Prison Tycoon: Under New Management

About

"Prison Tycoon: Under New Management" is a prison management simulator where players oversee prison operations, balance budgets, and ensure inmate welfare. The game features new challenges and improved systems for building, training staff, and preventing riots. Players must maintain security and order, while also providing rehabilitation programs for inmates in their care.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Prison Tycoon: Under New Management screenshot

60%

Audience ScoreBased on 103 reviews

graphics4 positive mentions

stability6 negative mentions

The game features a vibrant and cartoonish art style that is visually appealing.
It offers a humorous take on prison management, with fun therapy options and the ability to record custom PA announcements.
The game has potential for enjoyable gameplay, especially for fans of simulation and management genres.

The game suffers from numerous bugs and performance issues, including freezing and lag, especially with larger prisons.
Gameplay becomes repetitive and lacks depth, with limited building options and a tedious cleaning mechanic.
The AI for both prisoners and staff is poorly implemented, leading to frustrating experiences with escapes and maintenance tasks.

gameplay
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
Gameplay reviews highlight significant frustrations due to numerous bugs that disrupt mechanics and create a sense of randomness, leading to a lack of control and enjoyment. While some players appreciate the familiar building and management aspects reminiscent of titles like "Two Point Hospital," others criticize the clunky mechanics and shallow depth of gameplay elements. Overall, the experience is described as lacking longevity and depth, with mixed feelings about the ease of play and recent updates.
- “Fans of the genre will be right at home with most of the game’s building and management aspects, with familiar mechanics, controls, and UI features.”
- “The gameplay is more like Two Point Hospital than Prison Architect, but it gives you a lot of freedom to build and do weird stuff.”
- “The mechanics are easy and soft; it's not hard to play.”
- “The game mechanics here are not what was advertised.”
- “There are a lot of bugs in this game, which makes the gameplay very frustrating. Players can get stuck, events seem completely random, and you feel like you have no control over anything, which takes out all the fun in the gameplay.”
- “The building mechanics are extremely clunky and frustrating.”
graphics
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
36%
27%
The graphics of the game are generally described as vibrant and cartoonish, reminiscent of the Two Point series, with a simple yet appealing 3D art style. However, some users noted the presence of glitches and limitations in the visual presentation, suggesting that the game may have been rushed in development. Overall, while the visuals are enjoyable, they do not fully meet the standards set by previous titles in the series.
- “The game’s cartoonlike 3D art style is simple but vibrant and colorful.”
- “This is teamed with a top-down view to create an aesthetic reminiscent of Two Point Hospital.”
- “The graphical style is pleasing.”
- “I love the Prison Tycoon series; however, this game doesn't hold up to the former standards, although the graphics are a lot like the Two Point games.”
- “Got into the game, had to turn the graphics settings down to medium.”
- “The game’s cartoon-like 3D art style is simple but vibrant and colorful.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is a significant concern, with users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and performance issues that can lead to lag and freezing. While the gameplay remains enjoyable and addictive, these technical problems detract from the overall experience, suggesting that the game may still be in need of further development and optimization.
- “It is a little buggy and has some balance issues which I would not expect for a final release, but still fun and nothing game-breaking.”
- “Game is fun and addictive, but super buggy at some points. It seems that once you have too many things going on, the game just freaks out and gets super laggy.”
- “This game has the potential to be great, but right now, it's buggy and unplayable!”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its fresh and entertaining take on the prison tycoon formula, with players enjoying the hilarious therapy sessions and quirky objects available for room customization. The ability to record personal messages for the PA system adds an extra layer of fun, allowing players to engage in comedic interactions with their prisoners. Overall, the game is considered very funny and a significant improvement over its predecessors.
- “It is a funny and fresh approach to the prison tycoon formula.”
- “This makes the game feel more fun and entertaining than the older games of the saga, plus, some of the therapies are hilarious!”
- “The game is hilarious; the objects you can place in the rooms are super funny, and the therapy rooms are fun and different.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews; while some players acknowledge its potential and find it enjoyable, many criticize it for poor performance and inadequate AI, suggesting significant improvements are needed.
- “The game is very optimized for an early access version.”
- “UI and optimization can be improved.”
- “A game with good potential but is poorly optimized.”
- “The optimization is terrible, even for an early access game, and the AI of all characters is so bad that they should not even be a part of the game.”
- “With the current lack of optimization, sadly it's not a game I see myself streaming, but I do enjoy playing it; it's very chill in a good way.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game features cheerful, generic digital tracks typical of the genre, reminiscent of titles like The Sims. Each map has a unique soundtrack that complements the specific setting and theme of the chosen prison area, enhancing the overall atmosphere.
- “The music is the sort of generically cheerful digital fare that is often found in this genre of game (think The Sims).”
- “The soundtracks for each map are different and complement the setting and theme of the prison area chosen.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
50%
The story in the game is perceived as a continuous narrative that unfolds during gameplay, reminiscent of previous installments. However, as the game progresses, the lack of diversity in conditions and minimal rewards for exploring different areas diminish the overall engagement with the story.
- “The hospital feels like there is a narrative or story running through your gameplay; I would characterize this as similar to the second installment.”
- “As the prison scales up, it may evolve into a different story, but since you can only treat one condition at a time and there's little diversity in conditions right now, combined with such a low reward for doing so, it makes the other rooms not worth the investment.”
- “As the prison scales up, perhaps it becomes a different story, but since you can only treat one thing at a time anyway, and there's little diversity in conditions right now - combined with such a low reward for doing so - it makes the other rooms not worth the investment.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from low replayability, primarily due to its limited detail and creative freedom, which diminishes the appeal of exploring different biome options. This lack of engaging content is further exacerbated by its price point, making it less attractive for players seeking a game worth revisiting.
- “The game doesn't have much replay value; that's a problem with its price point.”
- “The game lacks the detail or creative freedom that often keeps people revisiting these types of games, and the replayability sought by the biome options is made moot by the lackluster experience.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with users noting that despite its release from alpha, no new content or improvements have been made.
- “The game is now out of alpha, but there is nothing added or changed; it is still a cash grab.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly when tasks like creating multiple identical prison cells become repetitive and monotonous.
- “Making 10 or more identical prison cells is a bit tedious without it.”
- “The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I find myself doing the same tasks over and over, which really drains the fun out of the game.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The atmosphere is characterized as comical and light-hearted, drawing parallels to the playful tone of Two Point Hospital while incorporating the unique setting of Prison Architect. This blend creates an engaging and humorous environment for players.
- “The atmosphere is comical and light, resembling the personality of Two Point Hospital, with the setting of Prison Architect.”
- “The atmosphere is comical and light, resembling the personality of Two Point Hospital, but it feels out of place in a game that should have a more serious tone.”