Shipping Manager

About

Shipping Manager is a single player strategy game. It was developed by Trophy Games and was released on September 18, 2023. It received neutral reviews from players.

Create and manage your own shipping empire. Control every aspect from route creation to marketing to staff handling and beat other managers to top the leaderboards.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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48%

Audience ScoreBased on 176 reviews

graphics3 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

The game offers engaging strategy and management aspects that can be surprisingly addictive for players who enjoy logistics puzzles.
It has a unique concept of creating a transport empire, which can be enjoyable for those who appreciate simulation games.
Some players find it relaxing and a good way to pass time, especially when played in the background.

The game is plagued by numerous bugs, including a frustrating issue where pressing the 'T' key refreshes the game, making it difficult to progress.
Progression is heavily gated by aggressive monetization tactics, requiring real money for essential upgrades and making it feel like a pay-to-win experience.
Many players find the gameplay slow and tedious, with real-time travel times for ships leading to long periods of inactivity.

monetization
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
66%
17%
The monetization model of the game has received significant criticism for being overly aggressive, with many players feeling that it prioritizes in-game purchases over gameplay enjoyment. While some appreciate the option to earn points through achievements, the consensus is that progression is heavily hindered without spending real money, leading to a frustrating experience reminiscent of mobile games filled with microtransactions. Overall, players express a preference for a one-time purchase model rather than the current pay-to-play structure.
- “The game is 'free' but works basically on in-game purchases. I would have rather seen them make it a paid game for 40-50 euros and have everything included, such as the maps. That would make more sense to me, but I guess this way the developers make more money.”
- “It doesn't take long until the pay-to-play microtransactions have to kick in, and they only last for a short time before you need to pay for upgrades in a never-ending microtransaction loop.”
- “These aggressive monetization tactics overwhelm the interesting strategic gameplay.”
- “A game with an interesting idea of creating a transport empire, but suffers from bugs, freezes, and intrusive monetization.”
- “The game is for 'free' but works basically on in-game purchases. I would have rather seen them make it a paid game for 40-50 euros and have everything included, such as the maps. That would make more sense to me, but I guess this way the developers make more money.”
- “The experience is closer to a mobile game loaded with microtransactions rather than a proper tycoon game.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of confusion and enjoyment, with some players finding it engaging while others criticize its repetitiveness and slow progression. Although the core mechanics of route management and strategy show potential, they are overshadowed by aggressive monetization tactics and a lack of significant updates since 2015. Comparisons to more immersive titles like Euro Truck Simulator further emphasize its shortcomings in gameplay depth and graphics.
- “This game is fun for people who like this sort of gameplay.”
- “The core gameplay of managing routes, hiring staff, and purchasing vehicles shows promise.”
- “While shipping manager offers engaging strategy, it pales in comparison to genre heavyweight Euro Truck Simulator's immersive gameplay and superior graphics.”
- “The gameplay was confusing and boring.”
- “It's repetitive, slow progressing, and hasn't changed much since 2015, aside from the graphics; the gameplay and vessels are still the same.”
- “After the first 10 minutes, the game consists of the following mechanics: click a button, click a different button, click a third button, wait 2 hours.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
The graphics in Shipping Manager are generally well-received, with some users noting their quality and clarity in tutorials. However, many feel that the game falls short compared to genre leaders like Euro Truck Simulator, citing a need for updates and additional features to enhance the overall visual experience. While the graphics are a strong point, the game's repetitive nature and lack of significant updates since 2015 detract from its appeal.
- “Graphics are great and the tutorial is very clear.”
- “While Shipping Manager offers engaging strategy, it pales in comparison to genre heavyweight Euro Truck Simulator's immersive gameplay and superior graphics.”
- “An okay game, still missing some features, and also needs some graphic updates, but otherwise it can be fun over time.”
- “But it's repetitive, slow progressing, and hasn't been updated much since 2015, aside from the graphics. The gameplay and vessels are still the same.”
- “An okay game, but it still needs some graphic updates and is missing some features. Otherwise, it can be fun over time.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game presents a compelling concept of building a transport empire; however, it is plagued by numerous bugs and freezes, significantly impacting stability and overall gameplay experience. Additionally, players have noted issues with intrusive monetization.
- “A game with an interesting idea of creating a transport empire, but suffers from bugs, freezes, and intrusive monetization.”
- “It's so buggy.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The story aspect of the game is criticized for being unengaging and frustrating, with players expressing dissatisfaction over lengthy tutorial missions that detract from the overall experience.
- “This game is a frustrating piece of garbage; you wait for the tutorial mission for an hour behind this stupid PC.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, likening it to a mere spreadsheet experience rather than an engaging gameplay.
- “This mobile scamware is more of a spreadsheet with a screensaver than a real game; it's a tedious and repetitive exercise.”

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3986h Median play time

3986h Average play time

3986-3986h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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