Project Highrise

I adore this game. It's a very lowkey, fun title that is easy to get into, and can be surprisingly challenging at times. I think it plays better with the DLC, and offers more enjoyable options, but I still enjoyed the base game. The scenarios are the best part, though at times it can be a little bit of a wait for midnight to roll around and your money to come in. However, I play this game as something fun to do and a relaxing little distraction. Which it is. If you're looking for an intense can't look away or you lose sort of title this is not it.

this game annoyes the crap out of me. While I like it and the whole idea I often felt bewildered when a tennant leavs. Also it always makes a sound like it was my fault even if there was no thing I could have done. But the one that drove me insane for long is the speed limit. It ruins so slow and waiting for a day to pass so I can built more is just annoying, I want to play a game not wait. For me this game could made by the electric company making you keeping the game on so they grab your money for electrical bills. I have no clue why else someone would built this speed limit. I mean in most games I wonder why a speed limit at all but most of them are explained with that it would be unplayable if any faster or that it was the highest speed you could expect at that given time, and they just didn't want to produce any potiential hazzards. But here there is no reason why, A PC of today could probably run the simulation of a day in a second.

While I do think the gameplay has more depth than Sim Tower had, and is overall going into a more interesting direction, the game lacks a key component: Charme. There soundscape is particularly quiet and sterile, it sadly doesn't convey a busy skyscraper in any way, the art design is similarly stiff and dry. The gameplay in itself drags itself a tad too long and becomes repetitive at some point; I would have liked a bit more diversity in how to handle things

This game is almost a 1:1 clone of the Sim Tower concept, The graphics are simple yet nice to look at and places are easy to identify. The game doesn't require much computing power and runs just fine on a laptop. I like that, as it makes the game an on the go game. There are a few short tutorials explaining the basics. So it doesn't requite much time to get started. The concept itself is simple. Build floors, connect them, assign the space to different use cases like offices, flats, stores, etc. There are some limits to how high or low you can go. These can be pushed through in game means. All in all a very simple, addictive game. However, it does have some flaws. First, why do spaces have to be assigned one at a time. It'd be much nicer to just hold down the mouse and drag new offices along the floor. Another annoyance are the utilities. Power, Water, Gas, etc. has to be provided manually. Why? Every place needs power anyway. It's so easy to forget something and I don't see any added value in that system. Please add an automation option. Next is renovations. Some places requite a renovation almost every day. It's easy to do but what's the point? Elevators aren't overlays but require their own space. Same for stairs, etc. Again, I don't see much value in that. Speaking of elevators. One builds them and can't do much about them. It's not possible to have them skip floors or something like that. The first ones have to begin at the ground floor as well. Why? It'd be kinda nice to manage the flow of people a bit better, making them go past shops, etc. It'd certainly needs some improvements. Despite these little issues however, it's a very enjoyable game. And that's what matters most. As a result 4/5 stars from my end.

As a fan of the old Sim Tower back in the day, Project Highrise is a great modern take on this slightly idiosyncratic business/tycoon sim. Highrise implements the core concepts well, and it's been well supported by the developer with free content updates and now a DLC pack expanding the game further. Overall I recommend this game - it's fun to play, it does have some minor flaws but the developers continue to actively improve it and at the price it's on for (about £15) it's great value. Some of the scenarios are genuinely tough and challenging too. If you liked Sim Tower you will likely enjoy this, and in general if you like City builders or Business tycoon games then this will scratch that itch.