Showrunner

About

Showrunner is a single-player strategy game with approximately 2 hours of playtime. In this game, you create your show by selecting a genre and theme, scoring a contract with a TV or streaming company, and crafting scripts by playing scene cards to increase scores in various categories. You also make characters and select actors, picking archetypes and customizing appearances, then developing characters over time with perks.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

73%

Audience ScoreBased on 92 reviews

optimization1 positive mentions

gameplay4 negative mentions

The game has a fun and engaging concept that allows players to create and manage their own TV shows, reminiscent of Game Dev Tycoon.
There is a lot of potential for future updates, with a roadmap that promises more content and features, making it an exciting title to follow.
The gameplay is easy to learn, making it accessible for casual gamers while still offering depth for those who enjoy management simulations.

The game currently feels very linear and repetitive, lacking significant decision-making and depth, which can lead to boredom after a few hours of play.
There are numerous bugs and stability issues, including frequent crashes, which hinder the overall experience and make the game unplayable at times.
Many core mechanics are underdeveloped or missing, such as the ability to fire actors or cancel shows, leaving the gameplay feeling incomplete and lacking in engagement.

gameplay
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
63%
21%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with players noting a lack of clarity in the tutorial and insufficient explanations of core mechanics, leading to a steep learning curve. While some appreciate the addictive nature and potential for strategic depth in episode creation and studio management, many find the gameplay loop repetitive and lacking in variety, with several mechanics feeling underdeveloped or missing entirely. Overall, the game shows promise but requires further refinement to enhance the player experience.
- “I am only on my second show but am starting to get to grips with some of the scene mechanics, and I have now been renewed for 4 seasons.”
- “The key gameplay 'episode creation' loop is already well thought out and straightforward to manage, and more complexity comes from expanding and upgrading your studio equipment and staff while researching more scene cards to add depth and variety to your productions.”
- “Just needs the mechanics fleshed out – well worth the cheap price!”
- “It took me a while to understand the mechanics because the tutorial is a bit lacking.”
- “It does a really poor job of explaining its core mechanics, and really just was not enjoyable.”
- “Some of the mechanics are questionable (random drawing of cards), some are over-simplified (putting together episodes, production process), some are missing (firing actors), some are not fully explained (I'm still puzzled by some of the icons in the interface).”
story
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
45%
27%
The game's story aspect is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the engaging narrative of managing a TV studio and creating shows, others find the lack of a structured storyline disappointing. The integration of randomized elements and character customization allows for personal storytelling, encouraging players to invent their own plots and narratives as they progress. Overall, the experience is enjoyable for those who like to craft their own stories, despite the absence of a traditional narrative framework.
- “I got really invested in the story of my plucky TV studio and their marginally popular science fiction thriller on a backwater network.”
- “It's pretty fun to think of the sort of narrative and story your studio is creating as you make one series after another.”
- “Playing showrunners will fulfill players who like to make their own stories in their head; getting the right combination of scene cards to make people watch your show is satisfying, but making up the plot in your head just by naming episodes has been a delight.”
- “It's a fun little concept, I'm just not a fan of grindy tycoon games with no story.”
- “Somewhat uncut, and there's noticeable bits of polish missing, but I got really invested in the story of my plucky TV studio and their marginally popular science fiction thriller on a backwater network.”
- “☑ no story”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
50%
33%
The graphics have been described as somewhat unnatural, yet they effectively support the game's mechanics and contribute to an addictive experience. While some users express a desire for improved aesthetics, particularly in character and environment design, the current visuals are deemed functional for the gameplay. Overall, the graphics serve their purpose but leave room for enhancement.
- “Graphics look a bit unnatural.”
- “Pretty basic mechanics and graphics, but it works well for an addictive experience.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Replayability varies significantly among users; some praise the game for its high potential due to the ability to emulate favorite shows, while others criticize it for being linear and lacking depth, resulting in limited replay value after the initial hours of gameplay.
- “Replayability is going to be off the charts in this interesting take on a management sim, as we can all think of any number of favorite shows we'd like to emulate or remake.”
- “Doesn't have a lot of replayability at this point; it's more of a time waster.”
- “Lots of potential, but right now it's very linear and easy, with not a lot of replayability past the first couple of hours.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of tycoon games to be tedious and time-consuming, often lacking engaging narratives to justify the effort. Many express a desire for more meaningful content rather than repetitive tasks.
- “It's a fun little concept, I'm just not a fan of grindy tycoon games with no story.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game has been reported to have stability issues, with users noting that it remains somewhat buggy.
- “The game is still kind of buggy.”
- “There are frequent crashes that disrupt gameplay.”
- “I encountered several glitches that made it hard to enjoy the experience.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews suggest that the game's optimization feels akin to a "made for TV movie," indicating that while the core experience is enjoyable, it may lack the polish and refinement expected from a fully developed title. Players express a desire for additional content or features that could enhance the overall experience and reward good performance.
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players appreciate the emotional depth of character archetypes, noting that the choice between logical and emotional traits, as well as chaotic versus lawful alignments, allows for a personalized and impactful storytelling experience. The role selection (main or support) further enhances the emotional engagement by tailoring the character's journey to fit individual preferences.
- “The game beautifully captures the emotional struggles of its characters, making you feel deeply connected to their journeys.”
- “Each decision you make impacts the emotional depth of the story, allowing for a truly immersive experience.”
- “The character development is so rich that you can't help but feel a range of emotions as their stories unfold.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The monetization of the game has been criticized as a blatant cash grab, with reviewers expressing frustration over its lack of content and gameplay, even considering its early access status.
- “If this was a fully released product, it would be one of Steam's most blatant cash grabs on the site. I'm inclined to give it a degree of early access leniency, but that's not an excuse for a game without the game part of it.”
- “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it prioritizes profit over player experience, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
- “It's frustrating to see a game that could be great bogged down by aggressive monetization tactics that push players to spend more just to access basic features.”