Project Highrise is a tower building simulation game where you design, manage, and maintain your own skyscraper. Create gleaming office towers, accommodate residents, and fulfill contracts to become a successful highrise manager. The game offers updates with new tenants, office types, localization options, and holiday decorations to enhance your building experience.
Captures the nostalgic feel of Sim Tower while adding modern gameplay mechanics.
Offers a deep and engaging simulation experience with various tenant types and building services.
Provides a relaxing yet challenging gameplay loop that can keep players engaged for hours.
Can become repetitive and tedious, especially with the micromanagement of utilities and services.
Lacks dynamic events and challenges that could enhance gameplay variety.
The user interface can be clunky and difficult to navigate, making it hard to manage larger towers.
gameplay
388 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
66%
8%
The gameplay of "Project Highrise" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its repetitive nature and shallow mechanics compared to its predecessor, "SimTower." While some appreciate the engaging simulation and strategic elements, others criticize the tedious micromanagement and lack of depth, leading to a gameplay experience that can feel monotonous over time. Overall, the game offers a blend of creativity and strategy, but its mechanics may not satisfy those seeking a more complex and varied gameplay experience.
“With its engaging gameplay and rich simulation mechanics, Project Highrise is the perfect blend of creativity and strategy.”
“The game offers deep strategic gameplay with a variety of building options, from residential apartments to offices and retail spaces.”
“Overall, Project Highrise is an engrossing and strategic management sim that offers hours of satisfying gameplay for fans of building and simulation games.”
“I feel the game becomes highly repetitive once you understand the mechanics at your chosen level of difficulty.”
“There are broken mechanics in the game that have not been fixed, making it too frustrating to enjoy.”
“The gameplay essentially revolves around micromanaging the constructing, placing, and utilizing of every single tile on the map.”
graphics
245 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
60%
4%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the clean, minimalist art style that evokes nostalgia for classic titles like SimTower. While some find the visuals charming and well-suited for the gameplay, others criticize them as simplistic and lacking depth, suggesting that they could benefit from more variety and detail. Overall, the graphics are generally considered functional and aesthetically pleasing, though opinions vary on their impact on the overall experience.
“The art style is clean and functional, providing a clear view of your bustling skyscraper.”
“The graphics are super cute, and a huge step up from its ancestors.”
“The music is killer and relaxing, the graphics are charming and well-designed, and the game performance is rock solid until your building is way beyond what most people will play to.”
“Have had this for a long time because for the longest time I could not even play the game as when I got it originally it didn't even work because of graphical issues.”
“Where it lacks is in the aesthetic and vibe; way too many different unit types blend in graphically with bland beige and orange tones, and there aren't any iconic and charming sound effects like the rain, elevators, and offices of SimTower.”
“Graphics were an immediate turnoff.”
grinding
108 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
3%
94%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and repetitive, with players expressing frustration over micromanagement tasks that detract from the overall enjoyment. Many reviews highlight the lack of automation and the need for constant manual input, which leads to a hollow experience that feels more like busywork than engaging gameplay. While some players appreciate the game's potential, they agree that the tedious nature of tasks such as utility management and tenant upkeep significantly hampers long-term enjoyment.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Endless loop makes cheap games that go on sale for a dollar, and they're not too tedious, but very simple.”
“You're actually running more of the things, like maintenance, upkeep, and manually running cables and pipes, but it's fun - not tedious.”
“This game is boring and repetitive, a tedious slog where you are not allowed to build what you want - instead it is endless hoop jumping, forcing you to micromanage every single tenant based on whether or not the 'economy' is doing well that day.”
“By the time you've got hundreds of rooms, it becomes tedious to manage them all - if something goes wrong with an office and they move out, you have to rebuild the entire room from scratch after first slowly cleaning the old space.”
“Project Highrise is entertaining enough, but (like other players have mentioned) it becomes quite tedious and monotonous after a while.”
music
108 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
60%
14%
The music in the game is generally described as calming and pleasant, providing a soothing backdrop for gameplay, though many users note its repetitive nature, with only one main track available. While some players appreciate the chill vibe and find it fitting for zoning out, others criticize the lack of variety and suggest muting it in favor of personal playlists. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a mixed bag, enhancing the experience for some while detracting from it for others.
“I love the 2D graphics and the soundtrack; while it's really just one track, it doesn't get repetitive and is etched into my soul.”
“The music is relaxing and original, making it a perfect backdrop for zoning out after a long day.”
“The music is killer and relaxing, the graphics are charming and well-designed, and the game performance is rock solid.”
“The music is low-key and repetitive; it would have been great to have a few more tracks.”
“Not going to lie, it's just the one soundtrack on repeat which can get quite dull - highly recommend having music/netflix or something in the background while playing!”
“If I could find something wrong with it then it would be the music can get a little annoying at times.”
story
84 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
75%
12%
The game lacks a traditional narrative, focusing instead on gameplay mechanics and mission-based challenges that simulate building management. Players appreciate the variety of scenarios and missions, but many express a desire for a more engaging story element to enhance the experience. Overall, while the gameplay is enjoyable and offers depth, the absence of a cohesive story is a notable drawback for some players.
“The missions ease you into the game with goals you have to meet to proceed (make $xxx each day, have x number of office rentals, collect x number of prestige points, etc).”
“I like the fact that this game makes you think about how to design the highrise and has different missions in it.”
“There is a great tutorial and enough scenario missions to keep you hooked for hours.”
“There is no story element to the game, and the game was not challenging.”
“The game has very little to no story.”
“Short story: if you were a SimTower fan, this will probably come close, but it definitely won't satisfy your tower sim craving.”
replayability
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
48%
14%
The replayability of Project Highrise is a mixed bag among reviewers. While some praise its engaging scenarios, sandbox mode, and the addition of DLCs for enhancing replay value, others criticize the game for its limited replayability after initial playthroughs, citing a lack of depth and variety in gameplay. Overall, it offers a decent amount of replayability for casual play, but many feel it falls short of being infinitely replayable.
“The scenarios and sandbox mode add replayability, allowing you to tackle different challenges and creative projects.”
“There's a large enough variety in the challenges presented by the different types of buildings (offices, residences, hotels, and any combination therein) that you can pretty much have infinite replayability.”
“This game is just great; it has so much replayability, it sets you free on a large building simulator that doesn't hinder you if you don't want it but it can also challenge you with scenarios.”
“A few other reviews have pointed out the limited replayability.”
“You will see everything that Project Highrise has to offer in about 5 hours and there is almost no replayability.”
“I really don't want to do this but there is nothing to do in this game, boring af, no replayability.”
optimization
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
48%
12%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised for its smooth performance, even on lower-end systems, with players noting that it runs well under normal conditions. However, issues arise during late-game scenarios with larger builds, where performance can slow down and become buggy, particularly with NPC interactions. While the game offers various tools for optimizing layouts and managing resources, players have expressed a desire for better optimization to handle extensive building projects without performance dips.
“The game has a free mode as well as premade scenarios; it has a fairly simple options menu, but due to its minimalist graphics, it should run well on many systems with possible dips in performance upon hitting the 80+ building levels point.”
“It's polished, nearly bug-free, and very well optimized.”
“Design efficiency and optimization rules!”
“It could use some optimization as it gets a bit slow on larger builds.”
“The UI and game flow is a bit rough at times, especially with wiring and plumbing being rarely an optimization call and better just to have everywhere to be safe.”
“I'm hoping that as I build bigger towers that performance isn't hindered.”
stability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
9%
55%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while many players report smooth performance and minimal bugs, particularly in the early stages, issues arise in late-game scenarios, especially when building tall structures, leading to significant glitches. Frequent updates have addressed some initial bugs, but optimization for larger builds remains a concern for some users.
“The game is challenging but not too challenging, and runs great on my laptop.”
“My update is simply the game is loads of fun, easy to learn, easy to play, and the best part is the game is constantly being updated with additional items, improvements, and fixes (though the game is not buggy in my experience).”
“Everything runs well with no glitches or bugs.”
“Fun game at first, but once your tower gets to around 45 floors, it completely breaks down into a buggy mess.”
“It's also not very well optimized to run huge buildings, so late game is buggy and kind of easy.”
“Still too buggy.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players noting its funny visuals, clever references, and amusing gameplay elements. While some comparisons to other city-building games suggest it may not excel in all areas, the overall comedic experience and engaging scenarios contribute positively to its enjoyment.
“It's not perfect, but it manages well with mods and is quite complete and funny to play.”
“Lots of hidden humor and references to famous lore.”
“Good graphics, funny gameplay, and challenging scenarios; that is all I ever need in a game.”
monetization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn mixed reviews, with some players frustrated by the reliance on microtransactions and the slow drip of content updates, particularly for the mobile version. In contrast, other players appreciate the absence of microtransactions in certain titles, highlighting a preference for games that allow for genuine gameplay without the pressure of in-app purchases. Overall, the monetization approach has impacted player satisfaction, with many calling for improvements and fixes rather than additional paid content.
“What a relief to have a game available like this that does not have microtransactions.”
“The game is heavily inspired by an old Maxis game known as SimTower and yes, even a bit of TinyTower. However, unlike TinyTower, which is a free-to-play mobile game with ridiculous wait times, in-app purchases, and microtransactions, Project Highrise keeps the experience engaging without those interruptions.”
“Unlike TinyTower, which I got bored of in a couple of minutes due to its reliance on microtransactions, Project Highrise offers a more fulfilling gameplay experience.”
“The gameplay has issues that could be fixed and the AI requires a whole new rewrite, but instead of fixing Project Highrise or using it as a foundation for Project Highrise 2, which has all the potential to be a much better tower sim, they decided to develop this huge step back with a gangster theme. They have neglected the mobile version for years, stripping it of content and drip-feeding it via microtransactions. Known bugs that probably require a one-minute fix, such as re-linking the broken instance of communal areas not registering for one of the contracts, have been there for a year, with the developers knowing it, and we’ve got no fix as of today.”
“The game is heavily inspired by an old Maxis game known as SimTower and even a bit of TinyTower. However, unlike TinyTower, this game is a free-to-play mobile game with ridiculous wait times, in-app purchases, and microtransactions. Unlike Project Highrise, I got bored of TinyTower in a couple of minutes.”
“The game is heavily inspired by an old Maxis game known as SimTower and even a bit of TinyTower. However, unlike TinyTower, this game is a free-to-play mobile game with ridiculous wait times, in-app purchases, and microtransactions. Unlike Project Highrise, I got bored of TinyTower in a couple of minutes.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its great animations and unique, relaxing qualities, contributing to an enjoyable overall experience. Many users find it easy and fun to play, with an average rating of 8/10 for atmosphere.
“It produces such a great atmosphere and relaxing feeling.”
“Very nice atmosphere and great game all around.”
“It has a unique atmosphere, too.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is polarizing; while some players find it soulless and liken the experience to monotonous tasks, others appreciate the realistic music and sound effects that effectively immerse them in bustling urban environments.
“The music and city sound effects are realistic and made me feel as if I was really in busy New York or London or any other place that is crowded with unpleasing people, huge towers, and bucket loads of traffic.”