Overcrowd: A Commute 'Em Up

About

"Overcrowd: A Commute 'Em Up" is a strategic management simulation game where you design and operate an underground train station. Optimize layouts, manage staff, deal with emergencies, and ensure passenger satisfaction amidst growing crowds. With procedural generation, each game presents unique challenges and opportunities.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

+30

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,008 reviews

gameplay100 positive mentions

optimization6 negative mentions

Challenging and engaging gameplay that requires strategic planning and management.
Charming pixel art style and animations that enhance the overall experience.
Frequent updates and active developer support, showing commitment to improving the game.

Steep learning curve that can be frustrating for new players, especially with unclear mechanics.
Limited building options, such as not being able to build on top of or below existing structures.
Micromanagement can become tedious, with staff AI sometimes failing to perform tasks efficiently.

gameplay
304 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
62%
5%
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its deep strategic elements and charming pixel art style, while others criticize its clunky UI, counter-intuitive mechanics, and frustrating bugs. While some find the management and simulation aspects engaging and addictive, others feel overwhelmed by the complexity and lack of clarity in tutorials, leading to a steep learning curve. Overall, the game offers a unique blend of tycoon and puzzle mechanics, but it requires patience and familiarity to fully enjoy its potential.
- “Balancing the needs of commuters, staff, and infrastructure, the game offers deep strategic gameplay with a delightful pixel art style.”
- “The gameplay is highly addictive and it strikes a really good balance between being challenging and rewarding.”
- “The game has nice graphics and an engaging gameplay which keeps you always busy doing something.”
- “It was an early indication of something I was going to continue to run into while playing, which were the numerous counter-intuitive gameplay elements.”
- “Gameplay is not well thought out, causing unnecessary frustration.”
- “Unfortunately, the gameplay depth is lacking in nearly every area.”
graphics
302 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
55%
1%
The graphics of "Overcrowd" are characterized by a charming pixel art style that many players find nostalgic and appealing, reminiscent of classic isometric games. While the visuals are generally praised for their cuteness and detail, some users report performance issues and limitations in graphical options, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these concerns, the art style effectively complements the game's strategic gameplay, making it enjoyable for fans of management sims.
- “Balancing the needs of commuters, staff, and infrastructure, the game offers deep strategic gameplay with a delightful pixel art style.”
- “The graphics are charming, the soundtrack is great, and the gameplay is engrossing and challenging.”
- “Overcrowd: a commute 'em up is a top-tier tycoon/sim/management game with some of the best pixel art I've seen in easily over a decade.”
- “I also note trying to change the display is next to impossible and leads to some weird graphical hang-ups.”
- “I have 32GB RAM, RX 570 graphics card, and Ryzen 5 3600 6 core processor, and even on minimum graphics (which is totally fine for a game like this) performance gets very slow and jumpy once you build enough to open 2 platforms, and that's when it's unplayable.”
- “Graphics look unfinished; it's definitely not for people who are looking for more of a casual simulation game; this is more of a challenging strategic one.”
music
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
44%
17%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its catchy and nostalgic qualities, particularly the 8-bit and chip tune styles, while others find it repetitive or lacking. Many players appreciate the soundtrack's fit with the game's aesthetic, though some recommend muting it in favor of personal playlists due to issues with sound effects and voiceovers. Overall, the music is seen as a highlight for many, contributing positively to the game's charm and engagement.
- “The graphics are charming, the soundtrack is great, and the gameplay is engrossing and challenging.”
- “Absolutely love the colorful, chunky retro-pixel look coupled with an infectious MIDI soundtrack.”
- “Each song is a bop -- for real -- I listen to them for hours.”
- “Music is choppy, voiceover/sound effects sound like they were done on a low quality microphone, many of the sound effects sound like royalty free junk.”
- “Cons: the music, sound effects, and voiceovers are abysmal.”
- “I recommend to mute the music and to put on some lofi or chill playlists in the background.”
story
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
84%
5%
The game's story aspect is minimal, with many players expressing a desire for a more developed campaign mode that offers a sense of progression beyond the brief tutorial missions. While some missions provide a bit of personality and unique challenges, the overall narrative is lacking, leading to a sentiment that players seeking a rich story should look elsewhere. The gameplay focuses more on management mechanics and procedural generation rather than a cohesive storyline.
- “There was a little more personality there, from the individual doctors and patients, the storyline, and the different feel of each level/hospital.”
- “Good story mode, good tutorial.”
- “Also, I love the backstory on how the game dev got his inspiration from!”
- “The one thing I wish for is a campaign mode, something with a storyline that maybe extends the tutorial a bit so you have more of a sense of progression.”
- “☑ If you want story, then go read a book.”
- “☑ No story.”
replayability
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
63%
7%
Overall, the game exhibits high replayability due to its procedurally generated levels and varied challenges, allowing players to continually improve without relying on memorization. While some users noted a decline in replay value after unlocking the full tech tree, many praised the game's depth and the potential for future content expansion. The combination of random maps, daily challenges, and strategic gameplay contributes to a robust replay experience, particularly for those who enjoy tycoon and management genres.
- “Each level is procedurally generated, too, so the replayability is very high and you'll always be able to push yourself to get better without just memorizing the 'pattern' of progression needed to beat a scenario.”
- “The multi-level Minecraft-looking terrain can take a few hours to wrap your head around, and then the multiple interlocking systems even more so, but once it all clicks it's an endlessly replayable puzzler, more about strategy than aesthetics, and frankly just the kind of challenge I've been looking for in a sim of any kind lately.”
- “I've restarted a few times because the game's quite hard, and the levels are randomly generated, so there's different challenges and replay value to be had every time you restart.”
- “Limited replayability as it stands now, but maybe things will expand.”
- “I found replayability to suffer once I unlocked the entire tech tree, but in my opinion, it's got a very good price point which reflects that.”
- “This drastically reduces the replay value and I can't really find the heart to finish the whole campaign since every map ends up feeling the same.”
optimization
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
72%
17%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with players reporting significant performance issues, especially when managing large stations. Many users experience lag and slowdowns even on high-end systems, indicating poor memory optimization and a need for substantial improvements to make the game enjoyable in later stages. While the gameplay is engaging, the current optimization problems hinder the overall experience, leading to frustration among players.
- “Play this if you like sandbox type games where optimization is key and where you'll break a sweat trying to balance everything at once!”
- “The game is also rewarding; it's fulfilling to see the whole station run smoothly.”
- “Fun little management sim if you like optimization problems.”
- “The optimization is an absolute disaster; I played this for 5 minutes on my normal PC, which I also use for CS:GO and Cities: Skylines.”
- “I have 32GB RAM, RX 570 graphics card, and Ryzen 5 3600 6-core processor, and even on minimum graphics (which is totally fine for a game like this), performance gets very slow and jumpy once you build enough to open 2 platforms, and that's when it's unplayable.”
- “Some heavy performance improvements are necessary before the game can really be playable.”
stability
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
94%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players noting it as a "buggy mess" plagued by various glitches, particularly in NPC movements and gameplay mechanics. While some users report minor issues that don't significantly hinder their experience, others express frustration with the game's frequent bugs and a confusing tutorial. However, there is a consensus that the game is improving with regular updates, especially for those who appreciate its early access development phase.
- “Updates come regularly and it's mostly bug-free on my rig.”
- “Tldr, the game is a buggy mess and the tutorial is very difficult to follow.”
- “Originally fairly buggy with NPC movements (which is the core mechanic of the game), I found this game frustrating.”
- “As it loads, the game freezes and I have to force it to close.”
grinding
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
11%
86%
Reviews indicate that while the game offers a unique and challenging experience, the grinding aspect can often feel tedious and frustrating, particularly when managing staff and resources. Players note that the need to grind for in-game days to progress can detract from the overall enjoyment, although some appreciate the balance of challenge and reward. Overall, the micromanagement elements can be overwhelming at times, leading to a mixed reception regarding the grinding experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “It is also definitely too hard even on easy. Once you get the basics, you're grinding for several in-game days simply to afford a new staff member, as the first two are too busy grabbing rubbish 24/7 to do anything else. I lost a scenario because I couldn't address other issues and my reputation nosedived, very frustrating.”
- “Overall, everything is very tedious.”
- “The gameplay is occasionally fun, but more often tedious.”
humor
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its humor, featuring whimsical graphics and amusing sound bites that enhance the experience. Players appreciate the blend of challenging gameplay with comedic elements, such as the absurdity of blind characters complimenting station aesthetics. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted touch to the strategic and often intense gameplay, making it enjoyable for fans of tycoon games.
- “Don't let the simple, cartoon-like (but still utterly wonderful!) graphics and many humorous touches fool you, this game is a real challenge!”
- “With simple but adorable artwork - and some questionable, often hilarious, sound bytes - your station comes alive; as you struggle to manage the various demands of your commuters, while balancing the books.”
- “I loved the isometric view, the dry humor and the way of leveling and then going back to fix earlier stations with your newfound upgrades.”
monetization
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is heavily reliant on advertisements, which are both a significant source of income and a source of frustration due to their confusing implementation in the menu. Players find that while advertising can be a lucrative strategy, it often clashes with customer satisfaction, leading to a challenging balance between profit and player experience. Overall, mastering the monetization system can be rewarding, but it requires navigating a convoluted interface and managing competing priorities.
- “Having to deal with advertising and profit rates, when you also have to deal with customer satisfaction is frustrating.”
- “The winning strategy is to plaster your underground with ads, which would be okay if not for the next point.”
- “It's tough at first, but it's oh so satisfying once everything runs like clockwork, and your perfectly designed maze of advertisements and shops drains every last penny from the commuter cattle that flocks into your station every day.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
The game's atmosphere is generally described as laidback and chill, with appealing artwork that evokes a sense of nostalgia reminiscent of "Theme Hospital." However, some players feel that the atmosphere lacks a gradual progression towards busyness, which could enhance the experience. Overall, the vibe is appreciated for its relaxing qualities.
- “It's a neat little game with a chill atmosphere.”
- “So overall, I really enjoy the laidback atmosphere of the game, the nice artwork, and the overall vibe.”
- “I understand this game is supposed to give a commuter atmosphere, but this is just a game.”
- “There should be a gradual busy atmosphere as you progress through the game.”
- “The atmosphere has a familiar feel and reminds me of Theme Hospital.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its wholesome and engaging approach to mass transit management, where players navigate isometric puzzles in a stress-free environment. The design encourages a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment without the pressure of overcrowding, fostering a positive emotional experience.