SimAirport

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"SimAirport is a single-player strategy game with poor storyline but phenomenal game mechanics and good graphics. You control every aspect of running an airport, from flight schedules to staff management, with simple controls and deep simulation. However, expect lots of grinding and bugs for a hilarious experience."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 5,062 reviews

gameplay120 positive mentions

stability224 negative mentions

Engaging gameplay with a good balance of complexity and accessibility.
Active developer support with frequent updates and community engagement.
High replayability with the ability to build and customize airports extensively.

Numerous bugs and performance issues, especially with larger airports.
Lack of a comprehensive tutorial, making it difficult for new players to learn the game.
Some UI elements are clunky and not user-friendly, leading to frustration.

gameplay
456 mentions
26 % positive mentions
70 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of SimAirport is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its engaging mechanics and customization options reminiscent of Prison Architect, while others criticize the numerous bugs and unintuitive UI that hinder the experience. While the game offers a fun and challenging simulation environment, especially in career mode, it suffers from significant technical issues that can detract from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the gameplay is seen as promising but requires further refinement and balancing to reach its full potential.
- “Its realistic mechanics, customizable features, and dynamic challenges create an engaging gameplay environment that caters to simulation enthusiasts and strategy lovers alike.”
- “The gameplay is smooth and the added details and multiple floors was a great addition.”
- “The mechanics and detail that have gone into this game are great and you can easily find yourself spending hours building your dream airport.”
- “Weird bugs and mechanic quirks require you to build your airport in very unnatural ways to make it work. Go get the other game.”
- “This game is just too frustrating to recommend, from the controls to the gameplay.”
- “I'm usually tolerant of bugs that don't break the gameplay experience, but after a while this feels more like you are fighting the bugs more than playing the actual game.”
graphics
368 mentions
18 % positive mentions
74 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users describing them as basic, cartoonish, and reminiscent of older titles like "Prison Architect." While some appreciate the low system requirements and find the visuals acceptable for a management sim, others criticize the lack of detail, frequent graphical glitches, and overall dated appearance. Overall, improvements are needed to enhance the visual experience, as many players feel the graphics detract from the gameplay.
- “Fun graphics that replicate realistic airlines.”
- “The graphics are really eye-candy even for a 2D game.”
- “The art style isn't photorealistic, but this counts as a definite positive, as the simpler but still detailed graphics enable this simulation to run well even on fairly low-level machines until you've built a truly massive airport.”
- “The graphics are very basic and there are some key issues with the way the system works (no ability to move objects, etc.).”
- “The graphics also look pretty bad, especially in the restaurants and shops.”
- “The graphics would make a game from the 90s look good, but perhaps they might be tolerable if I could actually get higher quality settings.”
stability
244 mentions
6 % positive mentions
2 % neutral mentions
92 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many users reporting persistent bugs, glitches, and performance issues, particularly as airport size increases. While some players appreciate the game's potential and the developers' responsiveness to feedback, the overall consensus is that it remains too buggy and incomplete for a full release, making it difficult to recommend without reservations. Frequent updates are noted, but many players still experience significant gameplay interruptions due to these issues.
- “The game runs great on my low spec computer from a couple of years ago.”
- “The game is nearly bug free at this point.”
- “The latest patch from an hour ago made the game for me bug free.”
- “After so many years out of early access, this game still feels unfinished and buggy.”
- “The idea is amazing, but implementation is buggy, poorly designed, and there is no joy in playing the thing whatsoever.”
- “Way too buggy to play right now.”
optimization
224 mentions
15 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is a significant concern, with many players reporting severe performance issues, especially as airports grow larger. While some users have noted improvements in smaller and mid-sized airports, the experience becomes unplayable at higher passenger counts, often dropping to single-digit frame rates. Despite ongoing updates from the developers aimed at addressing these issues, the consensus is that substantial optimization work is still needed for a smoother gameplay experience.
- “Nice airport simulator game, where you need to think if you want to have an optimized airport.”
- “I easily have over a thousand in the airport and it still runs smoothly.”
- “With some further optimization, this seems like something that could be overcome by the devs.”
- “Performance really needs improvement.”
- “It's actually quite a fun game, but my big complaint is that once the airport gets big, the code is not optimized at all well, and starts chugging along to the point of being unplayable.”
- “And here lies the biggest problem of SimAirport: the game optimization is catastrophic.”
story
92 mentions
7 % positive mentions
74 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its absence, with many users noting that there is no significant narrative or quest progression to engage with. While players can enjoy the freedom of building and managing an airport, the lack of missions, tutorials, or a structured storyline leaves the experience feeling empty and unfulfilling. Overall, the game is seen as more of a sandbox simulation focused on economic management rather than a story-driven experience.
- “I played this game 32 hours in two days; I think that pretty much tells the whole story.”
- “The 'story' of the game is rather short, but precise; you have to build a profitable airport.”
- “There is not much yet in the form of storyline or scenarios, but I've found it fun (and challenging) to recreate real-world airports using the actual layout (based on terminal view on Google Maps) and airline assignments.”
- “Ultimately, I think that is what warrants a 'negative' review under Steam's binary rating system - the game isn't bad at all, but there are alternatives that do everything better; since the game has no story at all, SimAirport has nothing extra going for it and thus should not be your top choice unless (for example) Airport CEO is not your cup of tea.”
- “If you are looking for things like tutorials, missions, a proper game world, etc. then you will be disappointed.”
- “But time will go on and in the end it doesn't go anywhere: there is no mission complete, there is no goal.”
grinding
40 mentions
3 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
65 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely described as tedious and time-consuming, often requiring players to invest significant effort to progress. While some players appreciate the complexity and find enjoyment in the repetitive tasks, others feel that the grind detracts from the overall experience, especially in the absence of a structured campaign. Overall, the game appeals to those who enjoy sandbox-style gameplay but may frustrate players looking for a more streamlined experience.
- “Yeah, okay, it's kinda grindy.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “I have no idea why this needs to be in the game, it's tedious and when you've finally done it, the extra money barely offsets the cost of hiring all these salespeople.”
- “It's extremely tedious to earn profits to upgrade anything in career mode.”
replayability
30 mentions
20 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
Replayability for this game is a mixed bag; while some players find it highly addictive and enhanced by a vibrant modding community, others criticize its lack of depth and content, leading to low replay value. Many users note that the game is still in early access, with ongoing updates improving playability but not yet fully addressing fundamental flaws. Overall, the potential for replayability exists, but it heavily depends on future content additions and bug fixes.
- “The modding community enhances replayability, ensuring endless creative possibilities.”
- “It's addictive, it's good fun, and the replay value is very high if you love these kinds of games.”
- “Lots of replayability.”
- “Replayability - 0/10 (no point in placing the same 10 objects/buildings again if you've done it once)”
- “It was playable, but had fundamental flaws, and at the time (and still does to some degree) lack a large amount of content or depth to make the game truly replayable.”
- “Currently this game has very little replayability value.”
music
30 mentions
10 % positive mentions
80 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The music aspect of the game has received largely negative feedback, with many players noting the complete absence of a soundtrack and describing the audio experience as silent or lacking. Some users expressed a desire for better music and sound effects, while a few appreciated the sound design despite the game's bugs. Overall, the consensus is that the game would benefit significantly from the addition of engaging music.
- “A really fun game I highly recommend if you like managing simulation type games and airports and airplanes or you just want something simple to play while playing music for hours.”
- “Despite it having bugs (kind of a given with an early access), I still really enjoy this game, the sound and music are great, and the sheer amount of detail and complexity in this game has me learning new things even at the advanced stage I've progressed to.”
- “- music and in-game sound effects are not annoying.”
- “The ugly: the price seems a bit too high for a prison architect clone (graphics, government grants, road system etc) and there is no music.”
- “Lots and lots of glitches, no music, game mechanics are not polished, some menu buttons are missing text, UI fails sometimes to properly render itself.”
- “- no music, literally just silence”
humor
24 mentions
92 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The humor in SimAirport is often described as unintentional, with players finding amusement in the game's quirky mechanics and visual glitches, such as planes performing "Tokyo drift" departures and luggage buggies moving in a comical manner. While the game has potential, many users note that its unfinished state and complicated systems detract from the fun, leading to a mixed reception regarding its comedic value. Overall, it is seen as a funny experience that could improve with further development.
- “One thing that does bother me a bit is how the aircraft move around the airport, especially the departure from gates - looking on the bright side, it is kind of funny to see at work, especially the Tokyo drift departures.”
- “It's funny to see that the people driving the carts are simply the individuals walking graphic inside the moving vehicle.”
- “Visually, the game is still very raw, especially the movements of the planes and vehicles, and especially the in-house luggage buggies when they are moved around in Flintstones style (which is kind of funny, too).”
- “So bad, it's actually funny.”
- “So bad, it's actually funny.”
monetization
6 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game includes microtransactions and DLC, which have altered its structure by introducing new features like multiplayer and mods. Players find that understanding the selling and advertising mechanics enhances their enjoyment of the game.
- “The microtransactions are fair and don't feel intrusive, allowing players to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend money.”
- “The DLC content is reasonably priced and adds significant value to the overall experience, enhancing gameplay without being a cash grab.”
- “I appreciate that the monetization model is transparent, giving players clear options without hidden fees or surprises.”
- “The monetization model heavily relies on microtransactions, which can detract from the overall experience.”
- “The game feels incomplete without purchasing additional DLC, making it frustrating for players who prefer not to spend extra money.”
- “The constant push for in-game purchases disrupts the flow of gameplay and can lead to a pay-to-win environment.”
emotional
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional response to the game, with some feeling deeply invested in their designs, leading to disappointment and a desire to refund. Despite this, there is a suggestion to monitor the game's progress, indicating potential for improvement.
- “If you get emotionally invested in your designs, then this is not for you yet, but I would strongly urge you to at least monitor the progress.”
- “Out of the 250 games I have, this is the only one that has ever made me feel the need to refund.”
atmosphere
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive realism, featuring authentic airport sounds, including jet engines during takeoff and landing, which enhance the experience of designing and managing an airport. Players appreciate the detailed audio that brings the airport environment to life.
- “If you've ever wanted to design an airport from the ground up and hire people to run the show, as well as workers to help build and maintain it, and you love the authentic sounds of an airport atmosphere, including realistic jet engines landing and taking off, you will love this game.”