Spinnortality | cyberpunk management sim
- February 1, 2019
- James Patton
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"Spinnortality, also known as 'Silicon Dreams,' is a cyberpunk management simulation game where you run a corporation and interrogate deviant androids, all while being an android yourself. You must track the emotions of the androids and manipulate them to extract information, while making decisions that could lead to your own destruction. The game offers a thought-provoking experience, with a blend of corporate strategy and cyberpunk interrogations."
Mac OS
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Windows
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Reviews
- Engaging and addictive gameplay that keeps players invested for hours.
- Unique concept of managing a megacorporation in a cyberpunk setting with various strategies to explore.
- Well-written narrative and humor that adds depth to the gameplay experience.
- Repetitive gameplay loop that can become tedious, especially in the mid to late game.
- Some balancing issues, particularly with worker happiness and the effectiveness of certain mechanics.
- Strong political bias in the writing that may detract from the experience for some players.
- gameplay83 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by a mix of engaging management mechanics and a unique marketing system, but it suffers from repetitiveness and a lack of depth in the core gameplay loop, leading to a grind after initial enjoyment. While the tutorial is well-designed and introduces players to complex systems, many players find the gameplay becomes tedious and lacks sufficient variation over time. Overall, the game offers a solid foundation with potential for deeper engagement, but it may not hold players' interest in the long run due to its repetitive nature.
“The gameplay loop ramps up quite nicely.”
“There are lots of mechanics that offer deep and complex gameplay, each of which works in complete harmony with the others and are consistently adding twists and turns that keep the gameplay exciting no matter how long you have been playing.”
“While I wouldn't call this a 'perfect' management sim, the core gameplay loop of managing workers and selling products is engaging enough to keep you interested as the plot slowly arches towards fantastical technologies and unethical decisions, which seems to be the real point of the game.”
“Then by the time you have a grasp of the mechanics, you realize that the game is incredibly short and shallow, and has an immediately glaring problem preventing you from effectively reaching the meat of the late-game and plot.”
“There are far better management games, with far deeper micro and macro management that I really can't recommend this game, as its lack of real depth and tedious gameplay loop, with a system that tries to aid the player but only serves to impede decision making.”
“Gameplay will quickly become repetitive and there is very little variation in each playthrough, with the game effectively punishing you if you try to deviate too far from the norm.”
- story27 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The story in the game is driven by a mix of corporate management and political satire, with players navigating quests that unlock perks while dealing with chaotic events that can disrupt their progress. While the text-based storytelling effectively explores themes of hyper-capitalism and ethical dilemmas, many players find the narrative updates slow and repetitive, leading to a sense of stagnation in the mid-game. Overall, the storytelling is engaging and thought-provoking, but it could benefit from more depth and variety in its political missions and character interactions.
“In Spinnortality, you play the head of a brand-new corporate startup whose mission statement is to develop digital and genetic technologies, have their board of directors become immortal, and take over the world.”
“The storytelling is phenomenal, and the vibe of the entire game is so spot-on with its own message that it's incredibly compelling.”
“But this game uses a largely text-based storytelling focus to help the player understand the complicated issues of hyper-capitalism and government proscribed moral applications.”
“The storylines update haphazardly and at a snail's pace.”
“The game relies on a lot of text messages to tell you the story, but these soon get overwhelming and you can't read all the text that gets thrown at you.”
“There's other stuff to do like manage your moon missions, deal with your rival corp, and keep the board of directors happy and alive, but these are all basically sideshows to the real game, which starts to stall for a bit near the mid-endgame.”
- graphics18 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as simple and sometimes lacking in detail, with many users noting a stylish yet limited aesthetic that suits the management sim genre. While some players appreciate the immersive atmosphere and user interface, others criticize the graphics for being underwhelming or glitchy. Overall, the visuals are functional and easy on the eyes, making the game accessible for mobile and offline play, despite not being visually impressive.
“Stylish atmosphere and graphics, adequate gameplay loop.”
“The graphics are what they need to be; after all, this is a kind of management sim and has a nice feel to it.”
“The graphics are again relatively simple but are very easy on the eye and make navigating the game a painless and enjoyable experience.”
“The graphics aren't impressive.”
“The graphics don't really tell the story; the user interface you see at startup is about the only graphics you will see all the way through.”
“The graphics consist mostly of a globe, some icons, lots of text, and a few charts, all held together by a stylish, but limited, UI.”
- replayability17 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits a mixed level of replayability. Many players appreciate the variety of decision trees, multiple endings, and potential for modding, which enhance replay value, while others find the gameplay too similar across playthroughs or lacking in competitive elements. Some reviews highlight that while there are enjoyable aspects that encourage replaying, certain limitations may hinder the overall experience.
“Very good turn-based management strategy with considerable replay value and a cool cyberpunk setting.”
“There's a ton of different decision trees to explore, so there's also replay value.”
“There's a fair bit of replay value, too, with multiple endings both obvious (through the focus trees) and not (through endgame crises).”
“What it lacks is replayability; playthroughs feel too similar to each other.”
“Overall, I found the game kind of shallow with limited replayability.”
“In Spinnortality, there is no competition except the clock, and there are so few paths you can take that I really don't see any replayability here.”
- music15 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it decent and atmospheric, perfectly matching the futuristic theme, while others criticize it as repetitive, annoying, or even unsuitable for the game's tone. Despite the varied soundtrack, opinions vary widely, with some enjoying the ambiance it creates and others deeming it the game's weakest aspect. Overall, the music contributes to the game's atmosphere but may not resonate with all players.
“Throughout the whole experience, there is a fantastic varied futuristic soundtrack that plays in the background, changing from time to time.”
“Rounding out the package, the music is good, and has a suitably futuristic-techno-sullenly-weird vibe to it, and matches the mood perfectly.”
“It's dripping with atmosphere and the soundtrack is exactly what you hope it will be.”
“The music is a bit off-putting, but that is the only downfall of this game in my opinion.”
“The music is a tad repetitive and changes tracks very often.”
“I thought the music would be better suited to a horror-type game, so I shut it off.”
- humor13 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of dark, politically charged commentary and absurd scenarios, appealing particularly to those with a taste for irony and satire. Players appreciate the clever writing and minimalistic comedic elements that enhance the gameplay experience without overshadowing its serious themes. Overall, the game is described as both funny and engaging, providing a unique and entertaining take on world domination and chaos.
“With all that being said, I think this gives the game a rather humorous tone, and a quality of writing worth reading through just for the ridiculousness of the scenarios as they arise.”
“The writing is solid and efficient, and the use of humor to soften the edges is well applied without overpowering the more serious ideas at stake.”
“The game is also very obviously laced with some politically charged social commentary, but it's presented in a darkly humorous way so it doesn't feel preachy.”
- grinding12 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with many expressing frustration over the micromanagement loops that detract from the overall experience. While the initial gameplay is engaging, it quickly becomes a chore, particularly in the late game, where the lack of meaningful choices and automation leads to a monotonous grind. Overall, the game struggles to balance its interesting concepts with a gameplay loop that feels overly drawn out and lacking in depth.
“Playing the game itself is tedious.”
“There are far better management games, with far deeper micro and macro management that I really can't recommend this game, as its lack of real depth and tedious gameplay loop, with a system that tries to aid the player but only serves to impede decision making.”
“One problem, though, is that while the initial gameplay loop is fun as you learn and experiment, it does get tedious as you'll end up doing the same thing turn after turn.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stylish graphics and fitting futuristic theme, creating a sense of immersion in a rapidly advancing technological world. Reviewers highlight the game's unique ambiance, complemented by a compelling soundtrack, making it a standout feature that enhances the overall experience.
“The atmosphere in Spinnortality is fantastically fitting with the theme of the game.”
“What the atmosphere offers is the sense of being in a futuristic world where technology is way beyond ours, and everything is moving and advancing at such a rapid pace that you are entering the unknown.”
“It's dripping with atmosphere, and the soundtrack is exactly what you hope it will be.”
“It may not have the intensity or the relaxed calmness of other genres, but what the atmosphere offers is the sense of being in a futuristic world where technology is way beyond that of ours and everything is moving and advancing at such a rapid pace that you are entering the unknown.”
“If you like the atmosphere from the trailer, buy it.”
“It's dripping with atmosphere and the soundtrack is exactly what you hope it will be.”
- stability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, users report mixed stability experiences; while some encountered minor graphics glitches on OSX, others experienced a completely bug-free environment with no crashes or freezes. The game is generally well-functioning, with a solid tutorial that enhances the user experience.
“For $9, the writing was great, the ideas were well presented and interesting, the tutorial was excellent, and everything was bug-free and well-functioning.”
“I experienced no bugs, no freezes, no crashes, and the tutorial is really good and easy to follow!”
“Simple gameplay, and a bit of graphics glitches present on OSX, but the narrative and idea behind it are awesome.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
James Patton is praised for crafting emotionally impactful narratives that challenge players' moral choices, often leaving them feeling guilty or conflicted about their decisions. The game's ability to evoke strong feelings and consequences is highlighted as a unique and powerful experience.
“I've said it before and I'll say it again: James Patton is a master of delivering hard-hitting emotional stories in unusual ways, where every single choice you make comes with far-reaching consequences.”
“I'm pretty sure this is the first time a game has actually made me feel like a terrible person.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's focus on optimization is both a strength and a weakness; while it offers engaging challenges for players who enjoy min-maxing, the repetitive nature of the tasks can detract from the overall experience.
“The whole game is pretty much about optimization, so it's really fun if you tend to be a min-maxer in other games.”
“It's not hard, but it's repetitive, and it kind of takes over what could otherwise be an interesting optimization exercise.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its pricing model, as it does not require a $60 upfront cost and incorporates microtransactions instead.
“Oh, and it doesn't cost $60 along with microtransactions.”
