanking about getting it on steam so i can have it at any time rdy to play
  12. VonCarlsson
    Dec 30, 2010
    5
    Although its humour, and immense set of items to acquire, it get boring very soon. The game is terribly monotonous and you don't feel to be in full command of what is happening. Graphically it's good, given how old it is. Buy it if it's on sale, but not otherwise.
  13. Skulb
    Feb 13, 2014
    8
    Playing Evil Genius reminds me of why I stopped buying computer games. It came out at a time when the people who made them got their jollies from making things frustrating and then mocking the users after release if they complained. And I loved it! Games these days have all sorts of conveniences for the fluoride generation that has hijacked gaming. These are the people giving EG a lowPlaying Evil Genius reminds me of why I stopped buying computer games. It came out at a time when the people who made them got their jollies from making things frustrating and then mocking the users after release if they complained. And I loved it! Games these days have all sorts of conveniences for the fluoride generation that has hijacked gaming. These are the people giving EG a low score here btw. Go back to CoD you wreckers!
    In the decade since it was released gaming has taken an amazing nosedive, with everything being "casual friendly", which is code for never frustrating anyone ever, which is code for making boring games.
    Anybody who wants a classic example of how PC games used to deliberately use frustration to make games fun should buy Evil Genius. It`s one of very few Dungeon Keeper derivatives released which is good, and the graphics and sound are still great after all this time. And so is the game play. Once you get the hang of base construction and learn how to use different traps, doors, cameras and guards for the best result it is amazingly addictive.
    As for the negatives it really is time consuming and occasionally little happens. But on the other hand you can control this yourself to a certain extent: By being active plotting and carrying out crimes on the world map you attract hordes of agents and you`ll never be bored. Of course you won`t be able to defend your base either, but finding the right balance between world map activity and base security is one of the joys of the game, although never easy.
    There is an exploit which is hard to resist at the end of the tutorial, when your task is to kidnap a maid. If you just don`t do this at all and instead send all your people off to plunder on the world map you can just go to bed or get drunk and you`ll have millions of gold when you wake up/come back. This neutralizes what would otherwise have been the hardest part of EG: getting enough gold while being harassed by super agents But since it`s an alternative that requires patience, which is what my enemies in the "casual" gaming community do not have at all, I am prepared to forgive this crutch.
    The only real negative is that not only is it hard and long winded, but it is almost a must to have played through the game before you can know what to do when, how much and in what order and so have a reasonable chance at finishing the campaign. If you haven`t you`ll aggro all five super agents to your island at the same time and die, place entrances, rooms and hotels in bad places, get the wrong henchmen or an endless number of other things you`re just not likely to get right the first time around.

    Other than that it`s great fun, and highly recommended foo anyone sick to death of "casual" gaming.    … Expand
  14. Broyax
    Sep 19, 2021
    0
    Une espèce de jeu de stratégie très inspiré d’un Dungeon Keeper mais à l’ambiance volontiers bouffonne : le vague humour dispensé ici est très bête et porte vite sur les nerfs, de même que l’interface très mal faite et ceci touche d’ailleurs tous les compartiments de la présentation et de l’injouabilité très générale.

    Les graphismes sont évidemment à l’avenant et dignes d’un dessin    Une espèce de jeu de stratégie très inspiré d’un Dungeon Keeper mais à l’ambiance volontiers bouffonne : le vague humour dispensé ici est très bête et porte vite sur les nerfs, de même que l’interface très mal faite et ceci touche d’ailleurs tous les compartiments de la présentation et de l’injouabilité très générale.

    Les graphismes sont évidemment à l’avenant et dignes d’un dessin animé à nette tendance triso-mongolienne, augmentant ainsi la bouffonnerie de l’ensemble. Il faut également mentionner la lenteur omniprésente de la moindre des actions effectuées ou ordres donnés. Il n’y a pas 36 façons de tenter de jouer à ce truc, sinon celle prévue par quelques développeurs incapables…

    Ce qui conduit trop souvent à l’échec des missions alors que l’on se débat avec l’inetrface déficiente, la lenteur générale et l’ennui de plus en plus envahissant : un jeu de merde à la fois soporifique, très con et particulièrement énervant. Un génie de la daube, assurément !    … Expand
  15. Izoeros
    Apr 26, 2022
    7
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  16. SharkL.
    Oct 29, 2004
    9
    Excellent game. Takes a little getting used to some new gameplay mechanics but once you've mastered the indirect control method it's so much better than standard RTS style control.
  17. LuatiF.
    Jan 2, 2005
    8
    This is an extremely entertaining game, with very simple playability and addictive gameplay. Its only downside are some irritating bugs that create some programming inconsistencies. Overall it is a very original and humurous game that will keep you entertained for hours!
  18. WouterS
    Dec 1, 2009
    9
    nice looking game,,where you can spend mutiple evenings, also the world domination and the research are nice loooking components,
  19. BlakeT.
    Dec 2, 2004
    5
    Genuis of an idea and concept - boring game though. Long, long, long periods with nothing happening. And, when something does happen, you have little control over the game's reaction. You pretty much watch the outcome without making many decisions. Wait for it to hit the bargain bin, which shouldn't be that long of a wait.
  20. TimS.
    Sep 16, 2006
    10
    This is a great game really fun and pretty funny at times.
  21. ChrisJ
    Jun 18, 2007
    8
    Origonal and entertaining. Great game, funny and additive. Sometimes i find it hard to pry my fingers from the computer it's really that good, takes a long time to do some missions tho. I enjoy when people try getting in your base. Good fun. The music is incrediable, really sets the theme.
  22. LysanderS
    Nov 7, 2009
    7
    Great game, but offset by a slow pace and a number of AI bugs.
  23. MichaelL
    Dec 24, 2009
    9
    For those craving another game similar to Dungeon Keeper and DK2, Evil Genius manages to do well for itself. It started off kind of slow but once you start really completing your objectives and unlocking things it picks up nicely. The humor is entertaining and I enjoyed the music as well. I also got sucked into this game for hours at a time and had a lot of fun for the most part. There For those craving another game similar to Dungeon Keeper and DK2, Evil Genius manages to do well for itself. It started off kind of slow but once you start really completing your objectives and unlocking things it picks up nicely. The humor is entertaining and I enjoyed the music as well. I also got sucked into this game for hours at a time and had a lot of fun for the most part. There were definitely ups and downs, but a lot of that stemmed from it being my first time with the game and probably playing too cautiously. I will certainly be playing this game again and for the $5 or $10 you'll likely find this, it's totally worth picking up. While it doesn't recapture all of the magic of the DK series, it does bottle up a good portion of it and my only regret is I didn't discover this game sooner.… Expand
  24. Henryv
    Dec 28, 2009
    9
    Unique and fun concept with hours of entertainment needs a squeal
  25. Jok`RdeMo
    Oct 21, 2004
    3
    They have just taken Dungeon Keeper and made it little bit different (I could say weak, bad etc). I can just say that Dungeon Keeper2 was much more interesting than this. Very, very boring game.
  26. VincentV..
    Mar 23, 2007
    8
    Its an entertaining game full of humor. One of the funniest games I've ever played.
  27. DarylN
    Apr 18, 2008
    10
    All claims about this game being frustrating and to much micromanagement are simply incorrect. Once you learn how to set up your base correctly it'll practically run itself (if you want it to). This is truly one of the best games I have ever played and I have played them all. It can be difficult to figure everything out in the beginning so it is worth having a look at one of the fan All claims about this game being frustrating and to much micromanagement are simply incorrect. Once you learn how to set up your base correctly it'll practically run itself (if you want it to). This is truly one of the best games I have ever played and I have played them all. It can be difficult to figure everything out in the beginning so it is worth having a look at one of the fan sites for tips. Don't cheat yourself out of a great experience do take the time to learn the mechanics and this game will keep on giving. Also note that technically this game was ahead of its time back in 2004 and even by today standards the graphics are quite good.… Expand
  28. MeritL
    Nov 30, 2009
    10
    With this game you're actually playing two games at once by switching back and forth via the tab button. Great music & humor, It's still one of my very favorite games because of how unique and inovative it was for its time. It is bit old now though.. I only wish they made an Evil Genius 2 ;(
  29. Dave
    Dec 29, 2009
    8
    Fun and addictive, Evil Genius is a solid title that will give you hours of devious delight.
  30. Bobjohnson
    Jun 25, 2009
    9
    Great game, in the style of dungeon keeper 2. though the mission structure can be tedious at times, the game play is very fun. I really like the super agents it made me feel like a true bond villain. the fact that you can run a seemingly legit tourist resort is pretty hilarious too.
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Awards & Rankings

68
#68 Best PC Game of 2004
31
#31 Most Discussed PC Game of 2004
56
#56 Most Shared PC Game of 2004

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 51 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 51
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 51
  3. Negative: 0 out of 51
  1. PC Format
    88
    Everywhere you look there's another cute animation and another cool gadget. Combine this with an addictive research tree and a challenging campaign, and you have yourself a great combination of "Dungeon Keeper" and "Austin Powers" - just not a very long one. [Oct 2004, p.94]
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  2. Next Level Gaming
    82
    Now RTS's are generally a little slow for me, but Evil Genius has a few elements that you have to control simultaneously, so you won't have to sit and wait long for something to build or develop.
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  3. Game Revolution
    75
    The rare success of style over substance. It has everything an Austin Powers movie offers, but draws it out over twenty hours instead of two. There are sparks of genuine delight that make you wish the game was balanced better.
    Read full review
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