Concrete Jungle
- September 3, 2015
- ColePowered
- 10h median play time
Concrete Jungle is a city-building/puzzle game where players manage and design a thriving city. Place buildings to optimize resources and meet various objectives, creating a bustling, efficient metropolis. The unique card-based system and challenging gameplay will test your urban planning skills in a fun and engaging way.
Reviews
- Unique blend of deck-building and city-building mechanics that offers deep strategic gameplay.
- Charming art style and engaging voice acting that enhance the overall experience.
- Challenging yet rewarding gameplay with a variety of characters and cards to unlock.
- Not a traditional city builder; may disappoint players expecting a more conventional city management experience.
- AI can sometimes feel unbalanced, leading to frustrating moments in versus mode.
- Lack of online multiplayer limits competitive play to local hotseat only.
- gameplay102 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Concrete Jungle is characterized by a unique blend of deck-building, city planning, and strategic puzzle mechanics, offering both casual enjoyment and deep strategic depth. While the game features charming characters and visuals, it is often criticized for its reliance on luck and a steep learning curve due to complex mechanics. Overall, players appreciate the engaging and nuanced gameplay, though some find it frustratingly difficult at times.
“Concrete Jungle is a fun and whimsical city planning game that uses deck-building and strategic puzzle gameplay to great effect.”
“The gameplay itself is extremely nuanced, especially because the same set of cards are used in a few very different gameplay modes.”
“Concrete Jungle takes the wonderful city-building/puzzler formula of ColePowered Games' Megacity and improves upon/expands it with beautiful art direction; charming, funny, well-voiced characters; simple, yet challenging gameplay; and a great progression system with lots of unlockables.”
“The game lacks a consistent vision of what the gameplay should be.”
“This results in extremely luck-based gameplay, even for a deck-building CCG.”
“It may be more enjoyable if you didn't have to struggle for hours on end trying to understand how each mechanic works and how to actually play strategically.”
- story47 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally described as charming and light-hearted, featuring amusing characters and a humorous narrative that complements the gameplay. While some players find the story engaging and a nice addition to the overall experience, others consider it average or a distraction from the main board game mechanics. Overall, the campaign offers a fun, albeit simple, storyline that enhances the gameplay without being overly complex or essential.
“The campaign is engaging, with a decently entertaining backstory that pushes it along.”
“The banter between characters feels natural and spirited, and the comfortable progression of the missions introduces the player to a series of complex gameplay elements with casual charm.”
“It's fun, it has cute art, and amusing writing to its little story.”
“The mixed side is that gameplay is highly subject to the random nature of card draws, and the 'story' such as it is, is mostly a distraction.”
“My last complaint is that there is too much story for a 'puzzle' game.”
“[*]characters talk way too much before each mission in campaign - even skipping dialogs is tedious.”
- graphics32 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their gorgeous art style, charming characters, and vibrant visuals, contributing to an engaging and enjoyable experience. While some players noted minor issues with map clarity and mixed quality in certain areas, the overall aesthetic is considered appealing and well-suited for the game's puzzle mechanics. The combination of pleasant graphics and a relaxing soundtrack enhances the gameplay, making it a standout feature for many reviewers.
“Gorgeous art style and charming characters combine to make a game that you can play for hours and hours and hours.”
“The graphics are great, the voice acting and storyline extremely humorous, and the music is relaxing.”
“The visuals are bright and charming and the music is a soothing backdrop for thoughtful play.”
“The audio and visuals are over the top for a game like this.”
“That said, quality is mixed; some areas are well polished, and others less so, but you don't buy a puzzle game for graphics, right?”
“I really hope the developers will think of a sequel with even more content (cards, characters) and, why not, some more graphical variety.”
- humor22 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its originality and charm, featuring well-voiced characters and laugh-out-loud moments that enhance the campaign experience. Players appreciate the lighthearted, quirky writing and the integration of humor into the gameplay, making it both entertaining and engaging. While some feel the humor may not always match the expectations set by promotional materials, it consistently adds depth and enjoyment to the overall experience.
“Such a shame the campaign only consists of 14 levels - yet it tells a funny story with comical characters!”
“The icing on the cake is the plentiful humor, which, unlike the so-called 'jokes' in a lot of games these days, is actually original and charming, not just a bunch of hackneyed pop-culture references.”
“Some of the lines are delivered so perfectly that the humor is laugh-out-loud funny and few games deliver that, especially strategy ones.”
- music19 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 16 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers noting its relaxing and fitting nature alongside the engaging voice acting. The soundtrack complements the charming visuals and gameplay, creating a pleasant atmosphere that supports the game's mechanics and narrative. While some feel the music occasionally takes a backseat to ambient sounds, it remains a highlight for most players, contributing to a captivating and enjoyable gaming experience.
“The graphics are pleasant, the music is good, and it's got relatively compelling gameplay.”
“Great story, soundtrack, and amazing yet unique gameplay.”
“The visuals are bright and charming and the music is a soothing backdrop for thoughtful play.”
“Music takes a backseat to the ambient sounds, but that's okay.”
“Decent ambient sound, but the highlight is the soundtrack.”
“The visuals are bright and charming, and the music is a soothing backdrop for thoughtful play.”
- replayability14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag. While some players appreciate the variety of characters, deck-building options, and different game modes that enhance replayability, others feel limited by a lack of online multiplayer and a short campaign. The consensus suggests that while there are enjoyable elements that encourage replay, the depth and community engagement may not sustain long-term interest for all players.
“There's a good campaign in here where you unlock 8 different characters, each playing differently, and support a robust and replayable collection of solo and vs modes.”
“The combinations of starting hands, player characters, and deck building with random cards give this a lot of replayability.”
“The many different characters and huge variety of buildings available allow for a high level of replayability in a hugely entertaining game.”
“The depth is limited, and the replayability then too.”
“There is a small amount of replayability, but when you have beaten the hardest AI every time and the community is small, you run out of replayability.”
“While the campaign mode is very fun, it takes its time building up steam to the point where it's a real challenge, and once it ends, there's not much replayability in the game.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to the randomness of missions and excessive dialogue before each mission, which can detract from the overall experience. While the game improves after the initial grinding phase, the early levels are often seen as a chore.
“However, the campaign gets tedious because of the randomness and how some missions are structured.”
“Characters talk way too much before each mission in the campaign - even skipping dialogues is tedious.”
“A great game after the first few missions, but the grinding at the beginning and the very simple concepts can be frustrating.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is consistently well-crafted, featuring a bug-free experience and a welcoming tone. The campaign is enhanced by a well-written and well-voiced cast of characters, who develop into relatable companions, reminiscent of beloved sitcom personalities.
“There are no bugs as far as I can tell, and a consistent atmosphere and presentation.”
“The campaign perpetuates this welcoming atmosphere with a well-written and surprisingly well-voiced cast of characters who, like good sitcom personalities, begin to feel like friends of the player.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates solid optimization, running smoothly even on lower-end hardware, though players may experience initial stuttering as they familiarize themselves with the cards and characters.
“Other than that, I find the game very nice and it runs smoothly even on the worst laptops.”
“The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during crucial moments.”
“Despite the interesting mechanics, the lack of proper optimization makes it frustrating to play, as the game often lags and crashes.”
“The optimization feels rushed, resulting in a game that is visually appealing but performs poorly on even high-end systems.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its cute and wholesome story, featuring a diverse cast that promotes inclusivity and avoids discrimination, contributing to a heartfelt emotional experience for players.
“The game beautifully weaves a heartfelt story that resonates deeply with players, showcasing a diverse and wholesome cast.”
“Every character's journey is filled with emotional depth, making it impossible not to feel connected to their struggles and triumphs.”
“The narrative evokes a range of emotions, from joy to sadness, leaving a lasting impact long after the game is over.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 200 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game is well-received, as players appreciate the absence of microtransactions despite the presence of cards and decks.
“The monetization model is fair and doesn't pressure you to spend money to enjoy the game.”
“I appreciate that the game offers plenty of free content without locking essential features behind a paywall.”
“I was hesitant when I saw talk of cards and decks, but there's no microtransactions or anything like that.”