Game:

Community Inc (2017)

Category:

Review

Duration: 40:41

2,572 views

27

I'm playing Community Inc, a city building simulation by T4 Interactive and tinyBuild. The game features randomly generated maps on which to create a thriving village able to export expensive manufactured goods. The interface provides some useful information, but it makes it difficult to designate and switch the profession of the villagers (I had to print out a hard copy spreadsheet for each game to keep things straight). In addition, you cannot queue crafted items you do not have the resources for (and there are no repeated or infinite queues), which makes planning for the future difficult. Basic resources (wood, stone, plant material) must be manually designated for removal (including food from plantations). Using these resources, tools, food, furniture, and weapons can be crafted, and buildings for livestock, housing, trade, and storage can be placed. Citizens will level up with experience, unlocking additional jobs and more efficient work ethics. Newcomers also arrive with traits that make them more suited for specific occupations. Other factions can be traded with or fought against, and random events (sometimes good but usually bad) arrive at inconvenient times. Due to some interface shortcomings and tedious gameplay mechanics, Community Inc comes up short of being a fulfilling city builder.