Hollywood Animal

About

Hollywood Animal is a single player strategy game. It was developed by Weappy Wholesome and was released on April 10, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Roadmap About the GameBuild exactly the studio you want In Hollywood Animal, you can decide to build a multi-billion-dollar monster that destroys everything in its path, with blockbusters made strictly according to formulas. But this is far from your only option. You might instead create a boutique studio, and conquer the festivals with avant-garde directors. You could build a trash factor…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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80%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,406 reviews

gameplay91 positive mentions

stability101 negative mentions

The game offers a unique and engaging experience, blending management simulation with the dark and gritty aspects of Hollywood's history.
The art style and music are beautifully crafted, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the gameplay.
The developers are actively updating the game, addressing bugs and implementing community feedback, showing a commitment to improving the overall experience.

The game suffers from significant balance issues, making it difficult for players to progress without following specific strategies or guides.
There are numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including crashes and unresponsive UI elements.
The early game can feel repetitive and tedious, with a lack of variety in events and scripted scenarios that diminish replayability.

gameplay
336 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
68%
5%
The gameplay of this title is characterized by its deep and engaging mechanics, allowing players to manage various aspects of a film studio, from production to marketing. While many reviewers appreciate the addictive gameplay loop and the unique thematic elements, they also highlight issues such as unbalanced mechanics, bugs, and a lack of clarity in tutorials that can hinder the overall experience. Despite these flaws, the game shows significant potential for growth and improvement as it continues to develop.
- “It's truly like an interactive movie about making movies, so in my book this qualifies these lines of code with its stylish graphics and amazing music and its complex and multi-layered gameplay to be more than 'just' a video game: it's art and it's a ton of fun!”
- “The gameplay loop is creative and engaging, and there's something satisfying about building your empire and managing different elements of production.”
- “The gameplay feels fresh and innovative, with enough depth to keep me hooked.”
- “The current implementation of tech trees puts undue limitations on the game that significantly hamper gameplay.”
- “Unfortunately, despite the impressive art direction and overall vision this game sets out to achieve, it is way too complex with far too many spinning game-mechanic plates that playing it is completely overwhelming and confusing.”
- “While the gameplay can feel repetitive at times (and especially in the early development of the game), this has been shifting more as the game has been improved.”
story
204 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
80%
2%
The game's story is a rich blend of historical context and creative storytelling, immersing players in the intricacies of movie studio management during Hollywood's golden age. While many players appreciate the well-written narratives and engaging quests, there are calls for more dynamic story elements and less restrictive mechanics, as some feel the current structure limits creativity and leads to repetitive gameplay. Overall, the potential for deeper storytelling and player agency is recognized, with hopes for future updates to enhance the narrative experience.
- “The story is well-written and delightfully controversial in ways that only Golden Age Hollywood can be.”
- “The ongoing story of the golden age of Hollywood and the studio system and the dark side to much of what went on is a great flavor to what is a great movie tycoon/sandbox game.”
- “The game offers a rich narrative experience, allowing players to make choices that influence both the studio's success and the broader storyline.”
- “It's frustrating that if you've unlocked all story elements available to you at that point in the game, the game doesn't tell you, and any researching you do will not give you anything, no matter the chance.”
- “The research trees are not fun in their current state; they take way too long to do basic things such as the story/movie topics you're allowed to pick. It doesn't feel rewarding in any way; they are just gatekeepers for basic functions that kill any fun to be had.”
- “The game is currently only act 1, and it tails off in some story content way before the act is done.”
stability
105 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
96%
The game is currently plagued by numerous bugs, including crashes, freezes, and gameplay-breaking glitches, making it a frustrating experience for many players. While some users express optimism about the developers' commitment to fixing these issues through regular updates, the overall consensus is that the game remains unstable and unpolished in its early access state. Players are advised to save frequently and be prepared for a challenging and often interrupted gameplay experience.
- “Hopefully I don't regret saying this, but I believe by the time the game is ready to launch v1.0, it will be running smoothly and mostly bug-free.”
- “I haven't encountered any bugs in the short time I've played it; it runs great on Steam Deck and looks quite nice.”
- “Runs great on Linux, Cachyos.”
- “Don't buy in early access, though - currently a buggy mess that hard crashes constantly.”
- “Performance drops, game-breaking glitches heavily pollute the game.”
- “The game is incredibly buggy and lacks content.”
graphics
83 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
50%
4%
The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their unique art style, beautiful animations, and immersive aesthetic that effectively captures the essence of Hollywood's golden age. While many players appreciate the visual design and smooth performance, some have noted minor graphical bugs and a lack of customization options. Overall, the artwork and UI are considered standout features, contributing significantly to the game's charm and atmosphere.
- “It's truly like an interactive movie about making movies, so in my book this qualifies these lines of code with its stylish graphics and amazing music and complex, multi-layered gameplay to be more than 'just' a video game: it's art and it's a ton of fun!”
- “The art style is amazing, the music is fantastic, the writing - for the events and info - is actually pretty good, and the UI/UX is crisp.”
- “The art style, the animations, and the HUD are absolutely perfect.”
- “The graphics are fine though seemingly locked to 60fps as if it's a console game.”
- “There are no graphic settings other than resolution, and very few options for anything else aside from volume control.”
- “Whilst aesthetically pleasing, it's sluggish, poorly designed, full of dead-ends and annoyingly slow animations - making the game feel frustrating and even boring to play.”
music
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
51%
5%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers praising its fitting and soothing nature. While some players noted issues with volume levels and repetitive tracks, the majority found the soundtrack to be a standout feature that complements the game's artistic style and narrative. Overall, the music is described as beautiful, engaging, and integral to the immersive experience of the game.
- “The art style is amazing, the music is fantastic, the writing - for the events and info - is actually pretty good, the UI/UX is crisp.”
- “Fantastic game with beautiful artwork and soundtrack.”
- “Absolutely superb in every way, the vibes, the entertaining story, the music!”
- “The background sound/music is a bit low; I would need it to be patched since I maxed it in settings and still need my external speakers to decently enjoy it from my default PC speakers.”
- “Please, please, give me the option to shut it off or give me period-accurate music, but I always find myself clicking on everything as fast as I can just to beat the horrible song before it plays.”
- “I find the music repetitive and distracting.”
monetization
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
3%
95%
The monetization aspect of the game has received significant criticism for its complexity and lack of clarity, particularly regarding the advertising system, which many players find frustrating and poorly explained. Players are often locked out of essential advertising features due to unclear tech requirements and must navigate a convoluted process that can lead to financial losses, making it difficult to achieve success. While there are no microtransactions, the overall balance and pacing of the monetization mechanics need improvement to enhance the gameplay experience.
- “There are 0 microtransactions and additional fees.”
- “The advertising system - nobody knows how the hell this thing works (even the guides online don't net proper kinomark scores) and it doesn't tell you anything at all; it seems to be just really random. I implore the developers to fix this system because it *actually* sucks.”
- “Some ads are clearly meant for specific audiences (like 'for men' or 'for adults'), but there’s no label, filter, or targeting system in place, making ad planning feel random, ineffective, and disconnected from your actual marketing strategy.”
- “Advertising is really stupidly done; you have to guess based on nothing, which is not fun.”
grinding
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
97%
The reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game is a significant drawback, with players finding repetitive tasks, tedious animations, and excessive micro-management to be monotonous and frustrating. Many express a desire for quality-of-life improvements, such as the ability to fast-forward through animations and skip unskippable tutorials, which contribute to the overall feeling of tedium. While some see potential in the game's foundation, the current grind-heavy experience detracts from enjoyment and engagement.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The research tree is a sprawling, tedious, and uninspired grind (landscaping needs research? really? hiring a maintenance crew needs research?).”
- “You always click the same boxes to make a movie, you pick the same heads, you do the same contract negotiation over and over, it gets really tedious after a while and the shady business side of the game is buggy and useless.”
- “This progression should work differently in my opinion; you're basically grinding for hours (at the beginning of the game!) before you can make good films.”
replayability
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
59%
12%
The reviews indicate a mixed perception of replayability in the game, with some players expressing significant concerns due to scripted events and a lack of sandbox options, which limit replay value. However, others appreciate the depth and potential for varied gameplay through specialization and policy paths, suggesting that future updates could enhance replayability. Overall, while some find it enjoyable with decent replay potential, many feel it currently falls short, particularly in its early access state.
- “A lot of subtlety - very replayable.”
- “The mechanics are slightly repetitive but very enjoyable and it has a surprising amount of replayability for a tycoon game.”
- “There's a lot of options and paths that you can take, a great potential for replayability.”
- “However, they kill the replayability of the game.”
- “The game also starts with a scripted sequence and doesn't have a sandbox option, so it offers no replayability, which is a horrible choice for this kind of game.”
- “Currently, the game goes only in one direction: heavily scripted, and as such, it has very low replay value.”
atmosphere
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
22%
11%
The atmosphere of "Hollywood Animal" is widely praised for its immersive and authentic representation of 1930s and 1940s Hollywood, featuring detailed art styling, engaging sound design, and a humorous yet cynical tone. Players appreciate the game's ability to capture the era's essence, making it a compelling experience for those interested in film history. Despite some rough edges, the overall ambiance and thematic depth contribute significantly to its appeal.
- “The overall feel and atmosphere is perfect--they nailed the era-specific details and seedy underbelly of 1930s Hollywood.”
- “They have really nailed down the feel of being a 1920s film director, and the atmosphere and characters, as well as the art style that brings all that to life, is absolutely flawless.”
- “Incredible atmosphere, music, UI, and sound design.”
- “I really like the feel, atmosphere and potential of what this could be ...but the balance issues combined with the frustration of not being able to fire dead weight ...just won't let me give this a thumb's up.”
- “I wouldn't recommend playing it now, but it's incredibly fun right now, at least if you value an immersive, historical, hilarious and cynical atmosphere.”
- “If you played and enjoyed This Is the Police, this game has the same vibes: same art style, fairly simple but terribly effective, and the same very dark atmosphere, and it works so well.”
humor
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in "Hollywood Animal" is a standout feature, characterized by its dark and satirical take on the film industry, with players finding amusement in absurd situations like hiring problematic employees and the irony of producing poorly received films that still rake in profits. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke laughter through its quirky bugs and unexpected outcomes, creating a comedic atmosphere that enhances the overall experience, despite some rough edges and pacing issues. Overall, the game's blend of humor and immersive gameplay keeps players engaged and entertained, making it a memorable experience.
- “The fact that you can't fire screenwriters after hiring them and you can accidentally drive yourself to bankruptcy paying for employees you don't want is hilarious.”
- “I have enjoyed every minute of gameplay and in some cases pissed myself laughing with some of the situations that come up.”
- “The content is fun and I love how unhinged it is; having a set dilemma where the director wants to burn a horse alive is really funny and I want to see more.”
optimization
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
68%
16%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with players reporting significant performance drops, game-breaking glitches, and various visual bugs that detract from the experience. While some users have managed to play without major issues, the overall consensus is that the game requires substantial improvements in stability and performance, particularly regarding loading times and UI responsiveness. Many players express hope for future updates to address these optimization concerns.
- “For example, if there were certain traits assigned to characters, that could make them more suitable to play a determined role and increase the performance.”
- “I haven't encountered a single crash or softlock or game-breaking bug in my 20+ hour playthroughs, so I'd say the user experience is solid too, besides performance issues.”
- “I haven’t had any performance issues and the game itself is one of those where you sit down to play for 30 minutes and then realize it’s actually been 3 hours.”
- “Performance drops and game-breaking glitches heavily pollute the game.”
- “This game is way too unoptimized right now.”
- “It does have visual glitches and bugs, misspellings, menus and windows not properly wanting to open/close, stuttering, long loading screens especially when you have 15+ save files, soft locks with small parts being broken for the rest of playthroughs.”
emotional
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while some players appreciate the wholesome elements and moments of genuine impact, such as a poignant character death, others feel a lack of investment in the characters diminishes the overall emotional experience. The jarring contrast between deep emotional moments and the game's upbeat music further detracts from the intended emotional resonance. Overall, players express a desire for a stronger emotional connection to enhance their experience.
- “One death that really hurt emotionally: a staff member who went on leave early in the game, for whom I even wrote several tailor-made scripts, ended up committing suicide just a few years later.”
- “The first bankruptcy was heart breaking.”
- “As much as I want to love Hollywood Animal, there’s a core piece missing: the reward and emotional connection you should get after producing a movie.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Reviewers express concern that the game's character development may be lacking if the developers do not prioritize it before progressing to Act 2, suggesting that the depth and growth of individual characters are crucial for a positive reception.
- “The character development in this game is incredibly rich and engaging, making each character feel unique and relatable.”
- “I love how the game allows for deep character growth, with choices that genuinely impact their personalities and relationships.”
- “The way characters evolve throughout the story adds so much depth to the gameplay experience, making me invested in their journeys.”
- “If they do not concentrate their efforts on individual character development before they start the work on Act 2, my opinion might change.”
- “The characters feel one-dimensional and lack meaningful growth throughout the story.”
- “I was disappointed by how little the characters evolved; their arcs felt rushed and unfulfilling.”