Everybody’s favorite prison tycoon, Prison Architect, has finally made its way to consoles everywhere. Double Eleven has taken Prison Architect from original developer Introversion Software and created an experience specifically for consoles.
Prison Architect: Console Edition
Developer: Introversion Software/Double Eleven
Price: $29.99
Platform: Xbox One, PS4
MonsterVine was provided an Xbox One code for review.
Prison Architect is exactly what it sounds like and more. Not only are you tasked with building the penitentiaries in which inmates are held, but also with managing it all. As CEO of your very own prison there is a lot of work to be done. Think Roller Coaster Tycoon with prison cells and shivs and you’re pretty much there. To run an efficient prison a CEO must manage prisoner needs, supply a steady stream of food and clothing, and stave off the inevitable riot or escape attempt. There’s too much that you could possibly do for me to detail it all, which can be overwhelming at times, but the good news is that Prison Architect is a game of multiple options. Two players with completely different mindsets and strategies can end up with the same outcomes. Most of the decisions are preference based anyways. There are objectively cheaper ways of doing things, but these may come at the cost of your sense or morality or your aesthetic itch.
Building and managing a prison is as fun as it sounds. Much more can occur in these virtual penitentiaries than I first imagined was possible. Every prisoner has specific needs that range from sleep to drug addiction. Prisoners will react in different ways to being deprived of each resource, and there are multiple ways of remedying each situation. If prisoners become angry enough, due to their own malcontent or perhaps your own neglect, they may construct tunnels to escape from or riot. As the warden, you can choose to tackle these issues in multiple way. Usually the various options you may have have to do with either meeting the prisoner’s needs or controlling them with an iron fist.
The business side of things is usually quite enjoyable, but there can be occasional hiccups. Much like in real-life prisons, money is at the forefront of your problems. At first you’ll probably only be able to maintain a small number of prisoners with minimal luxuries or programs outside of the necessities and then iteratively build off of that. Players can accept grants with both acceptance and completion payouts, and they can research accounting methods to reduce costs or take on loans. In rare but prominent situations I had no option other than to wait for days or even weeks in game. Some grants had longer than desirable completion times and at time my profit margins would be so thin that I had no option other than to speed up the game time and let days or even weeks pass as I built up a measly amount of capital. Much like pretty much any other sandbox title out there, Prison Architect eventually loses steam after you realize that there’s no real sense of direction. Fortunately, there is enough content within the prison stories and the gameplay itself to easily make the venture worth it.
Prison Architect on consoles comprises of the Prison Stories and Sandbox modes. The former includes five story based missions which serve as a great way to learn the ins and outs of managing a prison, while the latter is an open-ended mode in which the goal is to simply perform as well as possible without losing too many prisoners or going bankrupt.
Prison Stories is far more than a tutorial however, and I was pleasantly surprised by just how in-depth it proved to be. From the get-go it’s clear that the developers are not blind to the ethical dilemmas that come with running a prison. The first story tasks the player with developing an execution chamber for a man who’s pleaded guilty to murdering his cheating wife. The state and the guards are unwavering on the death penalty, but the man’s moral compass and the words of a priest show the ambiguity of the subject. The game presents no clear right or wrong choice, just a simple task. Build an electric chair and serve this man’s sentence. The later missions explore morality in a similar way while presenting a surprisingly tied-together story, with characters usually being referenced in more than one mission. With the exception of the last prison story, I was actually enthralled to find out what was going to happen next, and the only reason the last mission was any different is because it is essentially the game’s sandbox mode with objectives, although it did end on a fantastic note.
The experience from PC to Xbox One isn’t quite a one-to-one translation, but it comes fairly close. Aside from the obvious control differences, there are a few new things content-wise such as the ability to manually place water alongside UI changes and a new tool-tip mechanic that may give you suggestions on how to fix some of your prison’s issues. There’s also the entirely new ability to download, play and rate other player’s jailhouses in-game, and there are some really, really crazy prisons out there. God forbid any of you sadistic wardens get your hands on prisoners in real life.
Anytime a title is ported from PC to console something’s gotta give. Luckily, Prison Architect has only taken a minor hit in its controls and UI, but it otherwise just as enjoyable. Constructing buildings, navigating the user interface and micromanaging can be confusing, especially at first, and there are a few odd quirks to learn, but the system is entirely functional. Unlocking your view from prisoners and zooming specifically got on my nerves but I eventually overcame these obstacles.
The only inexcusable downsides that I ran into were the very few, but detrimental, bugs that I ran into. On more than one occasion I had two or more inmates corralling themselves into a single cell while multiple cells were empty around them, causing them to become quite disgruntled. In the 3rd prison story I dismissed my riot squads, but the game read that they were still within the prison, which upset the inmates until I restarted my system. During my final prison story mission the game would simply not recognize my common room for what it was and as such I was not able to institute the Alcohol rehabilitation program, thus failing many prisoner’s alcohol addiction needs. The glitches that I encountered were few and far between, but they often impacted my ability to perform significantly.
The Final Word
Prison Architect is a solid title with an engaging premise and an enjoyable campaign that can last as long as 6 hours or more. While at times annoying bugs and the occasional lull may slow down the ride, the overall experience is one of intense dynamism and decision making. Fans of micromanaging or tycoon titles will not be disappointed.
MonsterVine Rating: 4 out of 5 – Good
