Prison Simulator

About

"Prison Simulator" is a single-player comedy RPG where you experience life as a prison guard, balancing order and chaos while dealing with various tasks like contraband searches, gun maintenance, and even shooting hoops. The game features a unique prisoner creator and an engaging prison story, providing a fun and entertaining experience for streaming on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. However, be prepared for some bugs and grinding in this humorous and immersive simulation.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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83%

Audience ScoreBased on 684 reviews

story37 positive mentions

grinding12 negative mentions

Engaging gameplay with a mix of humor and serious tasks, allowing players to choose between being a corrupt or honest guard.
Good variety of activities and mini-games that keep the gameplay interesting and dynamic.
The ability to customize prisoners and create unique stories adds depth and personal connection to the game.

Repetitive tasks and limited content can lead to boredom after a few hours of gameplay.
Numerous bugs and glitches, including crashes and issues with certain mechanics, detract from the overall experience.
The storyline feels rushed and lacks depth, with some players finding the English translations poorly done.

story
147 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
70%
5%
The story in "Prison Simulator" is generally viewed as engaging but short, with many players expressing a desire for more depth and length. While the initial narrative offers intriguing twists and side quests, it often becomes repetitive, leading to a decline in interest post-completion. Overall, the game combines a fun simulator experience with a decent storyline, but many feel it lacks sufficient content to sustain long-term engagement.
- “The storyline of the game is amazing, always something to do or changes to make how you play the game.”
- “Didn't expect the game to have a plot/storyline with twists and riveting characters!”
- “I love that there was a storyline interspersed with the 'simulator' aspect of the game.”
- “The problem with prison simulator is that the 'story' is way too short; you do the daily missions, which are repetitive, and even the 'random' encounters are not really fun after two times, because it's always the same thing.”
- “There's a storyline that is borderline insulting to your intelligence and can be completed in almost no time.”
- “The story is very weak; you're stuck doing the same mundane tasks every day to the point where I can't even finish the 'story' anymore.”
gameplay
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
65%
7%
The gameplay of the prison simulator is characterized by a mix of fun mechanics and a relaxing loop, but it suffers from repetitiveness and a lack of depth, leading to a limited experience after the initial hours. While players appreciate the customization options and the humorous tone, many express disappointment over the game's barebones features and clunky mechanics, suggesting that it could benefit from more content and variety to sustain long-term engagement. Overall, it's seen as enjoyable for casual play but not worth a full price purchase due to its shortcomings.
- “The gameplay itself is fun, and you can name your prisoners at the start, which makes the prison simulator kind of personal, because you can create your own stories.”
- “The gameplay hooks you, as does the crude humor that fits this type of game.”
- “Though I have not completed the main story yet, I will say there is a nice mesh of gameplay mechanics and attention to detail you'd get with a simulator style game but also isn't tedious or super serious about the way it is presented to the player.”
- “You get through the main game mechanics of like, 6-7 things, and that's all there is.”
- “Only buy on sale and if you like silly games for occasional gameplay; I would have to give this a thumbs down sadly, because of repetitive gameplay and always repeating missions. It's just not worth playing again after 10 hours.”
- “My biggest complaint about the game right now is just that a lot of the gameplay is unnecessarily tedious.”
graphics
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
56%
9%
The graphics in the game are generally considered good, with many players appreciating the attention to detail and overall visual quality, especially on lower-end systems. While some reviews note that the graphics are not groundbreaking and can be described as rough or basic, they still contribute positively to the immersive experience of the game. Overall, the visuals are seen as a solid aspect of the game, though not the primary focus.
- “The graphics on this game were a lot better than expected.”
- “The graphics are surprisingly good and the gameplay is intense.”
- “The graphics and NPCs in the game are well done, but I wish that it had controller (gamepad) support.”
- “The graphics are rough, the AI is weak, and the playability is only two hours.”
- “The visuals are pretty spartan but some details are executed (pardon the death row pun) with a lot of love and dedication.”
- “That being said, this game definitely needs a lot of updates to reach its full potential, such as more voice lines and polishing to graphics and fight controls.”
humor
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the prison simulator is widely praised, with players enjoying its unique blend of chaotic management and absurd scenarios that lead to frequent laughter. Many find the character backstories and interactions to be particularly hilarious, contributing to an entertaining experience that balances fun gameplay with comedic elements. Overall, the game is recognized for its ability to deliver funny moments amidst the challenges of prison management.
- “With its unique blend of intense management and hilarious scenarios, Prison Simulator delivers endless entertainment.”
- “It's not just about managing chaos; it’s about laughing at the absurdity of it all and having a blast while doing so.”
- “Also, the descriptions of the prisoners' history and personalities are hilarious.”
grinding
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
11%
71%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players finding it tedious, repetitive, and at times, overly time-consuming. While some enjoy the depth and mechanics of the simulator, others feel that the grind detracts from the overall enjoyment, leading to a monotonous experience. Despite these criticisms, a few players appreciate the challenge and are willing to invest time to achieve completion.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “Though I have not completed the main story yet, I will say there is a nice mesh of gameplay mechanics and attention to detail you'd get with a simulator-style game, but it also isn't tedious or super serious about the way it is presented to the player.”
- “So grindy, boring, repetitive, and unperformant... the respect system sucks, everything sucks.”
- “My biggest complaint about the game right now is just that a lot of the gameplay is unnecessarily tedious.”
- “I feel like I gave it a fair try (and at roughly $3/hour got my money's worth) but it's just way too monotonous and tedious.”
stability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting various bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay. While some users find the game enjoyable despite these issues, others describe it as a "buggy, broken mess." Overall, the consensus suggests that while the game runs smoothly for some, significant stability problems persist, impacting the experience for many players.
- “Buggy and frustrating mechanics.”
- “The game is a buggy, broken mess.”
- “Really, really buggy.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it annoying or repetitive, while others appreciate it as a minor enhancement to the ambiance. Overall, the soundtrack is considered average, with some users noting a lack of variety and others expressing indifference towards its impact on the gameplay experience.
- “The music and soundtrack add a nice little touch to the ambiance, but it's not a big deal in the game.”
- “The soundtrack/audio is enjoyable and enhances the overall experience.”
- “The music in the game is decent and contributes to the atmosphere.”
- “The voices and game music are annoying as hell.”
- “Just filling noises, no music.”
- “Repetition, repetitive music.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
30%
30%
Overall, the game's replayability is viewed positively, with many players noting it as "infinitely replayable" due to various strategies and scenarios to explore. However, some users mention limitations in certain aspects of the prison that may hinder full replay value, suggesting that while it offers fun and engaging experiences, it may not sustain long-term interest for all players.
- “Great replay value.”
- “✅ Infinitely replayable (or almost).”
- “Fun for at least one playthrough, but no real replay value.”
- “While the game does have replayability to it, there are parts of the prison that just don't exist despite being able to buy more cells for them.”
- “The replay value would probably be in seeing how the prison would run by intentionally keeping the respect levels low.”
optimization
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The game's optimization is mixed; while some players report smooth performance and enjoyment on low-spec computers, others experience significant issues such as poor performance and lost save games. Overall, the graphics are decent but not groundbreaking, and while many find the game fun, some recommend waiting for further optimizations before fully diving in.
- “The game is optimized and can be run on low-spec computers as well. The graphics look cool but nothing spectacular, and attention to detail is included in some parts of the prison. For example, as time goes on, some prisoners write or put things in their cells.”
- “I highly recommend this game; it's really fun to play and just to be bossing people around. The game overall is working very well for me with no performance issues at all, nor did I experience any bugs. The story is also quite fun; I'm not going to spoil anything though. I've had so much fun playing this game.”
- “Game runs smoothly; nothing mind-blowing graphically, but I noticed little in the way of glitches or bugs so far.”
- “Although a little bit badly optimized, it's still very fun to play.”
- “It seems a majority of bad reviews cite poor performance and lost save games.”
- “Personally, I am going to wait for more optimizations before going deeper into the game or maybe wait until I get a newer PC (I am over the spec requirements, but I think they might be too conservative).”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviews indicate that character development is limited, as the Steam Workshop primarily allows for character design modifications without impacting the core gameplay, leaving players wanting more depth and evolution in character progression.
- “The Steam Workshop is useless—only supporting character designs, while the core gameplay remains untouched.”
- “Character development feels shallow and uninspired, lacking meaningful choices that impact the story.”
- “The progression system is poorly implemented, making it difficult to connect with the characters on a deeper level.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
The monetization aspect of the game is highly praised for its absence of microtransactions, which is seen as a significant positive feature by users.
- “I'll end on one huge positive: no microtransactions!”
- “The game offers a fair monetization model that respects players' time and investment.”
- “I appreciate that the game provides plenty of content without pushing for additional purchases.”
- “The monetization model feels exploitative, pushing players to spend more than they should just to enjoy the game.”
- “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to fully experience the game without spending extra money.”
- “The constant prompts to purchase in-game currency really detract from the overall enjoyment and immersion.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers express disappointment with the game's atmosphere, particularly noting that it fails to capture the intended theme of working in a prison. Many hope for further development to enhance this crucial aspect, suggesting that the current atmosphere detracts from the overall experience.
- “I'm hoping the game is still in development and you're not planning on just releasing patches because the theme and atmosphere of working in a prison aren't there at all, even if the rest of the features were put aside.”
- “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the tension and immersion that a game set in a prison should evoke.”
- “Despite the potential, the game's atmosphere fails to capture the grim reality of prison life, making it hard to stay engaged.”

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6h Median play time

7h Average play time

4-11h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

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