Role playing games, the very embodiment of fantasy. These games rely on the single premise that players must assume a role and commit to it, abide the narrative rules that undertakes and, ultimately, find themselves submerged neck deep in the universe they find themselves in. RPG Tycoon is not the exception to that rule, apart for one single factor: the player does not take the face of a mage or a knight to go on quests, neither does he become the game master and controls the narrative; in this case, the player assumes the role of the monarch, the overseeing omniscient entity in charge of the world the characters live in.

Following the vast tradition of tycoon games, RPG Tycoon proposes the task of building the most efficient, profitable and attractive place in the land, but, in this case, the place is a fantasy kingdom, and the land is a fantastic world where sword and sorcery are the norm. In the game, the player must create a kingdom, one building at a time, and make it the best around, better than all the other kingdoms in the area. To do so, the player must rely on the skills and efficiency of the heroes can recruit, and on the beauty and appeal of the establishments in the kingdom; from taverns and shops, to fountains and monuments. As they embark on quests, heroes serve their own narrative purposes and, at the same time, provide welfare, happiness and spoils for the Kingdom. Not only that, but, as in any RPG, heroes gain experience and level up, as does the buildings and the Kingdom itself.

On paper, the idea sounds good; however, the execution is rather poor. For instance, there’s little to none appeal to play as someone commanding people to go to adventures instead of going oneself. Tycoon games are based on the principle of making something mundane and ordinary, like finances, bureaucracy and upkeep of a crowded place into something actually fun. Zoo tycoon has the animals, Roller coaster Tycoon has the attractions, but there’s nothing happening on RPG Tycoon that charms you into actually feeling part of the game. The action takes place off-screen and you only get to see the consequences of your actions in the general happiness or discomfort of your visitors.

The game may be an indie production, and other games have already proven that big budgets and great graphics are not needed in order to make an amazing gaming experience; however, RPG Tycoon feels, at times, sloppy and unfinished. The game’s UI and tutorial are really not intuitive. The game’s mechanics may be well-crafted, but they’re not very well explained, which makes it painful to try to comprehend what’s going on for the most part. Even the way quests work is hard to understand, because of the weird notion of item usage, which is, to say the least, confusing.

Music quickly becomes monotone and does not improve the ambiance of the game. For example, my Kingdom, Vectoria, was set in snow, which is one of the possible terrains in which you can start, and, instead of epic Norse folk music or something that accompanied the scenery, I got generic fantasy music which I muted, instead, after a while.

RPG Tycoon is not a game for everyone, but still has potential. The game still has major issues and details that bug me, like the fact your heroes are the ones that have to work on the tavern instead of going to quests. There is, however, a sandbox game style, and it may be a good idea to start by playing it. With no budget restrictions and no financial crisis lurking over your shoulder, you might be able to enjoy forging your kingdom in the most suitable way for you. Sandbox allows you to design a better course of action once you get to the actual game, although it might feel a bit underwhelming when you start, again, with a 2x2 block of land.

Perhaps tycoon enthusiasts find something actually alluring in the game, or maybe some gameplay element will charm them in some way I just could not find. The game, however, did not have something to hook me and keep me craving more. Maybe it’s just me, but I’d rather go questing than ordering people to do so off-screen in order to become better than the rest of the invisible kingdoms in the land. It’s not that the game does not have its own charm. Surely, old-school gaming enthusiasts might find something alluring in the way the game is designed, and even might find fun in the game mechanics, but the real question here is: in a world where tycoon games have existed for years now in every possible scenario, what does RPG Tycoon add to the formula? The answer, although disappointing, might be “not enough”, and that is the game’s major flaw.

Sarwar Ron, NoobFeed
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