Academia: School Simulator

About

"Academia: School Simulator" is a game where you build and manage a school, overseeing everything from hiring staff to designing classrooms. Balance your budget while keeping students and teachers happy to achieve academic success. With various challenges and customization options, it offers a deep and engaging school-building experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+20

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,576 reviews

gameplay30 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game is fun and addictive, with a lot of potential for creativity in building and managing a school.
The developers are responsive and actively work on updates and improvements based on community feedback.
The art style is charming and reminiscent of other successful management games like Prison Architect.

The game lacks depth and replayability, with limited content leading to a repetitive experience after a few hours.
There are several bugs and issues, such as problems with student behavior and AI pathfinding, which can hinder gameplay.
The UI can be clunky and unintuitive, making it difficult to manage certain aspects of the game effectively.

gameplay
132 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
71%
6%
The gameplay of this title is often described as a mix of engaging mechanics and a simplistic, shallow experience, drawing comparisons to games like "Prison Architect" and "RimWorld." While players appreciate the easy-to-learn controls and initial fun, many feel that the gameplay lacks depth and variety, leading to boredom after a few hours. Despite its potential for creativity and future updates, the current state is seen as limited, with repetitive mechanics and insufficient long-term engagement.
- “Its detailed simulation and engaging mechanics offer a deep and satisfying experience for fans of management games.”
- “The art style is simple but appealing; and the gameplay is straightforward with either scenario goals in mind, financial grants to fulfill, or achievements to unlock as a means of guidance.”
- “The devs have managed to adapt the mechanics of Prison Architect really well into making a school, but it’s different enough to be unique and worth playing in and of itself.”
- “Wide and shallow gameplay, that's how I would describe this one.”
- “This game becomes very boring very fast; advertised mods are purely cosmetic and don't add anything meaningful to gameplay.”
- “Was ok for a while, but won't hold your attention for longer spans like Prison Architect or Sim Airport will, as once you get to your 3rd/4th year you've seen it all and the gameplay doesn't get any deeper.”
graphics
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
66%
8%
The graphics of the game are often compared to those of "Prison Architect" and "RimWorld," featuring a charming, simplistic, and clean art style that appeals to many players. While some appreciate the cute visuals and polished look, others criticize the graphics for being too basic and lacking depth, suggesting that they do not push any systems to their limits. Overall, the graphics are seen as adequate for the genre, enhancing gameplay without being groundbreaking.
- “Amazing visuals and overall a really good game to play.”
- “The graphics are a bit more clean looking than Prison Architect.”
- “The game’s art style is a charming, cartoony vibe that screams indie.”
- “But this is by far the worst, the game is not interesting, its graphics are not appealing and I do not recommend anyone to buy this game.”
- “The graphics are simplistic and clean, the soundtrack is a little unforgettable, and the interface can be a little obtuse.”
- “Totally uninspired, boring execution and bad layouts and graphics.”
music
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
68%
15%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it repetitive and obnoxious, often leading to a sense of frustration. While some appreciate the lively and pleasant soundtrack, others feel it lacks memorability and can detract from the overall experience due to its looping nature. Overall, the music serves as background noise rather than a standout feature, with suggestions for more variety to enhance gameplay.
- “The music and sound effects were above average as well and worked well for the game; they set the mood as calm and relaxed, similar to something that you might hear in a game like Stardew Valley.”
- “Great early access tycoon game, great if you played Prison Architect, with a cute art style and fantastic music and lighting.”
- “It is fun and the music is lively.”
- “The biggest dealbreaker for me was that the music is pretty awful, as it loops over and over without respite.”
- “I'd suggest adding different music though, it can get tiring hearing the same tune for hours.”
- “The music is repetitive and frankly I could do without it.”
story
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
83%
10%
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth and structure, with many players noting the absence of a traditional narrative or campaign mode. While some appreciate the potential for player-driven storytelling through gameplay mechanics, there is a strong desire for more content, quests, and character development to enhance engagement. Overall, the consensus is that the game would benefit significantly from a more fleshed-out storyline and objectives to maintain player interest.
- “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- “It's very early access, it really needs a tutorial or prompts to grants and tasks and a loose storyline would be cool showing what students are going through along with teachers, etc., even events with rival schools such as sports events.”
- “☐ worst story ever”
- “No story mode, very basic tutorial.”
- “In my opinion though, they could add a little more content to the game such as adding a story mode to it, and maybe some fleshed-out characters.”
replayability
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
57%
17%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players finding it highly enjoyable and worth multiple playthroughs due to the ability to improve upon previous attempts. However, many others criticize it for lacking depth and variety, leading to a perception of low replay value, especially when compared to similar titles like Prison Architect and RimWorld. Overall, while there are elements that encourage replayability, significant limitations in content and variation hinder its potential.
- “Highly recommend, replayable, very fun.”
- “Great replayability value.”
- “Replayability is high for me since every school I start is better than the last one as I learn from mistakes.”
- “Not nearly as much depth as it wishes it had - the replay value is pretty low since nothing very interesting ever happens.”
- “There's little to no replay value, and there's not a lot of variation in the directions that one can take with their school.”
- “Honestly, all in all, I'm unhappy with this game's failure to have replay value.”
grinding
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
95%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly in the late game where progress often hinges on completing grindy achievements and managing resources. While some enjoy the initial fun and variety, many express that the gameplay becomes monotonous over time, with little challenge beyond the grind itself. Despite these criticisms, the game retains a level of enjoyment for some, especially with its potential for future updates.
- “The grinding can be intense at times, but it really pays off in the end.”
- “I appreciate the grind; it adds depth and a sense of achievement to the game.”
- “While it can feel grindy, the rewards make the effort worthwhile.”
- “For me it was more tedious than fun.”
- “After the initial fun of unlocking tech, it's all mindless grinding.”
- “The gameplay is rather grindy.”
humor
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is frequently highlighted as a strong point, with players enjoying the absurd situations that arise, such as students misbehaving in comical ways (e.g., pooping in bushes). While some find it not as funny as similar games like "Prison Architect," many appreciate the lighthearted moments and the ability to customize elements for added comedic effect. Overall, the game offers a mix of fun and humor that keeps players engaged, despite some concerns about repetitive gameplay.
- “It's quite addicting and can be funny at times.”
- “The game is funny as far as the students and what they be doing (pooping in the bushes if your bathrooms are too dirty lol) all in all it's a very good game and you will wonder what happened to those 2 hours you had when you first turned it on.”
- “I had some funny situations happen while I was playing so this game is great for fun and giggles.”
stability
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
82%
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting a generally bug-free experience, while others encounter various glitches and technical issues, particularly in its beta state. Many users acknowledge the presence of bugs, especially graphical ones, but express hope for improvements as the game develops. Overall, while some players find it enjoyable despite the glitches, others highlight the need for significant fixes to enhance stability.
- “Plays great, bug-free.”
- “The game so far is not buggy, and I had no lags. I hope that other people support this game for new content!”
- “Academia: School Simulator from developers Squeaky Wheel is an adorable simulator and relatively bug-free from the time I've played it.”
- “Not sure if it's just buggy, but I definitely find it ridiculous.”
- “Good game overall, but seriously, fix the glitches.”
- “However, the game is extremely lacking in content, and even basic things like zones are too buggy right now.”
optimization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly for many players, some experience performance drops, especially when scaling up with more students or placing large structures. Users have noted occasional stuttering during extensive building tasks, indicating that further optimization could enhance the experience. Despite these issues, the game remains stable and enjoyable for those who appreciate its strategic elements.
- “Nice little game, good performance, stable, very relaxed.”
- “Runs smoothly.”
- “The workers are considerably more responsive and though I feel they could still decide what their next task is more quickly, their performance at least means building even the basics of the school won't take a week in-game.”
- “Once you have everything unlocked and start adding more and more students, there are also some performance issues and the game speed slows down substantially.”
- “Better optimization of building, especially while placing down large amounts of, let's say, grass. When I place down a large area, I get a stutter for a second, and I have a previous-gen CPU (Ryzen 3600 @ 4.1GHz), which should be more than enough.”
- “The performance was okay, although my prison was quite small, and it was still dropping into the 30s on occasion, so I worry about how well it scales.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
The character development in the game is praised for its originality, featuring unique character designs and visually appealing sprites. Additionally, players appreciate the wide selection of randomly generated names and character designs, enhancing the customization experience.
- “The character design is original and the sprites are visually appealing.”
- “There's a wide selection of randomly generated names and character designs.”
- “The character development feels shallow, with a limited selection of random names and designs that don't allow for meaningful customization.”
- “I was disappointed by the lack of depth in character development; the options for names and designs are too random and uninspired.”
- “The game offers a wide selection of randomly generated names and character designs, but it ultimately lacks the depth needed for true character development.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be wholesome and engaging, likening it to a more heartfelt version of "Prison Architect." The slower pace allows for deeper managerial tasks, enhancing the overall emotional experience.
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express a desire for a dynamic school atmosphere that can be positively influenced by elements like plants and decorations, while negatively impacted by issues such as bullying and neglect. This suggests a need for a more interactive and responsive environment that reflects the social dynamics within the game.
- “I would like to have a feature that the school atmosphere could be improved with plants, posters, swings, etc., and maybe bullying, unclean places, and such could decrease it or something.”

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11h Median play time

12h Average play time

5-20h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 15 analyzed playthroughs

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