Smooth Operators

About

Smooth Operators is a business simulation game where you run a limousine service company. Hire drivers, customize vehicles, and manage finances to grow your business and satisfy clients. Balance customer needs with efficient operations to become the premier luxury transportation service.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 365 reviews

gameplay20 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Smooth Operators is a fun and addictive call center simulation resource management game that offers depth and replay value.
The graphics are cute and colorful, and the sound effects are realistic and funny, enhancing the overall experience.
The game provides a casual yet challenging environment for players who enjoy micromanagement and strategic planning.

The game suffers from a lack of quality of life features, making micromanagement tedious and frustrating.
Progression can be slow, with many tasks requiring excessive clicking and waiting, leading to a repetitive gameplay experience.
The user interface is clunky and lacks intuitive controls, making it difficult to manage larger operations effectively.

gameplay
73 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
62%
11%
The gameplay is characterized by simple mechanics that allow players to manage a team and build facilities, but it suffers from slow pacing and repetitiveness, leading to a lack of long-term engagement. While the upgrade system and scenario mode add some depth and challenge, many players find the overall experience to be tedious and marred by unbalanced mechanics and poor graphics. Despite its potential for fun, the game is often seen as a time-waster with limited replay value and a need for significant improvements.
- “The game's mechanics are simple and straightforward, providing players with the tools and resources they need to manage their team of operators and keep the customers happy.”
- “The game has very good gameplay, lovely sprite-like graphics, and nice music, which isn't at all repetitive.”
- “With its relatively simple but solid concept and mechanics, Smooth Operators can be a really addictive game.”
- “The graphics look like they belong on a calculator from the '90s, and the gameplay is about as exciting as watching paint dry.”
- “It has a good idea and a charming enough approach, but gameplay is painfully slow even for the genre, and lots of small inconveniences add up.”
- “The mechanics are linear and do not require much thought, placing this game firmly in the 'time burner' category as you sit and watch sprites run around the screen and moan about how poorly a job your janitors are doing at cleaning up after your other employees.”
graphics
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
42%
7%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players finding them cute and colorful, while others criticize them as overly simplistic or reminiscent of outdated technology. Many appreciate the clear and functional design that aids gameplay, but there is a consensus that improvements could enhance the overall experience. Overall, the aesthetic is described as charming, with a blend of pixelated sprites and a cheerful atmosphere, though some players hope for a more polished sequel.
- “The graphics are cute and colorful, the music is catchy and relaxing, and the sound effects are realistic and funny.”
- “The art is aesthetically pleasing and contains a good bit of detail.”
- “The graphics are also clear and easy to understand, with each room and employee color-coded and easy to distinguish.”
- “The graphics look like they belong on a calculator from the '90s, and the gameplay is about as exciting as watching paint dry.”
- “The graphics are very basic - nothing special there.”
- “The graphics are poor, but the gameplay itself and level progression appears to be quite enjoyable.”
humor
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is characterized by its cute graphics, catchy music, and amusing sound effects, with many players finding the dialogue and character designs particularly funny. While it delivers some entertaining moments and relatable scenarios, some reviewers feel it lacks depth and authenticity in its comedic elements, suggesting a desire for more satire and freedom in gameplay. Overall, it is seen as a lighthearted and enjoyable experience, though not without its shortcomings.
- “Add in hilarious excuses and some madness and you have smooth operators!”
- “Game is great at killing time and funny to boot if you read the reasons people call off and quit for.”
- “Dialogue is actually hilarious.”
music
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
50%
14%
The music in the game is generally praised for being catchy, relaxing, and well-suited to its cheerful aesthetic, with a few looped chiptune tracks that complement the gameplay. While there is limited variety in the soundtrack, it remains enjoyable and non-repetitive even after extended playtime. Players appreciate the option to adjust sound levels, and the overall sound design, including sound effects, enhances the experience.
- “The graphics are cute and colorful, the music is catchy and relaxing, and the sound effects are realistic and funny.”
- “The game has very good gameplay, lovely sprite-like graphics, and nice music, which isn't at all repetitive.”
- “Whoever they got to do the music did a great job; it has a great soundtrack.”
- “There are not a lot of music variety.”
- “You have a few looped chiptune-esque songs in the background that are mostly covered by the sounds of phones ringing, elevators going up and down floors, and your IT staff 'repairing' computers.”
- “The game has a cheerful aesthetic with music to go with it.”
story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
30%
The game lacks a traditional narrative, focusing instead on the experience of building a large company, which some players interpret as a commentary on the grind of call center work. While the gameplay may feel tedious, it seems to serve a purpose in reflecting the monotony of such environments.
- “The game is a grind in a bad way, but perhaps that's intentional; perhaps it is meant to be a statement on how call centers are, and I guess mission accomplished if that was the goal.”
- “☑ no story”
- “☑ no story”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively time-consuming, particularly when managing large numbers of employees, which can become tedious and slow. While some appreciate the overall enjoyment of the game, many feel that certain tasks could be streamlined to reduce the grind.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “When you have 20 employees, that's easy, but when you have 50 or more, then it gets very slow and tedious.”
- “It seems like way too much grinding.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
50%
38%
The game's optimization features are limited, primarily revolving around waiting for cash to accumulate for upgrades. Players express a need for better metrics to track employee performance, easier scheduling adjustments, and improved access to performance reports, as well as addressing issues like frequent staff turnover due to inefficiencies in the game's systems. Overall, while some optimization elements exist, they fall short of enhancing the gameplay experience significantly.
- “It'd be nice to have some metrics screens to help identify poorly performing employees, to be able to adjust schedules of several employees at once, to be able to see the previous day's performance again after you've closed the screen that comes up at midnight, and some way to more easily tell what hours you are over/under-staffed (especially with l2s!).”
- “Whilst there are some elements of optimization, most of the game is just waiting for cash to roll in until you can afford the next upgrade.”
- “It'd be nice to have some metrics screens to help identify poorly performing employees, to be able to adjust schedules of several employees at once, to be able to see the previous day's performance again after you've closed the screen that comes up at midnight, and some way to more easily tell what hours you are over/under-staffed (especially with L2s!).”
- “As a result of the constant client-switching mentioned above, another thing that often annoyed me was the inaccessibility of the performance report (the one that tells you how many jobs have been done and how many are left for each client).”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The game offers significant replayability through its diverse scenarios, varying difficulty levels, and unlockable achievements, appealing to players seeking depth. However, some users find its blocky design detracts from the overall experience, comparing its replay value unfavorably to mundane tasks.
- “The game has a lot of depth and replay value, with different scenarios, difficulty levels, and achievements to unlock.”
- “Okay, sure, the game is very blocky and stocky, and has all the replay value of doing the dishes, but it's still quite amusing.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is highlighted through humorous dialogues and engaging character designs, contributing to a lighthearted and entertaining experience.
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is generally stable, with users reporting it as mostly bug-free, contributing to an enjoyable management experience.
- “This is a fun management game that is mostly bug free.”