Movies Tycoon Review (PC)

As the late Walt Disney once said, “we don’t make movies to make more money. We make money to make more movies.” Alas, I almost wish I could relate to that quote, and yet, I’m suddenly finding myself in another situation; the cash flow is on the precipice of bleeding itself dry, and the studio that produces the movies is just about ready to brush me under the rug and usher in a filmmaker who’s vastly superior in making art that’s not only profitable, but genuinely watchable. But I have hope, alright, and if I can source all the right actors, studio executives, and technicians to create something that’ll likely turn heads at the box office, then I might just survive long enough to witness the arrival of a sequel. Still, in spite of my last-ditch efforts to remain optimistic, Movies Tycoon isn’t  a stranger to exacerbating such financial strains.

The good news is, Movies Tycoon isn’t one for keeping you in a purgatory state; in fact, even during some of the most horrific episodes in the cinematic universe, hope is never all that far from your grasp, and it does a splendid job of keeping you from succumbing to financial constraints and the inevitable consequences of your actions. However, that isn’t to say that walking down the yellow brick road of makeshift Hollywood is all glitz and glamour; on the contrary, it can be a bit of a tough nut to crack, doubly so if you’re somewhat unfamiliar with sandbox or business management simulation games. But of course, we’ll break into that region a little later on.

To set the scene, Movies Tycoon has just launched on PC in its early access state. The question is, is it better than Blockbuster Inc or, dare I say, The Movies?

Lights, Camera, Action?

If you’ve ever so much as nibbled at the tip of the iceberg in any business simulation game ever, then you’re in luck. It doesn’t come as too much of a surprise here, but the truth is, Movies Tycoon isn’t massively different from its tycoon-centric rivals. What I mean to say here is that, in spite of it sporting an entirely different set design and structure, the actual gameplay consists of little more than merely establishing the foundations for a money-making studio, and using an influx of cash to produce better movies, and essentially evolve your staff into creative waterfalls who will, with any luck, do your bidding to make the humble roots of your business something of a global success. And that’s just it: Movies Tycoon is a rags-to-riches sandbox sim, in the case that, as the studio overseer, your only real objective is to learn, produce, and flourish.

Movies Tycoon begins with a few simple instructions—introductory passages in which you learn the basics of the game’s mechanics, such as how to hire applicants, engineers, cleaners, and of course, aspiring actors. Like a lot of sandbox sims, you launch your career with a vacant plot of land and a couple of shoddy sheds—locations in which the future prospects of the studio are formulated and embellished. For starters, you have a couple of generic grafters—handy folks who pour heart and soul into constructing various wings, set pieces, and administrative networks for your allotment. Aside from that, you also have other folks to train and upgrade—members who, with thanks to the in-game customization suite, you can design and tailor to your own desire. And that, really, is all the opening portion consists of: fleshing out a roster and applying a few nails to the woodwork.

Leave it on the Cutting Room Floor

Of course, building your team is only half of the battle; Movies Tycoon is also about the process of creating films—a process that, thanks to several in-game suites and mechanics, can and often will reward you with a web of perks—critic ratings, encores, fans, and with any luck, enough cash to fund another concept. As this is indeed a movie studio we’re talking about here, each of these bonuses are only acquired through the act of playing god, which can be a bit of a pain in the neck even at the best of times. Why? Well, aside from the fact that you have to decide who to employ and who to discard, you also have the responsibility of choosing which genres to explore, and which scripts to capitalize on, too. Who will become a star, and who will dwindle into the position of a glorified extra?

There’s a tremendous amount to think about when it comes to building your studio in Movies Tycoon, that much is true. To that end, it isn’t the easiest of games to grasp, nor is it something that you’ll be able to crack on the first attempt, either. In fact, to actually earn a wage out of the business venture, you’ll often find that trial and error, sadly, is the most viable avenue to explore. And it pains me to admit it, but the truth is, I spent a concerning amount of time with half-baked movie scripts, mainly due to the fact that the external media was often biased towards a particular genre. Point is, I often felt that I had little control over what I produced, but instead felt that I was merely following the breadcrumb trail conceived by my own worst critics. Still, where the money went — I followed.

Clutter & Reels

The process of designing and building a studio is great—rewarding, even, and it’s all the more enjoyable due to its wealth of blueprints and thematic set designs. There’s also a solid gameplay loop that, while often tough to comprehend, is forever expanding and sourcing fresh ways to keep your scrips from growing stale or predictable. And honestly, that’s where I spent most of my time: hovering over the allotment and pulling the strings, occasionally procrastinating on the task of physically creating movies that, to my mind, were fit for the cutting room floor. And yet, it was a learning curve that I couldn’t help but willingly subject myself to, for I had the ambition to succeed; I simply lacked the courage to pursue it. Again, I can thank the media for their insightful contributions for that.

The act of producing movies is another story. To make movie magic in the Hollywood era, there are of course numerous ways to earn a living, none of which are easy, given the constant financial pressures and the public outcries against the film industry and the way it operates for the sake of lining its own pockets. Again, I can’t help but bring up an earlier point: if you’re not willing to play a few jokers, then chances are you’ll never be able to strive to pull out an ace from the bottom of the deck — or something like that. And so, while a lot of Movies Tycoon can be entertaining to watch unfold, I wouldn’t go as far as to say that it’s all fun and games. Point is, there is a learning curve to this particular venture; it’s merely the case of finding the time to master it.

Verdict

Movies Tycoon dares to set the scene in motion for the decade-old The Movies transcript, and does so by not only using its same basic bone structure, but also by incorporating several layers of its progressive design and managerial elements, too. With that said, it wouldn’t be fair to label it as a direct clone of The Movies, as it does bring its own unique twist to the setting—an in-depth character customization suite, being one of its greatest strengths, for sure. Even still, for what the game currently brings to the table, it’s still in need of a few major improvements. For instance, the animations are a little stiff, and the user interface could be slightly more accessible for those who’ve rarely experienced a business simulation game before. Is this just me nitpicking? Perhaps — but it’s worth mentioning, nonetheless.

For what it’s worth, I do believe that Movies Tycoon has some good bones, and I’d be lying if I said that it fails to bring what several other iterations of the genre have previously failed to bring to life. Is it the all-time greatest movie-centric sandbox sim? That’s debatable, though, given the sheer lack of such games in the casket in question, I think I can speak for everyone when I say, you know, it’s better than nothing at all, right? Fact is, we’re still a few weeks, months, or perhaps even years from seeing it reach its full potential, and so, if you are looking to explore the movie-making world, and have little interest in the one or two technical issues that it seemingly harbors, then perhaps take our words with a grain of salt.