Game Dev Tycoon

 PC
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1191 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 835 out of 1191
  2. Mixed: 278 out of 1191
  3. Negative: 78 out of 1191

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  1. poklane
    May 7, 2013
    6
    I had a feeling I didn't have control over a lot of things, especially the rating my game got. You can't choose the time you need to develop a game and make it a good game, so in the sequel (if they'll ever have one) they should let us choose the development time (1 year to 5 years). Also the lack of being able to develop DLC. Also, after you made a lot of sequels it's hard keeping trackI had a feeling I didn't have control over a lot of things, especially the rating my game got. You can't choose the time you need to develop a game and make it a good game, so in the sequel (if they'll ever have one) they should let us choose the development time (1 year to 5 years). Also the lack of being able to develop DLC. Also, after you made a lot of sequels it's hard keeping track of what kinda sequels you have made. Also the lack of upgrading engines is horrible. Having to spend a lot of money on developing a new engine 24.7 is really annoying. I also have a feeling employees have no use. Game development takes the same time, and the game's rating doesn't increase, it's just spending more money.… Expand
  2. Kelban
    May 6, 2013
    7
    VERDICT: Recommended for fans of business simulators ("tycoon" games) and those who take an interest in the game development industry.

    It's a good game for the low price of $7.99. I have gotten about 10 hours of entertainment out of it in my first 30-year playthrough. Replayability is mediocre as the game becomes repetitive in the late stages, but this is a chronic problem of "tycoon"    VERDICT: Recommended for fans of business simulators ("tycoon" games) and those who take an interest in the game development industry.

    It's a good game for the low price of $7.99. I have gotten about 10 hours of entertainment out of it in my first 30-year playthrough. Replayability is mediocre as the game becomes repetitive in the late stages, but this is a chronic problem of "tycoon" games. Experimenting with different genre/topic combinations is a core element of the gameplay, and it can be both frustrating and rewarding.

    I would have liked to see more transparency in the way your games are scored by the critics, such as showing a breakdown of how the various aspects of your game were rated (engine, gameplay, story, etc). This would make it less frustrating when you receive a low overall score on a game. Another thing that would improve the game is for the timeline to slow down a bit, or for the passage of time to slow as the game progresses. In the mid and late game, it felt like new consoles were coming out too frequently and your game engine basically became outdated upon release. The speed of the game felt rushed all along.

    In general, the game was fun and ran smoothly with no bugs for me. I believe the game should be expanded and tweaked for an optimal experience, so perhaps a cheap DLC (2 or 3 bucks) or free patch would be appropriate in the future. I will probably come back to the game periodically and try playing through it again when the mood strikes.    … Expand
  3. GildaTheGriffin
    May 3, 2013
    10
    I could play this game for hours and days. Hard to master as it has a unique mathematical algorithm to rate the games you make based on a number of different variety of mixing. The only problem is... the algorithm can be touchy and picky once you starts combining genres and other 'devices' to a certain topic. So it makes it a bit difficult to get around, but once you get the hang ofI could play this game for hours and days. Hard to master as it has a unique mathematical algorithm to rate the games you make based on a number of different variety of mixing. The only problem is... the algorithm can be touchy and picky once you starts combining genres and other 'devices' to a certain topic. So it makes it a bit difficult to get around, but once you get the hang of it, you might be playing it more and more.… Expand
  4. Korgalt
    May 7, 2013
    8
    A very fun and challenging game, especially during the first phase when your essentially an indie game studio trying to manage both a financial budget as well as a time one.
  5. MayhemMike83
    May 14, 2013
    3
    Nice theme but poorly executed.
    Here is a quote from a wiki about the games most important mechanic the review score of your game:
    "... Good quality game DOES NOT MEAN good reviews. In this game, you compete EXCLUSIVELY against your own previous high score ....Therefore, in order to get good a review score, you need to perform slightly better than your previous high score....." Which    Nice theme but poorly executed.
    Here is a quote from a wiki about the games most important mechanic the review score of your game:
    "... Good quality game DOES NOT MEAN good reviews.
    In this game, you compete EXCLUSIVELY against your own previous high score ....Therefore, in order to get good a review score, you need to perform slightly better than your previous high score....."

    Which means the worst thing you could do is making the most awesome game ever because you will have a hard time beating yourself afterwards.

    Which makes the game pointless.    … Expand
  6. teshia
    May 13, 2013
    2
    I really didn't like this game. You can make all kinds of improvements to your game engine and become focuses on making great games in a certain genre but the game penalizes you harshly for repeating genre combinations. So I make a great fantasy role playing game and it gets amazing reviews, I improve my game engine with things like rich backstory, character development, and otherI really didn't like this game. You can make all kinds of improvements to your game engine and become focuses on making great games in a certain genre but the game penalizes you harshly for repeating genre combinations. So I make a great fantasy role playing game and it gets amazing reviews, I improve my game engine with things like rich backstory, character development, and other aspects pertinent to role playing games but when I make another fantasy role playing game it gives me terrible scores because I'm repeating myself. This isn't at all similar to what game development is like. The fact that I have to go from fantasy role playing games to making a casual virtual pet game for kids in order to have success is ridiculous. If any of this game was reality, companies like Bioware, Blizzard, and Maxis would have tanked after their first game. I'm sorry, but the mechanics in this game are ridiculous and it just makes the game feel clunky and broken.… Expand
  7. AngryTrey
    May 4, 2013
    0
    This game starts out fun but as you continue the fun slowly disappears and when it decides that it's gone the game hits you like a train wreck. Suddenly games that would've been doing well are getting 4's and 5's for no apparent reason. You'll try and sink more money into the next game to make it successful however it doesn't end up mattering. In the end the game has you sinking tons ofThis game starts out fun but as you continue the fun slowly disappears and when it decides that it's gone the game hits you like a train wreck. Suddenly games that would've been doing well are getting 4's and 5's for no apparent reason. You'll try and sink more money into the next game to make it successful however it doesn't end up mattering. In the end the game has you sinking tons of money into everything it can think and you end up bankrupt. You have to pay to make game engines to take advantage of new features then for some ridiculous reason you have to pay each time you want to use the features of your game engine in a game that you're making. All of that while having to pay increasing salary to each of your staff members. This is the only game that has frustrated me to the point of actually making an account and writing a review on how bad it is.… Expand
  8. Narakabethian
    Aug 30, 2013
    5
    Game Dev Tycoon starts off with an interesting take on the successful Game Dev Story giving you more control over how you develop your games with sliders and other features.

    First off the gameplay is good but very repetitive, all you do is adjust sliders for different genre. When you get your reviews they tell you next to nothing on to improve your game in the future, but that doesn't    Game Dev Tycoon starts off with an interesting take on the successful Game Dev Story giving you more control over how you develop your games with sliders and other features.

    First off the gameplay is good but very repetitive, all you do is adjust sliders for different genre. When you get your reviews they tell you next to nothing on to improve your game in the future, but that doesn't matter because by Year 30 I had already all the slider settings down, so the complex equations that everyone say you need to get a 10/10 is false, I got many perfect games (5) in my first playthrough. Which brings me to another point; there isn't much replay value in Game Dev Tycoon, it almost exactly the same thing everytime. There is consoles without much difference and no reason to choose one over the other besides personal preference and market share (exceptions being Dreamvast and Oasis.)

    The graphics are okay I didn't like too much, but my friend so your choice on that pretty much, but the sound is a bit different. The music is okay but there's only two tracks that I remember and the sound effects annoying, every time a point goes up there a little blip, but when start getting 10 points it make turn off sound effects.

    Speaking of sound effects that is all the options menu; Music (On/Off), Sound Effects (On/Off), Volume, and toggle fullscreen. Besides options there is your basics (Save, Load, New, Exit),Highscore Help, and Achievements. First off Help is useless the game is pretty much self-explanatory and when click skip tutorial when you start up a new playthrough it only skips the beginning tutorial on how to make games, but everything else is still there which is annoying. For Achievements there hefty amount for a game of its size with many secret ones. Highscores is basically all the things you've done are given points and added up, the trick to be more efficient with making games, research and consoles.

    Overall Game Dev Tycoon was fun at first, but got boring after a while and the lack of content really weigh Game Dev Tycoon down giving it a verdict of 5, it's alright but names a lot of work and I can't help feeling I didn't $8 of fun out of this, if it was $5 it maybe would gotten a 6.    … Expand
  9. Reveiwer
    Dec 13, 2013
    4
    This game really does show a lot of penitential, but the game falls shout because of the laziness of developers. The game is fun and somewhat addictive, but the rating system is gives you no information about how to improve your game (ass well as report) and there is no statistics at all.
  10. masterturner
    Feb 2, 2014
    3
    While the game begins fun, whimsical, and simplistic, the game begins to suffer after you play a bit longer. In short, the game's system is extremely fickle, unpredictable at times, and utterly arbitrary.

    The limited "topics" do little if anything to enhance gameplay and instead only serve as an artificial block for creativity - if you want to succeed at the game, you do not get many    While the game begins fun, whimsical, and simplistic, the game begins to suffer after you play a bit longer. In short, the game's system is extremely fickle, unpredictable at times, and utterly arbitrary.

    The limited "topics" do little if anything to enhance gameplay and instead only serve as an artificial block for creativity - if you want to succeed at the game, you do not get many chances to make the games you truly want in many cases. You instead must settle for the topics you have to work with. In addition, the way topics are implemented penalizes you for thinking outside the box. While "X topic only goes with X method of gameplay" may be a line of thinking that is popular among some real life publishers and developers, blending unusual topics with different game styles has proven successful in the past, and gamers shouldn't be penalized for wanting to try unusual combinations.

    The game is extremely difficult if you aren't sticking to common themes. According to the wiki and guides written to help players build a successful company, the game essentially penalizes you for making too many good games - you are only competing with your own score, and competition does not actually exist. Your company single-handedly decides what the bar is for games and that makes it extremely hard to do well throughout the game if you get a good start early on. You will spend a long time trying to recapture the same success of your first game, and this will force you to pick combinations along the same lines, if not remake constant sequels - but never too close together, as making games with similar topics too close to one another causes a backlash.

    Individual employee stats are horribly implemented. "Leveling up" does not improve stats, it only serves as an experience limiter to determine what specializations you can pick up by pumping up stats through training with your usually very small allotment of research points. While a little training seems justifiable for the purposes of keeping your team competitive and for helping them achieve specialization, this game takes it to an extreme.

    In other words, the people you hire early on, despite constantly gaining "experience" with the tech and the industry, don't actually get any better just from making games. This means when you get the bigger office, the smartest move is to fire all your veterans and hire kids from the university to replace them. This is because the "industry veterans" on your team since you got out of the garage will invariably have laughably poor stats compared to the specialists you can hire immediately from the university. I could understand wanting to supplement by developed team with a few new kids for fresh new ideas, but again, this game takes it to an extreme.

    The timeflow goes EXTREMELY fast. Even a moment or two of idle "watching" your team can severely impact your progress if you want to get things done while story events are still happening - you need to be giving orders every step of the way, or your team will sit there doing nothing for entire weeks at a time. It's enough to make you want to fire them for their inefficiency, but hiring new people costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions, just to get the message out that you need new people. Even though this is basically a ton of peoples dream jobs. Talk about an immersion killer. Your team is also limited to 6 at endgame, which is an unbelievably small team given the scale of the industry by that point. Again, what is immersion?

    Your team ALSO cannot be sent out for their "vacations" preemptively, and can only be sent off when they start complaining and losing efficiency - to make matter worse you cannot delay the release of your games when this happens, meaning that unless you want to let your team piss around and do nothing but collect a paycheck for a little while first, you risk them needing a vacation in the middle of development, hurting the max points that go into making the game good. It would have been nice to be able to preemptively give them a little time off before a long development cycle to prevent burnout, but such plans in management never occur to your character no matter how many times issues arise.

    The development cycle is repetitive and and constant no matter the game/topic/engine/size. You churn out games every few months in the beginning and maybe one or two a year if you're working optimally later on. There's way to develop more than one game at a time even when your team is big enough to support AAA games. The decisions for what games work best for what systems are arbitrary and contrived at worst and wish-fulfillment at best (I don't, to this day, have a clue what makes the Dreamcast so good for simulation based gaming, nor have the faintest idea what makes the PC bad for casual gaming). I could go on, but character limits. Suffice to say that this this journey through the game development world isn't going to end as nicely as you'd hoped.    … Expand
  11. LeonidasRex
    Feb 7, 2014
    10
    If you're an older gamer with a head full of useless gaming memories, then Game Dev Tycoon is for you. How will the NES fare against the Commodore 64? Will a ninja game do better as action or RPG? Do you know video games because you spent thousands of hours of your life playing them over the past few decades? This with this game you can turn that knowledge into million of unspendableIf you're an older gamer with a head full of useless gaming memories, then Game Dev Tycoon is for you. How will the NES fare against the Commodore 64? Will a ninja game do better as action or RPG? Do you know video games because you spent thousands of hours of your life playing them over the past few decades? This with this game you can turn that knowledge into million of unspendable dollars.

    I'm rating this a ten---for an indie that you can probably get for $5 or less on sale. The graphics and sound effects are minimal. The music gets annoying quickly. But the idea and underlying gameplay are clever and well-executed. You can start in your garage writing the equivalent of Zork, and finish the game with your own console and MMO.    … Expand
  12. ericcoutinho
    Jun 12, 2014
    7
    You are a game developer, working on your garage in the early years of gaming, developing from the old Commodore 64 to Ouya or XBox One. In the next 30-40 years you will grow side by side with the gaming industry, researching technology, design, marketing, and trying to make history.

    Game Dev Tycoon is an addictive casual game, and although not so deep in the simulation aspect, provides    You are a game developer, working on your garage in the early years of gaming, developing from the old Commodore 64 to Ouya or XBox One. In the next 30-40 years you will grow side by side with the gaming industry, researching technology, design, marketing, and trying to make history.

    Game Dev Tycoon is an addictive casual game, and although not so deep in the simulation aspect, provides a wide range of resources to manage, and to master this management you'll have to play it more than once, since the tips about how the market reacts to combinations of topic/genre/platform and time spent on each level of developing, still unlocked to the next playthrough.

    What kind of game the market wants now? Which technology is better to use? May i spent more time on level design or artificial intelligence? May i have to create a new engine or research new topics? It's better to make it alone or it's time to move on to another work space and hire employees? Shall i spent more time creating games or studying? How about to have a boot at this year convention? Self-publishing or using a publisher? May i need to sue pirates, give away old engines or let the fans to make related games? That's some of the questions you'll face while playing.

    About the flaws, the game have some, mostly because it needed more work to put together all this resources without compromising the gameplay. But facing it like a casual, cheap game, and learning how the game works, these flaws doesn't matter that much at the point of being big problems.    … Expand
  13. Sjalka
    Sep 7, 2013
    5
    it is oddly satisfying to hear the "popping" of little bubbles fly towards the completion of the game. sadly it has quite some flaws.

    the art style is lacking (sterile, stationary) and the genre descriptions vague. you cannot really customize the game as much as you want, or as i wanted. whats worst however is the insufficient feedback provided by the game. it is sometimes simply not    it is oddly satisfying to hear the "popping" of little bubbles fly towards the completion of the game. sadly it has quite some flaws.

    the art style is lacking (sterile, stationary) and the genre descriptions vague. you cannot really customize the game as much as you want, or as i wanted.

    whats worst however is the insufficient feedback provided by the game. it is sometimes simply not clear how the scoring is achieved. feedback from the sliders is also insufficient.

    the game lacks significant complexity for the very good tycoon idea it is.

    for a CASUAL game however it is very nice. it is quick it is satisfying. it does not have a great replay value though.    … Expand
  14. todjansen123
    Oct 11, 2013
    5
    3 Words NO REPLAY VALUE, don't buy it. The thing says that I need to make this 150 characters long so I am going to type non-sense into this thing like the game does to your mind. WODAWODKAWDOKAODKAPDOWKDAOKDAOPKAOPKOAKDOKDKOAWKDOAWKDOAWKDOWKAPOWKDAPKDAPOKDAOKDAOPWKDPAOWKDOWKAOP
  15. Turtlestroker
    Sep 21, 2013
    6
    While i must say i enjoyed myself a lot, the game is really lacking in depth. The game does not give you enough info on what goes good with this or that, while they have added a few elements that make creating a hit game a little more frequent the random critic scores are very tiresome and at many times frustrating.
  16. Cubed
    Nov 22, 2013
    5
    Although I played this game a lot and did have many fun experiences, it was more more frustrating than fun. You can spend lots of time planning your next game, making all the perfect combinations, running advertisements, and even starting your convention, yet you can still easily get horrible reviews.

    According to the wiki, you are playing to beat your previous high score, and the    Although I played this game a lot and did have many fun experiences, it was more more frustrating than fun. You can spend lots of time planning your next game, making all the perfect combinations, running advertisements, and even starting your convention, yet you can still easily get horrible reviews.

    According to the wiki, you are playing to beat your previous high score, and the quality of the game means little. The fact that "Good quality Good reviews!" is a little annoying. I can make a game real quick while I am doing research for my big game, and it will get three 10's and a 9. My big game will get 4's and 5's.

    After seeing that you were competing against your previous score, I made a sequel to my best game, using an incredibly new engine with many new features. The game was better than my previous high score in a number of ways, yet still got worse reviews.

    In the end, there are many fun times in the game, yet the review system nearly ruined it for me.    … Expand
  17. topguy
    Dec 30, 2013
    3
    Rating: 3 points.
    First, good things, interesting idea for a game, and quite fun at the start.
    Why is it bad? First, the way your game gets popular is completely random, and you have little chance to change it. Meaning if you start doing bad, you are in the vortex and WON'T be getting out of it. The reviews the "reviewers" give don't give any info on how your game could get better and    Rating: 3 points.
    First, good things, interesting idea for a game, and quite fun at the start.

    Why is it bad? First, the way your game gets popular is completely random, and you have little chance to change it. Meaning if you start doing bad, you are in the vortex and WON'T be getting out of it. The reviews the "reviewers" give don't give any info on how your game could get better and only say "Your game is great!" or "Your game absolutely sucks!" or similar things. That doesn't help. If you have bad luck, you will have bad luck in this game. If you have good luck, you will have bad luck in this game.

    Overall, good game at the start, but it gets tedious and devastating around the middle.    … Expand
  18. SergeantSilly
    Aug 14, 2014
    2
    I would love to enjoy this game and play it in full but it has one of the most frustrating mechanics in any video game. The game calculates the score that your game receives based on two main things, how close you get to the best technology to design ratio and by comparing it to your last released game. The giant flaw in this system is that the best method of playing is to make games notI would love to enjoy this game and play it in full but it has one of the most frustrating mechanics in any video game. The game calculates the score that your game receives based on two main things, how close you get to the best technology to design ratio and by comparing it to your last released game. The giant flaw in this system is that the best method of playing is to make games not as good as they could be in order to allow you to make your next game get a higher score easier. This is one of the most frustrating systems I have ever seen in a game. The rest of the elements of this game are great and I would love it but this one mechanic makes the game unbearably annoying, punishing me for doing well.… Expand
  19. PPartisan
    Dec 29, 2014
    2
    GDT gives me very little reason to keep playing. The visuals are incredibly bland, the few animations and pop-ups that do exist lack context or character, in game feedback is sparse, and the underlying logic of the game appears flawed. In a word, it's unsatisfying. In another, it's boring. So, two hours after dropping £2.50 on it in the Steam sale, I'm done for good.

    From what I could    GDT gives me very little reason to keep playing. The visuals are incredibly bland, the few animations and pop-ups that do exist lack context or character, in game feedback is sparse, and the underlying logic of the game appears flawed. In a word, it's unsatisfying. In another, it's boring. So, two hours after dropping £2.50 on it in the Steam sale, I'm done for good.

    From what I could garner about the underlying mechanics of the game, success is based upon the correct combination of topic, platform, audience, genre, and then a variety of in game variables such as choosing to focus on dialogue, level design etc. The problem is that instead of having much at all to do about games or business management, GDT is all about making a series of guesses about correct combinations. It isn't about making your own games at all, or running your own start-up, but instead about replicating game history, as the only guiding principle a player really has for success is their own knowledge of what games were historically successful on what console at what times and for what reason. It's hour after hour of tapping boxes, getting one-liner reviews, a good or a bad score, then rinsing and repeating. The only "reward" for the player is the prospect of a good review and an occasional change of scenery. The pace of the game is very fast as well which, whilst irritating in some ways as it encourages button spam, serves to mask the one-dimensional game mechanics.

    Certain bizarre occurrences include harsh penalties for making game "sequels," or specialising in a particular genre, obligatory wage hikes for staff, no system for managing overheads and entering both the gaming and management industry completely blind! Everything is trial and error. Instead of having an option to research the status of the gaming industry at a given time to plan a game's structure and release date, I just have to take a guess and cross my fingers. Even when training staff, I don't know what it is I'm actually training them in (!) until their training is complete. If I knew as little as my avatar does, with zero knowledge of game or management, there's no way I'd create a start-up in my garage, yet I feel as if this is what I'm supposed to believe.

    A game of this sort could work very well, but it needs a serious injection of personality. As it is, I honestly wouldn't even play it for free.    … Expand
  20. DDilettante
    Jan 17, 2015
    7
    I need to open by admitting the truth; I am not, and never was, good at management/tycoon type games. All those needs, requirements, wants... why can't everyone and everything work well together, without my constant vigilance? But I suppose, that's not the point, or the game wouldn't be challenging!

    This game starts you in your humble basement, at the beginning of the video gaming era.    I need to open by admitting the truth; I am not, and never was, good at management/tycoon type games. All those needs, requirements, wants... why can't everyone and everything work well together, without my constant vigilance? But I suppose, that's not the point, or the game wouldn't be challenging!

    This game starts you in your humble basement, at the beginning of the video gaming era. You work with what you have, making small games with minimal hardware, hearing the announcements roll on by; consoles are slowly released, murmurings within the industry heard, trends are identified.

    You pour your efforts into parts of the games you feel are going to give the best reviews, and thus generate the most revenue. Want to make a Medieval-Action game? Sure. Invest more time in the gameplay, but you're going to have to cut back in other areas, perhaps dialogue.

    Eventually, you'll make enough to move out into your own office. You can hire a team, each with different stats. You can train them (and yourself) up as you release more hopeful winners, while keeping up with the technology curve. With enough time and money, you can even make your own consoles, and have an R&D department.

    Because of my ineptitude towards tycoon games, I initially felt underwhelmed. The Farmville-esque graphics deterred me, and I kept needing bailouts from the bank.

    But then I hit my first winner. An overall 9.5 rating for a particular game. My bank account swelled. I suddenly knew what I was doing. I was hooked, trying to get that perfect 10 game (I never did, sadly). Watching those thought bubbles rise from your workers, seeing your game get more and more tech-design points was addictive. Wanting to try all the combinations of games. Trying out all the witty Pun-related game titles.

    Add all of the mods currently available on steam, and this could warrant several playthroughs (the story goes through 35 years of the gaming industry).

    Game Dev Tycoon is great if you like this sort of thing, and even if you don't normally go for these, it's still worth a try. It got me.    … Expand
  21. hassall
    Dec 3, 2016
    7
    I Absolutely love this game i played so many hours into this game it is unreal. It is A very fun and challenging game, I have played this game so many times and still have fun playing it.
  22. Akauro
    Dec 9, 2016
    9
    Геймплей 9/10. Cюжет вы придумываете сами, создаете свою компанию, делаете игры. Можно даже создать свою консоль и делать игры эксклюзивно для нее повышая ее продажи. Очень крутая игра, всем советую, сам прошел игру 7 раз. Спасибо за внимание.Геймплей 9/10. Cюжет вы придумываете сами, создаете свою компанию, делаете игры. Можно даже создать свою консоль и делать игры эксклюзивно для нее повышая ее продажи. Очень крутая игра, всем советую, сам прошел игру 7 раз. Спасибо за внимание.
  23. ImNotRicky
    May 12, 2013
    6
    The biggest problem with Game Dev Tycoon is it's crazy resemblance to Game Dev Story. Besides that, (I'll just leave that out there) it's a fun time-waster, you might spend a few hours on it (or even longer) Hard as hell, but still kind of clever. The ratings from the critics inside the game can be pretty random and it's idea that some genres don't or do work with some topics is kind ofThe biggest problem with Game Dev Tycoon is it's crazy resemblance to Game Dev Story. Besides that, (I'll just leave that out there) it's a fun time-waster, you might spend a few hours on it (or even longer) Hard as hell, but still kind of clever. The ratings from the critics inside the game can be pretty random and it's idea that some genres don't or do work with some topics is kind of broken The game hasn't any concept of niche audiences.… Expand
  24. MrAmazingSocks
    Jul 3, 2013
    6
    I just don't really get this game, there was a point where I stopped playing because I kept going bankrupt after my games started getting terrible reviews regardless of quality or genre after for reasons I don't understand a game I made for just a small amount of cash got a rating of 9.5 or something and made a couple of million which only lasted to fund my new engines which had betterI just don't really get this game, there was a point where I stopped playing because I kept going bankrupt after my games started getting terrible reviews regardless of quality or genre after for reasons I don't understand a game I made for just a small amount of cash got a rating of 9.5 or something and made a couple of million which only lasted to fund my new engines which had better features than the last ones but still managed to help my games get scores of 5-7.… Expand
  25. Jounk33
    May 12, 2013
    7
    The first look and the first game is fun and is motivating to play a stage in one night.
    But after that I don'feel to replay it again, because If you know how it works, the game is no longer a challenge.
    There are no random events such as financial crises and the impact of software piracy .
    Conclusion so far, good idea, but this was presented very clumsy. Hope for a better version in future.
  26. felipedrl
    May 7, 2013
    10
    I don't remember the last time I played 6-hour-straight sessions on a game that costed me less than 10 bucks. That's how good and addictive this game is. It has neat graphics, nice sound SFX and music. You'll revive the console wars os the past 30 years, create your own game engines, hire employees, move to larger studios, design games and be anxious about the critics about them, and haveI don't remember the last time I played 6-hour-straight sessions on a game that costed me less than 10 bucks. That's how good and addictive this game is. It has neat graphics, nice sound SFX and music. You'll revive the console wars os the past 30 years, create your own game engines, hire employees, move to larger studios, design games and be anxious about the critics about them, and have lots of fun. The only thing I think they could improve is the UI. Like for instance when you want to make employee specialized in "Level Design". The UI display the pre-requisites in plain text like this: (D:560 T:360), using icons would be much better here.… Expand
  27. Badger91
    May 7, 2013
    8
    This is one of the "just one more, just one more" game. Simple and addictive. If you are "Tycoon" fan this is "must have" for you I spent about 40h in game and i won't regret.
  28. sabrewingz
    May 7, 2013
    9
    Game Development and Simulation are a great combination!
    But seriously, i could (and have) play this game for hours on end. It is fun to watch your company grow from one guy in their garage to having a whole team.
  29. Pomegranate23
    Oct 19, 2013
    10
    Incredibly fun game. What makes me enjoy it the most is the settings. Its an amazing feeling for me to run a game dev company,if you wont like that then its pointless to buy this game. The gameplay mechanics are maybe a bit basic,but I like them and the game has made itself well worth the money.

    Its also a very relaxing game. You can just jump into it and play for 10min if you have time    Incredibly fun game. What makes me enjoy it the most is the settings. Its an amazing feeling for me to run a game dev company,if you wont like that then its pointless to buy this game. The gameplay mechanics are maybe a bit basic,but I like them and the game has made itself well worth the money.

    Its also a very relaxing game. You can just jump into it and play for 10min if you have time over, or play it while watching a movie :)

    EDIT: I rewrote this just to mention that they have now done some major updates for this game. Fixed the most common issues such as lack of feedback!    … Expand
  30. R3GIST3R
    May 24, 2013
    8
    Game Dev and simulation is a great combination!

    Now on a more serious note, this game was really worth 8 bucks. The large span of different combinations of game topics, genres, platforms to develop for and engine mechanics made the game very re-playable. The only problem I have with the game is the tiny amount of "immersivness" in the game. Sure you can choose the game's topics and    Game Dev and simulation is a great combination!

    Now on a more serious note, this game was really worth 8 bucks. The large span of different combinations of game topics, genres, platforms to develop for and engine mechanics made the game very re-playable. The only problem I have with the game is the tiny amount of "immersivness" in the game. Sure you can choose the game's topics and genres and adjust an engine you have made to fit the kind of game you would really create but there is just so little that goes into it.

    The only other problem I had with it was the repetitive nature of the game. Once I got really "into it" with the game I found myself taking breaks from it. But again it was definitely worth the 8 bucks, for some good ol' indie game fun.    … Expand
  31. Level
    Jul 4, 2013
    4
    Let's get this out of the way first, the whole pirate thing with this game is extremely ironic because it's just a carbon copy of Game Dev Story. Anyways, this game is pretty fun at the early stages, and some in the later stages too. But it gets repetitive and boring really fast. You end up just pushing out game after game just to pay the rent. It quickly stops becoming about what kind ofLet's get this out of the way first, the whole pirate thing with this game is extremely ironic because it's just a carbon copy of Game Dev Story. Anyways, this game is pretty fun at the early stages, and some in the later stages too. But it gets repetitive and boring really fast. You end up just pushing out game after game just to pay the rent. It quickly stops becoming about what kind of game you want to make into how much money you can make. Especially in the end game the review scores just get ridiculous. It's almost impossible to not over work your workers. If you over work them you get worse reviews and end up with nothing but 1-6s. There are some cool end game things you can do but I don't think a lot of people will waste the time and repetitiveness to get there. This game is below average. Remember 5/10 is average and I agave it a 4 so it is slightly below average.… Expand
  32. Cudex
    May 7, 2013
    9
    At first I was a little weary about trying such an odd game, but after the first few minutes I was hooked. Every day I find myself playing Game Dev Tycoon making more and more money, still discovering more little things about the game.

    Although, the game isn't quite perfect. Only being able to develop a game for one platform only bugs me a little, and the UI is a little glitchy every    At first I was a little weary about trying such an odd game, but after the first few minutes I was hooked. Every day I find myself playing Game Dev Tycoon making more and more money, still discovering more little things about the game.

    Although, the game isn't quite perfect. Only being able to develop a game for one platform only bugs me a little, and the UI is a little glitchy every now and then.

    All in all, a very good effort on Greenheart's behalf    … Expand
  33. DrIron
    May 14, 2013
    0
    Absolute garbage, beyond the idea and interface. This is essentially a knockoff of the iOS game Game Dev Story and it makes no effort to hide it.

    The major issues with this game are that the ways to make a successful game are almost completely nonsensical, and a viewing through the raw data is the only way, excepting extreme luck, to have much success. These include such oddities as the    Absolute garbage, beyond the idea and interface. This is essentially a knockoff of the iOS game Game Dev Story and it makes no effort to hide it.

    The major issues with this game are that the ways to make a successful game are almost completely nonsensical, and a viewing through the raw data is the only way, excepting extreme luck, to have much success. These include such oddities as the fact that any non-action title on the NES or SNES will flop, or how the PS2 is apparently only for action games and RPGs.

    The only thing notable about this game is the guilting of pirates the devs have done in an attempt to get attention, which I find ironic considering that they've done something far worse than piracy, they've ripped off another game.

    Avoid this, play the original game (Game Dev Story) instead.    … Expand
  34. Yogarpg
    May 9, 2013
    10
    Simple, fun, and after all, with lots of content, simply addictive and with a visually very beautiful. I do not see a good tycoon game style so long. I recommend.
  35. 12-Inch-Warrior
    Sep 14, 2013
    8
    Really enjoyable little game, bargain for the price, i picked this up at midnight after finishing my weeks work on steam and played until 8am. If you really can't shell out the 7 or 8 dollars for the game then wait for a sale and do yourself a favour and pick this game up.
  36. Lonewolf51
    Aug 30, 2013
    2
    I'm giving this game the same score I received time and time again in-game. It's not fun, and I don't feel tutorials are required to succeed on the single difficulty. It's ironic as an independent gaming company the developers of this game didn't account for positive in-game reviews that are often given indie games that focus on game design and less on graphics.
  37. BogoSomeoneAnyo
    Sep 20, 2013
    2
    Just doesn't have the charm and pretty much a rip-off of Game Dev Story. The graphics are boring and generic, and those aspects of games such as creativity and fun are missing. Really quite dissapointing.
  38. Me929
    May 18, 2013
    5
    The game seems very intriguing at the beginning of the game, and it seems as if it will gain much more depth later in the game. However, The difficulty curve is steep because of the algorithm used to calculate game scores, which rates games based not on a constant scale but on how they compare to your previous games. This means that in order to maximize a profit as you enter the 32-bitThe game seems very intriguing at the beginning of the game, and it seems as if it will gain much more depth later in the game. However, The difficulty curve is steep because of the algorithm used to calculate game scores, which rates games based not on a constant scale but on how they compare to your previous games. This means that in order to maximize a profit as you enter the 32-bit era of the game you must aim to make each subsequent game about 10% better. The game also introduces many new technologies and ideas but does not give you enough time to research them, causing your employees to become overextended because they don't understand what a cowboy is. Overall, the game is promising and looks to be really fun, but its mechanics are a bit repetitive and the way your games are reviewed is awkward and can be very difficult.

    5/10 "Has its moments" -Me    … Expand
  39. RealCritical
    Aug 29, 2013
    10
    Metacritic as always downgranding a good game, i really love it, good idea game, enjoyable graphis and cool "history" :P good job!

    Please metacritic, when you do a review on a indie game do it with your soul, the money is not what you need to do a good review!!!
  40. luisfg99
    Sep 1, 2013
    10
    The game is awesome! Long time did not play a game "Tyco". From the Roller Coaster Tyco I've never heard of a game "Tyco" success. But Game Dev Tyco overcomes espectavivas, the game is amazing! Pressure in the game leaves you impolgado with notes of their future games
  41. vixenchan
    May 15, 2013
    6
    The game is fun, yet there is nothing to it. If you are not carefull you quickly wind up in a no win situation. The tech passes you up, you are constantly behind. And there is no way to catch up. OR you push to hard and quickly outpace your own bills. There is to much little fussing to be a time killer type game. And not enough to play seriously.

    To me this game is the type you pick up    The game is fun, yet there is nothing to it. If you are not carefull you quickly wind up in a no win situation. The tech passes you up, you are constantly behind. And there is no way to catch up. OR you push to hard and quickly outpace your own bills. There is to much little fussing to be a time killer type game. And not enough to play seriously.

    To me this game is the type you pick up fuss for a while then shelve for weeks on end.    … Expand
  42. TheLagbringer
    Aug 29, 2013
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I loved this tycoon game. Not only it was extremely addictive and fun, but it actually made me realize I want to specialize as a game developer (I am a programmer). I even left my previous job and now I am starting in a simulation/game studio !

    Now, what makes this game such a gem It's really challenging and your head will be consumed with the idea of making a perfect game (10, 10, 10, 10). Ideas like what genre, what target audience, what kind of gameplay, do I put more graphics, or more intelligence in it Do I want to support gamepad or cloud service Yep, just like that. There is no optimal or safe way through this game, the options in the creation of games are endless and anything can become success or failure. Only the middle part of the game might get slightly repetitive, apart from that it's an amazing and colorful simulation game with very intelligent math and algorithm background that will make you ROCK HAR-

    Oh well, not to mention the guys behind Greenheart Games became famous for the anti-piracy security included in the game (I would only comment that as a "trololol & iseewhatyoudidthere paradox"). Damn, I am looking forward for another game from these gentlemen, now you go and enjoy this one I am sure you will.    … Expand
  43. Awaken
    Aug 31, 2013
    4
    Well, I was under no illusions, I'm a fan of the Kairosoft "Game Dev Story", popular on android, it just annoys me that it's only a mobile game! I love the concept but wanted more depth, more features and to play on my desktop.

    Then I found this! I didn't expect it to be an original game. bought this because I thought (and hoped) it was an expanded, desktop PC knock-off. And it is, 90%    Well, I was under no illusions, I'm a fan of the Kairosoft "Game Dev Story", popular on android, it just annoys me that it's only a mobile game! I love the concept but wanted more depth, more features and to play on my desktop.

    Then I found this! I didn't expect it to be an original game. bought this because I thought (and hoped) it was an expanded, desktop PC knock-off. And it is, 90% of it is just a knock-off of the Kairosoft android game.

    Unfortuantely it's not that good Instead of more, it feels like less. You don't seem to have the same level of control or different ways to do things as you do in GDS. Also, review scores seem to be pulled from nowhere, and there are some issues with balance research points are way too hard to get for example. It's hard to figure out what you can do to improve from within the game itself, and your own thinking, and that's a major sin for a tycoon game.

    Most importantly however, it's just not that fun. It lacks the charm of "Game Dev Story", there's little incentive to keep on playing, and that's the biggest let down :(

    So there we have it. It's only a fiver, I suppose it's almost worth it, but I'd rather pay Kairosoft a tenner for a desktop clone of their game!    … Expand
  44. jrfess
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    This game is one of the most addicting games I've played in a while. It is difficult, and while it has a fairly sharp learning curve, it is a very rewarding experience.
  45. Bluefootedpig
    Sep 23, 2013
    10
    This is a solid game with great variety. People who complain you can't repeat yourself are being silly, you can repeat and develop sequels, just make sure they are space out by at least a year. The only thing you can't do is repeat the exact same combo, such as fantasy rpg. You can change it up by doing fantasy action and you are fine.

    The game randomizes what topics you can use so    This is a solid game with great variety. People who complain you can't repeat yourself are being silly, you can repeat and develop sequels, just make sure they are space out by at least a year. The only thing you can't do is repeat the exact same combo, such as fantasy rpg. You can change it up by doing fantasy action and you are fine.

    The game randomizes what topics you can use so reply is decent, the goal is to win in 35 years but is sandbox beyond that.

    This game is difficult to lose at, but difficult to win as well.    … Expand
  46. lava
    Oct 7, 2013
    10
    Fantastic game. I appreciate the actual difficulty of it. I've yet to discover any easter eggs or sell 100 million copies. :)

    We do not have to be hooked up to a social network to play it.

    Being a developer, I feel it is a very fun overview of the process.

    Thank you!
  47. los_majklos
    Sep 15, 2013
    9
    This Indie piece surprised me a lot! There's nothing complicated, yet the decision making is complex and challenging.
    The theme itself and number of references to real life game industry are just brilliant. Authors have shown some really deep understanding of the topic.
    I don't agree, that playthrough is repetitive, it's a great fun for me to play it for the 4th time.
  48. Sk3z
    Sep 26, 2013
    6
    This game suffers from a very common problem nowadays: it's all about achievement.... The gameplay itself it's very straightforward, the few things that can be done are hugely influenced by random points you get. Most of the choices, again, do not give you hints on the outcome... All around it's an enjoyable casual game, whit a nice 2d graphic and bad musics, good to play when you haveThis game suffers from a very common problem nowadays: it's all about achievement.... The gameplay itself it's very straightforward, the few things that can be done are hugely influenced by random points you get. Most of the choices, again, do not give you hints on the outcome... All around it's an enjoyable casual game, whit a nice 2d graphic and bad musics, good to play when you have nothing better to do, but nothing more of that.… Expand
  49. keefbaker
    Nov 13, 2013
    9
    Dead simple little casual game, but you know what? I love the hell out of it, there's something massively addictive about building your company up and becoming one of the great game developers.
  50. khornol
    Sep 5, 2013
    8
    Interesting Game Idea started and wanted to try it shortly, but ended up 5hours later deep in the night.
    It is a pretty simple game, has not much sound and an easy interface.
    In my first play I made it up to 50Mio and I guess I will try to beat that mark at some time. It's fun for a while, but gets repetitive after 1-2 plays and I highly recommend it to fans of simulations. More    Interesting Game Idea started and wanted to try it shortly, but ended up 5hours later deep in the night.
    It is a pretty simple game, has not much sound and an easy interface.
    In my first play I made it up to 50Mio and I guess I will try to beat that mark at some time.

    It's fun for a while, but gets repetitive after 1-2 plays and I highly recommend it to fans of simulations.
    More topics/genres would have been great.    … Expand
  51. Laeris
    Sep 7, 2013
    9
    It's a nice, fun game for folks interested in software development processes. It also has a nice chunk of elder gaming history thrown in. The only reason I didn't give it a 10 is because of its limited replay value. As casual games often go, they're great until you wear yourself out. So, in my opinion... it's a 10 until that happens... and when it does I may not play it again for aIt's a nice, fun game for folks interested in software development processes. It also has a nice chunk of elder gaming history thrown in. The only reason I didn't give it a 10 is because of its limited replay value. As casual games often go, they're great until you wear yourself out. So, in my opinion... it's a 10 until that happens... and when it does I may not play it again for a year. Until then though, it's a delightful game and more than worth its price.… Expand
  52. Geberikgekud
    Aug 23, 2013
    6
    Not bad, especially if you are interested in game development. However, it's a really simple game, and if you look at it from a mechanical point of view, it is a bad game.It's realy similar Kairosoft game "Game Dev Story", but I wouldn't call it a rip-off. The only reason I have played it so much is the theme and concept. It doesn't have a lot of replayability, but for $8,(I got it on the website)
  53. neko_ceko
    Nov 28, 2013
    1
    I was about to buy this game on Steam, added it to my cart and all. Then I went over to Metacritic and Wikipedia to read a bit about it and saw their anti-piracy bollocks. So if any of you genius developers/marketing people or whoevers decision it was to be an ignorant are reading this, I guess you can only blame yourselves for losing another sale, eh?

    I downloaded it and it's okay,    I was about to buy this game on Steam, added it to my cart and all. Then I went over to Metacritic and Wikipedia to read a bit about it and saw their anti-piracy bollocks. So if any of you genius developers/marketing people or whoevers decision it was to be an ignorant are reading this, I guess you can only blame yourselves for losing another sale, eh?

    I downloaded it and it's okay, nothing special, I expected a bit more to be honest. The only reason I'm giving it 1 instead of 0 is because I'm nice like that. This is one of those rare games that I most definitely wouldn't buy, even if I did end up liking it because of the developers' moves.

    So congratulations to the developers for losing a sale!    … Expand
  54. SX_Predator
    Oct 2, 2013
    10
    This game has it all. Mathematical algorithms, Micronoft, Vony, Ninvento, even Nigerian scammers! Super fun and highly addictive. Must buy. Only 10 dollars on Steam!
  55. ArcticFox789
    Sep 1, 2013
    6
    Game Dev Tycoon is a good game, with a fatal flaw. A really bad fatal flaw. (Which won't apply to people who play by the wiki).

    The only feedback on a release is the one-line 'critical' responses, and occasional notices if you make the same game twice in a row, etc. None of these will help, after you've seen the notices over and over, you realise how little they help you. This game    Game Dev Tycoon is a good game, with a fatal flaw. A really bad fatal flaw. (Which won't apply to people who play by the wiki).

    The only feedback on a release is the one-line 'critical' responses, and occasional notices if you make the same game twice in a row, etc. None of these will help, after you've seen the notices over and over, you realise how little they help you. This game simply must provide the player with some proper feedback, maybe even some graphs, surveys of the audience, just something that means you can play with the mechanics. You want to explore these further mechanics, but you become scared, as one bad game plunges you into bankruptcy. Living on the edge may be fun, but not if 'living on the edge' prevents me from not just making the same three games over and over, and failing whenever I try something new.

    So hey, have fun for a few hours, but if you want GDT, I seriously recommend waiting for a sale.    … Expand
  56. gamereat
    Sep 3, 2013
    9
    The game in basic is fun.
    Fort a small indie game you can pick up any play is does well.
    Although i can't see you being able to put 50 hrs into it it is still a great game. But once competed the story and have almost unlimited money it becomes a tad boring but worth the money spent on it.
  57. H4llow
    Sep 4, 2013
    9
    I have a lot of fun playing this game. It's very engaging! If you want to play for a couple of hours every day in something really nice just buy this game and have fun.
  58. RobotNinja
    Sep 4, 2013
    9
    For a game that costs just seven euro, I've got more than enough value for money from Game dev Tycoon. The humour is one of the major strenghts, definately, for you might see companies like Ninvento invent the largely popular Gameling or Micronoft's mBox. Perhaps you'll buy a license for Vony's Playsystem 2 These are not spelling mistakes, these console names are in the game.) With manyFor a game that costs just seven euro, I've got more than enough value for money from Game dev Tycoon. The humour is one of the major strenghts, definately, for you might see companies like Ninvento invent the largely popular Gameling or Micronoft's mBox. Perhaps you'll buy a license for Vony's Playsystem 2 These are not spelling mistakes, these console names are in the game.) With many different game possibilities, such as popular ones like Fantasy/RPG to Wild West simulation game (bleurgh!) it's up to you.
    And, unlike many other games, it actually gets better in the later stages, with lots of new oppurtunities popping up all over the place. The random events are very also well implemented.

    Obviously, the creators at Greenheart Games poured their very heart and soul into the production of this game and an awesome anti-piracy stunt) However, the main fault I found with it is Replay value has much to be desired. No matter what way you look at it, you've probably done everything of interest in your first playthrough. That said, It's not that bad, and you'll probably get a couple of games out of it.

    Overall, Game Dev Tycoon is certainly worth the money, and DEFINITELY worth yours.    … Expand
  59. MadWasp01
    Sep 29, 2013
    7
    This game is awesome, I've always loved the idea of making games and the only ones I ever make are point-and-click games, but this lets me imagine what game I want and make them through this game, okay it isn't the same as actually making them, but I still have fun thinking what my games would be like.

    The nice range of options for staff and research make the game very immersing and I    This game is awesome, I've always loved the idea of making games and the only ones I ever make are point-and-click games, but this lets me imagine what game I want and make them through this game, okay it isn't the same as actually making them, but I still have fun thinking what my games would be like.

    The nice range of options for staff and research make the game very immersing and I can't help but play this for 8 hours at a time. But I do wish their were some more features in this game.

    Features such as starting at whatever year you want after completing the game once or features like playing a scenario where you pick a company like Maxis and play out the company's history.

    And their are some things I have wrong with this game such as the graphics and gameplay making the game seem like a Facebook game at times, also the game is very repetitive, you are basically doing the same thing over and over and it does get dull after a couple of days of playing the game/

    Don't get me wrong I love this game, and I would happily give this a 7/10 overall.    … Expand
  60. Diddlethumb
    Oct 15, 2013
    8
    This game is pretty amazing, but it's re-playable value is something to argue about. It's genuine, fantastic, and like an advanced Game Dev Story at first, but after a couple of games and getting to know about every single corner about this game, it starts getting repetitive, arduous, and plain boring. It's definitely fun to create your own games and get good reviews from it, but at thisThis game is pretty amazing, but it's re-playable value is something to argue about. It's genuine, fantastic, and like an advanced Game Dev Story at first, but after a couple of games and getting to know about every single corner about this game, it starts getting repetitive, arduous, and plain boring. It's definitely fun to create your own games and get good reviews from it, but at this current moment, it offers too little to play forever. It is a game in development, so I expect great things to come from it in the future, as a game where you can become Nintendo and make mature games and take series like Star Wars is absolutely fun, interesting, and bloody funny can go a long way in the case of an indie game. Oh, and it's only $9.99 worth it indeed if you like this sort of game, but again, it needs updates to become a fabled game like Minecraft.… Expand
  61. ThePancakeWorld
    Nov 1, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I like this game a lot, some say its a game dev story clone. I've got to agree, but this game is in my opinion better and has simply the best anti-piracy thing ever. Also the easter eggs where great: pong easter egg, Portal easter egg the red barrel one it's one of those games who you could just play for 6 hours straight… Expand
  62. Mossflake
    Nov 5, 2013
    10
    A really simple concept, but one that works well. On the surface it doesn't seem too complicated and certainly a person could pick it up and play without reading any of the tutorial information, however their is a very subtle set of aspects that make the gameplay quite deep, and the development of the game is steady and interesting. The fact that is mirrors actual history and has funA really simple concept, but one that works well. On the surface it doesn't seem too complicated and certainly a person could pick it up and play without reading any of the tutorial information, however their is a very subtle set of aspects that make the gameplay quite deep, and the development of the game is steady and interesting. The fact that is mirrors actual history and has fun parody companies such as 'Ninvento'. Genuinely a challenge at first but not one so difficult to conquer that it is frustrating, and most of the appropriate options for your games can be guessed using common sense.

    TLDR; A fun game that can be as deep as you want it to be. Great to pick up and play, but easy to lose a few hours after you get hooked; good parallels to real life.    … Expand
  63. logeman
    Nov 10, 2013
    7
    This Is A good game. however the replay value is weak. in my opinion) You should get it if you just want a game guaranteed good. Game Development Tycoon gave me 6 hours of game play.
  64. GrumpyDan
    Jul 11, 2015
    10
    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. 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,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. 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.… Expand
  65. Hazertron
    Aug 20, 2016
    10
    i have played this game for about 2 years now and every time i come back i learn something about the game
    i never get bored of this game and allays find myself having to overcome challenges the game presents me.
  66. Yeti1337
    May 7, 2013
    10
    I'm a big fan! The Game make fun. Easy to learn, hart to master! The fake game pirat thing was a great
    advertisement and i hope there will not abuse the attention. ALSO i hope there will come updates for the game.
  67. KeiFresh
    May 5, 2013
    10
    This game is wonderful, it's fun to experience what real game devs go through when trying to make games. With 3 save spots you can create multiple development teams.
  68. ettesion
    May 7, 2013
    10
    We've spent quite a few days on playing it and it's brilliant. They balanced well between technology and design :D and uploading a modified version of the game to a torrent base was a truly great idea... I'm going to spend more time playing it. There are some things that are worth improving, but overall notion and great great sense of humor makes it my #1 now :D
  69. Killman
    May 30, 2013
    2
    A neat concept turns out to be one of the worst 'tycoon' games I have played in a long time. The game actually starts out a little fun at first, seeing the tribute to retro gaming and whatnot is quite cool and coming with witty game titles is fun too, but this all gets extremely old and boring once the game ramps up on difficulty, very quickly. The game is too punishing. Every littleA neat concept turns out to be one of the worst 'tycoon' games I have played in a long time. The game actually starts out a little fun at first, seeing the tribute to retro gaming and whatnot is quite cool and coming with witty game titles is fun too, but this all gets extremely old and boring once the game ramps up on difficulty, very quickly. The game is too punishing. Every little mistake costs you tons of money, so don't even bother experimenting. Time passes by WAY too quickly. Seriously, a month goes by literally every 20-30 seconds, which just drains you of cash. On top of this, everything is incredibly expensive, from new engines that you constantly have to make, to staff salaries which will be raised out of your control. How is this a tycoon game again? I don't even get to choose whether or not my staff gets a raise? What if I am really short on cash and cannot afford it? Too bad, the game does it for you. Truly, this is pathetic game in terms of 'Tycoon' games. If you want a good tycoon game, go to the ultimate of Tycoon's, Roller Coaster tycoon, which can be bought for quite cheap anyway, given the quality. This game may seem 'cheap', but there is a reason. The quality just isn't there. The presentation is bland beyond belief, the interface is clunky, the way the game is executed is very poorly done, it is just a bad game. Truly though, the biggest flaw by far is the insane difficult and horrid time system, which goes by incredibly fast. I was literally losing 51K every 30 seconds or so and I really did not have much control over it. Then, it went up to 61K, just because my staff member received a mandatory raise due to leveling up. Again, how is this a tycoon game if I cannot even decided that important aspect? Another horrid detail is the 'review' system. We really are never told how it works, what went wrong in the case of a bad game, and how much it affects the sales of a game.

    $7.99 or not, I found this to be a frustrating experience that not only angered me, but, once I went bankrupt for the 7th time early on, it bored me as well. Many will disagree, but I say stay away.    … Expand
  70. Honeycone
    May 7, 2013
    7
    The game starts out great. But once you've learned the rather simple game mechanics, there really isn't much to the game. What I'm trying to say is, it isn't complicated enough. It needs more depth. But it's still a good game for what it is, and the modest price tag definitively helps.
  71. Hamtier
    May 7, 2013
    10
    Great Game! Having a simulated game company is really interesting.
    the game follows gaming history from the earliest point of time with the PC and Commodor(called differently in the game) and while the game does not entirely accurately simulate the experience, it does come close, which is pretty impressive for a game that on the surface is relatively simple.
    on the surface its as simple    Great Game! Having a simulated game company is really interesting.
    the game follows gaming history from the earliest point of time with the PC and Commodor(called differently in the game) and while the game does not entirely accurately simulate the experience, it does come close, which is pretty impressive for a game that on the surface is relatively simple.
    on the surface its as simple as choosing the platform,Genre and name of the game.
    but after playing for awhile its pretty clear that it is a little bit more complicated then just that.
    you also run into the various events that real companies run into like Piracy(even in the legit version) but also little coding competitions within the company and the E3(called G3 in-game)
    the game's various stages,markes as Offices,add some new interesting game elements everytime you enter a new one, like getting employees to work for you and making another division to your company to research stuff.
    all-in-all. its pretty cool to see a game,simulating a game to this degree.
    if you'r a fan of Game Dev Story,then you will love this. it has some of the elements but adds TONS AND TONS of new gameplay elements that will make the experience a worthwhile endovour.    … Expand
  72. Ilikegoodgames
    Dec 13, 2013
    0
    This is a lazy, broken, game that is way, way to easy. The game is luck based,not skilled based-if the developer actually put effort into designing this game, it could be really good.But it's not 'really good'. Not anywhere near it.
  73. knightyc
    Aug 23, 2013
    0
    This is a complete ripoff of Game dev story.. next in there series of games pocket league story rip off make a football (soccer) team from the ground up and grand prix story make a racing team and get to f1 world championship.. I feel sorry for kairsoft they've been totally ripped off
  74. orosznyet
    May 7, 2013
    1
    This game was really fun for a couple hours but I was bored after that.
    CONs:
    - The notification system is annoying because each message stops the gameplay until you click on "ok" (you can't even use enter to close those messages). - Review system is nothing more than just random number generator which is not affected by actual game quality. I don't know how to improve or what should be    This game was really fun for a couple hours but I was bored after that.
    CONs:
    - The notification system is annoying because each message stops the gameplay until you click on "ok" (you can't even use enter to close those messages).
    - Review system is nothing more than just random number generator which is not affected by actual game quality. I don't know how to improve or what should be improved in order to get higher scores. (After the 30 year story line review system works as a stupid monkey.)
    - When you have Research Lab and Hardware lab the performance goes under zero. HTML5 and JS may not the best choice.
    - Why I can "update" existing game engines? Seriously, I have plenty of game engines named: 1+, 1++, 1#, 2+
    - The "click anywhere" menu system should be improved because now it's not a user friendly stuff. (eg opens slowly, instantly closes after open).
    -The game itself adds nothing to Game Dev Story's formula. Which is really sad.
    PROs:
    - The graphics is decent for a game like that.
    - Polished interface and gameplay compared to Game Dev Story. (Although not the best.)
    - Potential "Indie Bundle" game for few cents.    … Expand
  75. kuzlac
    May 7, 2013
    3
    I am a big fan of simulation game.

    Game Dev Tycoon is fun at first but after stage 1, it gets repetitive. It becomes a click fest after that, If you enjoy clicking and repeating over and over, then this might be the right game for you. You just keep developing games over and over to keep the money coming in in order to pay the rents. It is fun the first 20 games you develop. No    I am a big fan of simulation game.

    Game Dev Tycoon is fun at first but after stage 1, it gets repetitive. It becomes a click fest after that,

    If you enjoy clicking and repeating over and over, then this might be the right game for you. You just keep developing games over and over to keep the money coming in in order to pay the rents. It is fun the first 20 games you develop.

    No offence to the devs, this is just my honest opinion.    … Expand
  76. JackTingey
    May 15, 2013
    10
    Fantastic game!
    Game Dev Tycoon was the most entertaining game ever! I'm very picky with games, I enjoyed sitting down and becoming a game developer! I cannot wait for another game by Greenheart Games, most interesting game i have played in a long time (in my opinion).
  77. RBxTaco
    Jun 8, 2013
    9
    In short, this game is amazing. There haven't been any proper tycoon games in quite a while, and this game definitely fulfills the many great tycoon games of the past (RCT etc.). Of course this is Greenheart games first game and there are many things that can be improved. First off this game definitely needs some way to properly mod it. Mods could make this game a lot better. Also the gameIn short, this game is amazing. There haven't been any proper tycoon games in quite a while, and this game definitely fulfills the many great tycoon games of the past (RCT etc.). Of course this is Greenheart games first game and there are many things that can be improved. First off this game definitely needs some way to properly mod it. Mods could make this game a lot better. Also the game doesn't quite last that long. It's quite easy, and isn't very hard to master. After you beat it, you might not quite have a reason to play it again. Another reason this game needs modding. This game does, obviously, have many positives. The game pretty accurately depicts the history of gaming. It offers pretty unique gameplay. It let's you go from a singular developer to a huge company. You can even develop MMO's and create your own consoles. Creating consoles is pretty limited, however. Overall I'd give it a 9/10.… Expand
  78. Renrul
    Aug 28, 2013
    4
    Game Dev Tycoon is a clone of Game Dev Story, however that is not the reason for the score i am giving it. The mechanics in this game are WAY to simplistic like it was made by someone who has no idea what they are doing. The way the game determines what review the game you make receives is just plain pathetic all it does is takes the highest review you have gotten and compares the twoGame Dev Tycoon is a clone of Game Dev Story, however that is not the reason for the score i am giving it. The mechanics in this game are WAY to simplistic like it was made by someone who has no idea what they are doing. The way the game determines what review the game you make receives is just plain pathetic all it does is takes the highest review you have gotten and compares the two game dev and tech scores. You are literally competing against YOURSELF there are NO competitors trying to outdo you in this game like their are in Gamebiz and Game Dev Tycoon can not even live up to the quality of Game Dev Story!… Expand
  79. alfredbeoulve
    Aug 27, 2013
    3
    This game is almost exactly the same with kairosoft game dev available in appstore and playstore, I enjoy the kairosoft version more, this one just don't feel right.
  80. Riotraizer
    May 7, 2013
    9
    This is a fantastic indie game and well worth buying. It may not be free like most games of it's type but it doesn't pester you about paying RL money for coins or something similar. I would give it a 10 but this is payback for all the bad reviews I get in-game. >:-D
  81. rwebler
    May 7, 2013
    9
    Utterly fun game, and a highly replayable one, since we can always strive to R&D a bit more, or to pursue different tracks of console/game genres. I wish the timeline popups would be replaced by a ticker on the side. It interferes with my clicking routines. 8)
  82. markrobinson89
    May 7, 2013
    10
    Very Similar to Game Dev Story on iOS. This is much polished and smooth graphics! More realistic Consoles like we get in actual life. Overall thanks but PLEASE release for iOS! Much better market for you guys Ignore these comments about copying! Only little features are the exact same but so what! Thankyou :D
  83. matster2005
    May 7, 2013
    10
    I am usually not a fan of tycoon games but game dev tycoon is amazing. I bought it on Friday for a mere £6.86v (roughly) and I have played it at every opportunity since.it may not be the most detailed game but it has character which is missing from a lot of games recently.if you are new to tycoon games I recommend buying this game. I cant wait to see what else greenheart comes out with.
  84. joevsyou
    May 7, 2013
    9
    Great game, fun. played around 7-10 hours. you have game development, research lab and hardware lab. MANY options in the game department to mess around with. frame rate kinda goes down when you get all the departments running at max at the same time. would love to have option to combine two topics like the type of game.

    Looking forward to game dev tycoon 2 with more content!
  85. Ragethe
    May 7, 2013
    10
    I really like the game, and I think it's one of the best indie games I have ever played, and probably the best tycoon game. The mechanics of the game works really well, and I like the parodies of real life-games and consoles.
  86. iburnaga
    Aug 23, 2013
    2
    It's an over grown flash game with no depth. The interface boils down to sliders which are ultimately meaningless in terms of scoring and it could just have easily been about any product.
  87. BinKill-Ethical
    May 12, 2013
    10
    This is a great game!
    10/10 A great balance between technology and design!
    10/10 A pure masterpiece!
    10/10 Perfect!
    10/10 Amazing!
    +1 Fan

    This game is great, and I'm glad too see more game companies starting out! This game is definitely worth buying.

    Paul Burkart
  88. gegebel
    May 7, 2013
    9
    While you need some time to get around the system, the game is addicting from start. This game is for people who like to manage money like in classic tycoons and those who are interested in game development in general, or just like to be somewhat creative.
    This game isn't perfect for sure, how can you sell 36 million games for a system which sold only 7? This doesn't stop you from going    While you need some time to get around the system, the game is addicting from start. This game is for people who like to manage money like in classic tycoons and those who are interested in game development in general, or just like to be somewhat creative.
    This game isn't perfect for sure, how can you sell 36 million games for a system which sold only 7? This doesn't stop you from going on for hours though and try to create the perfect game. The game might seem too repetitive, especially at the beginning, but the limited time (25,30 or 35 years) and limited resources always make you go back to the game and try to make it even better.
    Achievements are a nice touch to an already great game. Let's hope the game will get a few improvements and a sequel with more features.    … Expand
  89. kotekzot
    May 5, 2013
    6
    Pretty fun overall, but likely won't hold you for more than a single playthrough, which is about 12 hours long. The first part of the game gives a satisfying challenge and lets you figure out exactly what you're doing right or wrong, the middle part is surprisingly hard and the endgame is a walk in the park. The game also doesn't seem to like it when the player decides to start developingPretty fun overall, but likely won't hold you for more than a single playthrough, which is about 12 hours long. The first part of the game gives a satisfying challenge and lets you figure out exactly what you're doing right or wrong, the middle part is surprisingly hard and the endgame is a walk in the park. The game also doesn't seem to like it when the player decides to start developing smaller games, which is a shame, because huge games take too long to develop to be much fun. Hopefully the developers will be able to rectify these problems.… Expand
  90. kuehnau
    Aug 24, 2013
    2
    PC version of an Android game that has already been available for awhile. More importantly it doesn't break any new grounds in an industry already flooded with simulator style games.

    My advice? Get "Game Developer Story" for Android or iOS. It's only $5.00, it's a fun game, it looks better and it plays better. You can get even software that emulates the Android OS on your desktop and    PC version of an Android game that has already been available for awhile. More importantly it doesn't break any new grounds in an industry already flooded with simulator style games.

    My advice? Get "Game Developer Story" for Android or iOS. It's only $5.00, it's a fun game, it looks better and it plays better. You can get even software that emulates the Android OS on your desktop and links to your Google Account so you don't have to re-buy it all.    … Expand
  91. LincolnHY
    May 7, 2013
    10
    The amount of time that went into this game shows. It will not only entertain you for hours, but also teach you the history of gaming as you play and go through the years of your company.
  92. Vipgundam
    Nov 3, 2013
    0
    A blatant rip-off of the much better Game Dev Story by Kairosoft. Ironically, the "makers" of this game saw fit to release a torrent of the game with modified version of the game that causes players go bankrupt at a certain point in the campaign. That's right, they released a system to prevent pirates form enjoying the game they pirated. Irony at its best.
  93. Chulo81
    May 7, 2013
    7
    Game Dev Tycoon is an ambitious & challenging game. At first look and while playing through the tutorial, the game seems like it will be a simple grind to make more money, then purchase or train to bigger and better things. This is not how the game functions.

    Don't let the name "Tycoon" fool you. It is not a "Tycoon" game like any previous "Tycoon" games. You don't slowly work your way    Game Dev Tycoon is an ambitious & challenging game. At first look and while playing through the tutorial, the game seems like it will be a simple grind to make more money, then purchase or train to bigger and better things. This is not how the game functions.

    Don't let the name "Tycoon" fool you. It is not a "Tycoon" game like any previous "Tycoon" games. You don't slowly work your way up by making more money to purchase bigger/better things until you have the biggest & best. Then attain all the biggest & best things in the game and just sit there making money. There is a strategy to the game that starts at the very beginning.

    If you stick to the tutorial, you will probably start out fine as a developer and get mediocre reviews & earn mediocre money, but eventually go bankrupt. You might make one or two successful games, but the mediocre & bad ones will kill you. This is partly due to how fast the calendar moves in the game & the monthly expenses you incur ($20,000/month for one level 2 employee?!).

    The best way to succeed at the game is learn how it works and learn what is expected of you. Unless you enjoy trying to figure this out on your own by playing & replaying the game over & over again, I would suggest using the community to help teach you. You can use YouTube videos, message boards, or wikis.

    The game uses an algorithm to gauge what review scores your game will get. This can mean big money, or not making enough to cover the cost of the game (not to mention the monthly expenses). This algorithm is what makes the gameplay so frustrating and ultimately what ruins it. I spent an hour or so reading the wiki on how the algorithm works, it tries hard to get it right, but essentially fails. I feel like I should explain further here, but there is just too much!

    (If you've read the wiki: competing against your own top review score, improper balance of development/tech means bad scores, why can't I focus more time to have great story/quests in my action game without it hurting my score? and more)

    I am not saying it is impossible to be successful in Game Dev Tycoon, but the learning curve is high. You cannot be successful if you just try to go make the biggest & best game by getting as much dev/tech points as you can on every game you make.

    There are some great features to Game Dev Tycoon, but it was too easy to focus on the biggest negative that is: trying to figure out all the appropriate combinations to be successful. But, this hasn't stopped me from playing & trying to master it.

    If Game Dev Tycoon were to review itself it would say there is too much tech, not enough development.

    Pros:
    1. One click interface
    2. Surprisingly in-depth strategy
    3. Some customization
    4. Addictive gameplay

    Cons:
    1. Algorithm that tries too hard (steep learning curve!)
    2. Very little sense that you are competing against other developers
    3. Staff salaries are way too big (Lvl 1: $8,000-11,000/month Lvl 2: $16,000-23,000/month)
    4. Minor interface glitches

    Things I hope change/get updated:
    1. Can only develop for one platform at a time and never pre-launch
    2. Weeks/months speed by a little too fast. I am not talking about adding speed adjustment, but rather slowing down the weeks/months compared to how much development is going on. (I admit this would probably make the amount of work done in a short amount of time non-realistic. But I think it would improve gameplay)
    3. Include better explanation of how reviews are scored in tutorial or in help menu.    … Expand
  94. brunbrun88
    May 15, 2013
    10
    awesome! play it as much as i can!!some times it gets hard but its too fun to stop playing. buy it you wont regret it. btw if you want the research lab train all of your people a lot!! oh and have fun
  95. HerrJoebob
    Jun 20, 2013
    5
    Shows potential. Could have been better. Startup and strategy is a great combination. Looking forward to the next one!

    It's an OK time waster if you want to spend a lot of time on the wikis to figure out how to actually play. The game doesn't really tell you. (If you haven't played, my first line above is quoting/mocking the reviews you get for the games you create within GDT).
  96. SwitSwat
    Oct 8, 2013
    7
    It's a great little simulation on the struggles that game developers face. While it doesn't cover everything, it still provides a bit of insight. It might not be very addictive at first, but it gets progressively better and faster as it goes on. It's far from perfect, but it's still good. 7/10
  97. yalamander
    May 7, 2013
    5
    The big plus in this game is the price, I mean it costs barely more than an App. I use the game on Mac OS and have not stumbled into a lot of bugs. There are definitely some in the end stages (final building), where the software can't differ between you clicking on a developer or just anywhere on the screen bit annoying but okay. Also a minimize function that works would be helpful.
    I    The big plus in this game is the price, I mean it costs barely more than an App. I use the game on Mac OS and have not stumbled into a lot of bugs. There are definitely some in the end stages (final building), where the software can't differ between you clicking on a developer or just anywhere on the screen bit annoying but okay. Also a minimize function that works would be helpful.
    I studied the algorithm behind the game a little bit (what makes a high rating, what sells best) and ever since just keep making ridiculous amounts of millions, prior to that though figuring out what sells best is a stupid guessing game. For example military as an adventure game on the PlaySystem will get you a horrible game, even if good configured, because the raw algorithm data shows that's a bad combination.
    Also the game gets boring quickly, you can't start again and take a different approach (like other tycoon games) since it has an extremely linear story. It was said before but updating game engines would be a good idea, also more interactions with your fans. Here are some more basic ideas:
    Being able to set up a fanshop for continuous money, being able to set the price for games, being able to release downloadable content, release games for many platforms at once, ...
    I like the game but I feel like it is far from finished, since playing it gets boring quickly due to the very limited options you get.
    The graphics are nice, music is good nothing special for a 2013 game though.
    Very excited what the game will be like in a year. I hope for major updates.    … Expand
  98. ShearForce
    May 17, 2013
    6
    This could have been so much more, it really could have, I loved Game Dev Story, and hence I do like this game, because it's more of the same, and that's a mobile game guys, you could have done a lot more with this, and I really do hope that you will, loads of potential, very little explored.

    If you know what Gae Dev Story is and you liked it, you will like this game, but don't expect    This could have been so much more, it really could have, I loved Game Dev Story, and hence I do like this game, because it's more of the same, and that's a mobile game guys, you could have done a lot more with this, and I really do hope that you will, loads of potential, very little explored.

    If you know what Gae Dev Story is and you liked it, you will like this game, but don't expect innovation and creativity here.    … Expand
  99. VincentD
    May 19, 2013
    6
    Graphics and Sound 8/10- Not much to say about the graphics because it's a fine looking game and the music that plays during the game is good and it doesn't distracts you from playing the game.

    Gameplay 4/10- The game falls a little short on some parts like the review system. The review system runs on an algorithm that calculates the score based on many factors like scores of your    Graphics and Sound 8/10- Not much to say about the graphics because it's a fine looking game and the music that plays during the game is good and it doesn't distracts you from playing the game.

    Gameplay 4/10- The game falls a little short on some parts like the review system. The review system runs on an algorithm that calculates the score based on many factors like scores of your previous game, balance between tech and design, right usage of sliders etc. and if you get a low score on your game review, your game suffers from low sales. Other than that, the gameplay is smooth with easy navigation and it is similar to Game Dev Story on the iOS.    … Expand
  100. WarriorPancake
    Aug 31, 2013
    8
    Game Dev Tycoon is the most beautiful game ever. I actually love this game. When you fail you actually want to play again after your empire fails and dies horribly. Go buy it, it should be priced higher its that good!
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Awards & Rankings

22
#22 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
46
#46 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
68

Mixed or average reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 21
  3. Negative: 2 out of 21
  1. SpazioGames
    Sep 16, 2014
    65
    Taking into account the quite low price and the almost non-existent technical requirements, Game Dev Tycoon is a good and above all original game, albeit without great pretensions.
    Read full review
  2. GameCritics
    May 12, 2014
    30
    However, I don't really think Tycoon really wants to be more than ‘a glimpse' at video game production, and any attempt to comment on the industry from this dull, monotonous experience fails to hit its mark.
    Read full review
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Oct 24, 2013
    80
    What is it like to start with a few thousand dollars and end up in an office full of people producing multi-million gaming hits? This game lets you find out and makes it worth your while. [Nov 2013]
See all critic reviews »