HYDROPLANT Tycoon Review (PC)

It all started with a small seed—a vessel, of sorts, that came with a promise that, should I have watered it, nurtured it, and gave it clockwork treatment, I would eventually have a flourishing business resting in the palms of my hands. It came with dreams of grandeur—a minor hope that, with enough power, light, and hydro technological innovation, the world around me would become nourished, fit for purpose and general consumption. The one thing it didn’t tell me, of course, was how much work I would have to do in order to bring that dream to fruition. I suppose, in ways, I knew the score, and I knew all too well that you could only reap what you sowed. But that’s where HYDROPLANT Tycoon alleviated the problem, not with a shorter turnaround time for the crops to grow, but with industry advancements I had never seen before.

The act of physically planting the first seed wasn’t the issue; it was the learning curve, and figuring out how to revolutionize an outdated agricultural process to maximize that all-important growth spurt. The early portions of the game weren’t difficult. In fact, it was more or less the case of potting around like a farmer, and taking full advantage of methods as old old as time itself to kickstart a jolly green empire. There was planting, watering, and applying small but seemingly effective decorative upgrades to help the humble roots of a small plot of land blossom into something special. That was the initial portion, and something that I had no trouble in achieving. But then came the latter stages of the journey—the hydroponics process.

With Water Comes Life

HYDROPLANT Tycoon isn’t drastically different from your traditional water-and-harvest simulation game. It isn’t different, mainly due to the fact that the lion’s share of your time spent in it largely consists of doing the same three things: planting, nurturing, and using various means of production to extract the goods from the seed. And it all begins with a simple step: plant said seed, and utilize a hydration system to enhance the development of the yield. With additional crops comes a passive income, and with an extra bit of cash in your pocket comes better, more efficient upgrades and other valuable tools of the trade, such as better equipment, larger facilities, and automated systems that grant you the chance to explore other business opportunities on the side.

Of course, if it was just the case of planting a few seeds and watching them grow, then it really wouldn’t be worth talking about. Alas, HYDROPLANT Tycoon poses a few additional challenges for you to overcome—finding the appropriate location for each seed, deciphering which nutrients to utilize for the growing process, and deciding how to establish a sustainable environment for your crops, and so on and so forth. To that extent, the game doesn’t really resort to older agricultural techniques, but instead opts to frontline innovative farming practices and technological solutions for the breadth of its appeal. And I’m all for change; there are only so many times that you can nurture the same process, after all.

Let it Grow

I’m relieved, in ways, that HYDROPLANT Tycoon doesn’t expect you to be an undergraduate in the field of agriculture to understand how it all works. I can’t bring myself to say that it’s a beginner-friendly sim, because it certainly does require a bit of attention in various situations, like in the case of having to decide when to harvest your crop to earn the amount needed to fund your ongoing farming campaign, for example. But, for every cloud there’s a silver lining, and in this case, it often comes in the form of an easily digestible training montage that provides you with just the right amount of information to get your foot in the door. There’s a slight learning curve to it, what with it adopting an approach that’s the polar opposite of what you might have seen in, say, Animal Crossing — but it’s a rewarding learning experience, nonetheless.

Like a lot of farming or job-centric simulation games, the mileage often depends on how much gas you’re willing to put in the tank, so to speak. Although it does feature its own array of post-harvest rewards for you to collect, the actual process of reaching them is often intercepted by slow-burning techniques that require a bit of patience to complete. I wouldn’t say that it’s like watching paint dry, but you get the gist. It’s dull, and often a little too repetitive to instil a sense of originality. That said, it does bring a solid selection of upgrades for you to consider along the way, which does, in all fairness, add a little extra pizzazz to the experience.

To Hydrate is to Prosper

The aim of the game is incredibly simple: transform a generic allotment into a warehouse-sized business that can spout nutrient-rich hydration techniques into pockets of sellable produce. With all of these things volleying somewhere on the backboard, you have the task of alternating between a multitude of jobs, with each one serving as a stepping stone toward a future that’s both productive and fulfilling. And it’s a lot of fun, all things considered. As I said, it’s a bit slow, and it certainly has its limitations in terms of what you can do, but that doesn’t change the fact that there’s still plenty for you to sink your teeth into in the latter half of the journey. It’s mentally preparing to find that sweet nectar, that’s the tough part.

Verdict

HYDROPLANT Tycoon opens its arms to a strangely familiar yet timelessly beloved agriculture-based simulation experience that’s both teeming with fresh ideas and satisfying gameplay elements for veterans and newcomers alike. I’ll admit, it doesn’t offer all that many forks in the road for you to enjoy, much less any interesting extracurricular activities to touch base on outside of the general farming loop. Still, with a generous amount of trade secrets to unlock, hydro-powered blueprints to install, and all of the right perks to keep your project alive and kicking for a drawn-out period of time, you could argue that there’s a good game here.

While it is rudimentary in its design, HYDROPLANT Tycoon does generate a clear progression system that’s both engaging and oddly rewarding to shovel through. Is it worth getting ahold of just for this? Eh, probably not, no. However, if you happen to enjoy the simple pleasures in life, like planting a plume of seeds and watching them grow into something magnificent, then chances are you’ll enjoy hydrating the soil in this indie endeavor.