Alcatraz Builder
- October 24, 2014
- Little World Studio
Get on SteamIn Monument Builders: Alcatraz, oversee the construction of the most famous prison in the United States, while learning many other anecdotes along the way! Help contractor Lloyd Andrews gather the resources needed to complete work on the prison. Manage your workers skillfully to finish the levels in time, while repelling attacks from Call Palone's hired thugs as they try to send your project to …
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Reviews
- The game is a light and casual experience, making it suitable for players looking for a fun way to pass the time.
- It features interesting historical anecdotes about Alcatraz, adding an educational element to the gameplay.
- The gameplay is straightforward and easy to learn, making it accessible for younger audiences or casual gamers.
- The game quickly becomes repetitive, with missions feeling similar and lacking variety after the initial levels.
- It suffers from a pay-to-win mechanic, where players are often required to use in-game gems to achieve higher star ratings, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
- There are no achievements or significant rewards, leading to a sense of unfulfillment and lack of motivation to continue playing.
- story12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's story starts off with potential but quickly becomes repetitive and uninspired, with players noting that missions lack variety and creativity. Many find the narrative derivative and forgettable, leading to a monotonous experience after just a few levels. Overall, the quest-based structure fails to maintain interest, resulting in a disappointing storytelling experience.
“The story and the facts about Alcatraz are alright.”
“Missions are quest-based.”
“After you played ten missions, you have seen all fifty.”
“It starts out interesting, but quickly loses the player's interest with repetitive missions which are near impossible to get to 3 stars without using the special bonuses bought with gems.”
“The monopoly knock-off mission giver and the whole storyline is all rather derivative and forgettable.”
“Got really monotonous after level 10, nothing new, recycled missions.”
- gameplay10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Alcatraz Builder is primarily a repetitive clicker experience, lacking the depth of traditional builder games, which may disappoint players expecting more complex mechanics. While it offers a straightforward task of directing workers to complete objectives within a time limit, the overall challenge is minimal, and the game feels like a mobile port with pay-to-win elements. For those seeking a casual experience, the game provides ample time to complete levels, but striving for perfection can enhance engagement.
“Gameplay is pretty standard; direct workers to build, repair and collect resources while removing obstacles as you rush to beat the clock and earn a 3-star rating for each level.”
“If you're not interested in the drive for perfection and want to play more casually, you're given more than enough time to finish with 2 or less stars, but going for all three is where the gameplay is most engaging.”
“Smooth gameplay.”
“Alcatraz Builder is not a builder game per se, and I think it is important to highlight it right away so you don't get disappointed like I did, expecting some kind of building mechanics.”
“Gameplay is very repetitive after the first few levels.”
“As much as I don't want to dislike this game, as many people have pointed out, this appears to be a mobile port with the wrong sort of pay-to-win mechanics involved.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics are considered acceptable, capable of running on older hardware, including a seven-year-old notebook with a dedicated graphics card. While functional, they are described as outdated, and some users noted clunky controls and an unusual cheat system.
“The graphics are quite good and will even run on a 7-year-old notebook with a dedicated graphics card.”
“The graphics are old but work, the controls are a little clunky, and the cheat system is odd.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is characterized by upbeat, cheerful keyboard pop that perfectly complements its lighthearted atmosphere, often eliciting smiles from players. Overall, the background music enhances the game's joyful mood and aligns well with its visual aesthetic.
“Background music made me smile on numerous occasions; it's exactly how you'd think it would be when looking at pictures.”
“It's perfect for this game; it captures the lightweight mood of the game with overly happy keyboard pop music.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find grinding in the game to be a mixed experience; while gems can be easily farmed without spending money, the overall process is often described as tedious and unfulfilling, largely due to remnants of a pay-to-win system.
“3/10: Click-priority time-management is tedious and unfulfilling; destroyed by remnants of a pay-to-win system from mobile.”
“Tedious.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy is heavily criticized for its reliance on micromanagement and microtransactions, which seem designed to encourage spending rather than providing genuine gameplay enjoyment. Players feel that the removal of meaningful rewards and the presence of ads detracts from the experience, leaving them with a sense of frustration rather than satisfaction.
“The game offers a fair balance between free content and optional microtransactions, allowing players to enjoy the experience without feeling pressured to spend.”
“I appreciate that the monetization system is transparent and doesn't hinder gameplay; you can progress without spending money if you choose.”
“The microtransactions are purely optional and don't affect the overall enjoyment of the game, making it accessible for everyone.”
“An exceedingly huge amount of micromanagement is needed to do even simple tasks; there are clearly pitfalls designed to bait you into spending on microtransactions to automate things.”
“It feels like the game is designed to be purchased through microtransactions, but instead of actually buying items, you just receive them, which takes away the fun.”
“They gutted the free bonus section. You can see ads for other monument builder games, but they yield no reward. The rest of the buttons are unlocked later as a reward, but all they do is show you some concept art and some in-game historical fluff text about Alcatraz that you collect by beating levels.”
