Above the Fold

About

"Above the Fold" is a newspaper simulation game set in 1998, where you rebuild a local newspaper as the Editor-in-Chief. You must hire and manage staff, assign stories, please advertisers and the paper's owner, and upgrade your office. Your goal is to grow this unknown rag into a world-famous media company, handling random events and prioritizing stories along the way.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

61%

Audience ScoreBased on 43 reviews

gameplay3 positive mentions

graphics2 negative mentions

The game offers a surprising depth and freedom of choice, making it engaging and enjoyable to play.
The gameplay is addictive, with interesting in-game events and challenges that keep players absorbed.
The developer provides good support, enhancing the overall experience for players encountering issues.

The game frequently crashes, making it virtually unplayable and frustrating for users.
The user interface is poorly designed and not intuitive, leading to a less enjoyable experience.
There is a lack of a tutorial, which makes it difficult for new players to understand the game mechanics.

story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The game's story aspect is criticized for being overly simplistic and randomly generated, lacking depth and engagement. Players express a desire for a more structured narrative that unfolds over time, rather than just headlines without context. Additionally, the mechanics of matching reporters to stories are seen as tedious and not particularly enjoyable, suggesting a need for more meaningful storytelling elements.
- “You have to carefully balance your newspaper's daily story content; you need to hire a diverse selection of reporters with a good range of interests.”
- “The game is also all randomly generated, which is less interesting to me than one with a story that unfolds over time. The headlines are cool, but I don't get to read about the story behind them, so it seems really one-dimensional.”
- “I particularly liked the reporter portraits and story type icons.”
- “Overall, the whole strategy of matching the reporters to stories that they are interested in and politically related to is not cool or fun. I wish the stories were more obvious when it's important (e.g., they should show a star ranking right on the map before clicking).”
- “If this layout were more like 'This Is the Police', it would make it more fun. However, you can replicate that layout without the complexity by pausing the game when a user clicks on a news story and allowing them to view a menu that has more useful information about the relationships with the reporters that have good fits.”
- “You have to carefully balance your newspaper's daily story content. You need to hire a diverse selection of reporters with a good range of interests.”
gameplay
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising the nailed execution and progression, while others express disappointment in the overall experience. The core gameplay loop focuses on daily tasks of seeking stories and advertisement opportunities, which some find simplistic.
- “They nailed the gameplay and progression.”
- “The basic gameplay loop involves looking for those stories and advertisement opportunities on a daily basis; it seems easy!”
- “They nailed the gameplay and progression.”
- “The gameplay was the biggest disappointment.”
- “The basic gameplay loop involves looking for those stories and advertisement opportunities on a daily basis; seems easy!”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game has received mixed feedback, with some players expressing enjoyment while others find it lacking. Despite the criticism, many agree that the music's quality does not significantly detract from the overall experience.
- “I like the music, so maybe that's changed since the early access reviews.”
- “The music is horrible, but it's not a big deal.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics are widely criticized for being outdated and lacking modern appeal, with some users noting that the cute aesthetic does not compensate for the overall poor quality.
- “The graphics are old-fashioned in a bad way.”
- “Don't be distracted by the cute graphics.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game revolves around players engaging in daily activities to find stories and advertisement opportunities, which some users find straightforward and accessible.