Startup Panic

About

"Startup Panic" is a challenging simulation game where you quit your job to build your own startup, starting from a bedroom programmer to a global corporation. Compete with rival CEOs, navigate the tech bubble, and avoid hacking and kidnapping threats. Grow your office, manage resources, and make strategic decisions to lead your startup to success.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

54%

Audience ScoreBased on 99 reviews

gameplay7 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

The game is very replayable and keeps players engaged with its fun mechanics and charming aesthetics.
It offers a satisfying challenge that encourages players to learn from their mistakes and improve their strategies.
The art style and music create an enjoyable atmosphere that enhances the overall gaming experience.

The motivation mechanic is frustrating, as it requires constant management and leads to tedious gameplay.
Many features and achievements are broken or poorly implemented, leading to a lack of satisfaction and progress.
The game can feel repetitive and grindy, especially in the late stages, with limited depth and variety in gameplay.

gameplay
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
67%
10%
The gameplay is generally described as entertaining and challenging, with simple yet impactful mechanics that create an enjoyable learning curve. However, players have noted issues with frustrating motivation mechanics, vague project descriptions, and a lack of depth, leading to a repetitive experience, especially towards the end. While the core gameplay loop is relaxing and addictive, there are calls for more variety and improvements to enhance replayability and reduce grindiness.
- “A really entertaining and challenging game, once you understand the mechanics of it.”
- “The mechanics are simple yet impactful; it's challenging enough that you really enjoy the learning curve, and it's staged out well.”
- “The basic gameplay loop is simple but enjoyable and relaxing, with soothing music and easy-on-the-eyes visuals.”
- “I really fun game if not for the frustrating motivation mechanic.”
- “Coming to the full game however, more cracks show in the underlying gameplay mechanics.”
- “There are multiple retirement routes, so you're supposed to replay the game but I'm not sure how much replayability there is because the story wasn't very good and the gameplay was boring and repetitive.”
story
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
72%
12%
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players finding charm in specific quests, particularly the ghost quest, while others criticize it for being intrusive and repetitive. Although there are moments that empower players as business owners, many feel the narrative lacks depth and coherence, often overshadowed by gameplay mechanics that lead to frustration. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the gameplay but fails to elevate the experience significantly, leaving some players feeling that it detracts from the overall enjoyment.
- “I was way more invested in the ghost quest than other story beats in the game because the dialogue between the player and the ghost was super charming.”
- “The story was also charming, and I really like how the game encourages you to treat your employees well (something I'd like to see more often in real life).”
- “Some of the milestones make sense within the story and add fun.”
- “This game's story gets in the way of playing the game.”
- “However, instead it's jamming the story in your face.”
- “Many game elements lack any significance, with the storyline simply imploding into a constant loop of reaching 65% market share, at which point a previously defeated rival takes the entire market (insert random reason here) and the cycle begins anew.”
graphics
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
58%
18%
The game's graphics are characterized by a charming pixel-art style that is both aesthetically pleasing and easy on the eyes, making for enjoyable long sessions. While the overall art and UI design are well-received, some users noted issues with the interface being bulky and obstructive. Despite minor translation and usability concerns, the visuals evoke a nostalgic 16-bit feel that enhances the game's overall vibe.
- “The art style is absolutely gorgeous and very well made and implemented.”
- “Graphics are pixel-art and nice enough to be pleasant for long sessions.”
- “The pixelated graphics bring you back to a time of 16-bit goodness and make playability for old CPUs simple enough.”
- “Some translations contain issues with syntax, visuals, or vocabulary.”
- “The UI is a bit bulky in the 'ongoing tasks' section and can cover more of the office than is appropriate, blocking your primary visuals and making the viewable area need to be widened a little bit to allow you to move the camera some more.”
- “The biggest issue is that the 3 sliders for development projects (technology, usability, and aesthetics) seem to be useless and the results of the project depend almost entirely on the stats of the employees that worked on it.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, especially in the late game where micromanaging staff and their vacations becomes a chore. While some appreciate the charm of the game despite the grind, many hope for improvements to reduce the monotony and enhance the overall experience.
- “The late game felt grindy, but maybe that was on me.”
- “I wanted to play further, but it just got too tedious and boring because literally you're just making money to send people on vacation. The idea is interesting, but the follow-through in reality was a miss for me.”
- “I hope the devs improve the gameplay to feel less grindy and repetitive.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is generally described as soothing and enjoyable, enhancing the overall experience with a chill soundtrack that complements the gameplay. While some players find it merely okay or annoying at times, many appreciate its ability to create a relaxing atmosphere, reminiscent of classic game dev tycoon titles. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a positive aspect, contributing to the game's casual vibe.
- “The music gets me into the zone too.”
- “The basic gameplay loop is simple but enjoyable and relaxing with soothing music and easy on the eyes visuals.”
- “This game provides a dose of all the old game dev tycoon games updated with better mechanics and a chill soundtrack.”
- “Music is okay, nothing more than that.”
- “The only real thing I don't like about it is the annoying background music.”
- “The soundtrack is chill, but it doesn't stand out.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game is considered very replayable, with potential for enhanced replayability through additional mechanics introduced via retirement. However, some users feel that other games in the genre offer greater depth, challenge, and replayability.
- “Very replayable.”
- “The other games have more depth, replayability, and challenge.”
- “The game does have replayability, so it would benefit well from additional mechanics introduced through retirement.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
150%
Users have criticized the game's optimization, noting that despite achieving a high level of completion, there is a lack of rewarding feedback. Additionally, the menus are described as unoptimized and cumbersome, with the absence of keyboard shortcuts contributing to a repetitive and tiring experience.
- “One playthrough, I bought every piece of office furniture, maxed all employees, and optimized every feature to be 10/10. It felt like there was no reward for doing that, effectively 100%ing a playthrough.”
- “The optimization options in the game are extensive, allowing for a tailored experience that enhances gameplay significantly.”
- “I love how the game encourages players to optimize their strategies, making each decision feel impactful and rewarding.”
- “The menus are not optimized, and we don't even have keyboard shortcuts, making navigation repetitive and tiring.”
- “The game suffers from poor optimization, leading to frustrating performance issues that detract from the overall experience.”
- “I encountered numerous bugs and glitches that indicate a lack of proper optimization, making it hard to enjoy the game.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by entertaining and funny dialogue, particularly for those who engage with it, contributing to an enjoyable casual simulation experience. However, some players feel that the humor alone may not be sufficient to elevate the overall enjoyment.
- “The dialogues are funny and entertaining, making the experience enjoyable.”
- “I still enjoyed it for a good amount; the humor in the dialogues adds a nice touch to the casual simulation.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users appreciate the emotional aspect of the game, highlighting its wholesome and fun elements that resonate well with simulation enthusiasts. The inclusion of "startup panic" adds a charming touch that enhances the overall experience.
- “This was a really cool and wholesome touch.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviews indicate that the monetization aspect requires significant improvement, particularly in enhancing motivation mechanics, streamlining replayability, and providing clearer explanations of advertising practices across different countries.
- “The monetization system feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
- “I find the in-game purchases to be overpriced and not worth the value they provide.”
- “The constant push for microtransactions detracts from the overall gaming experience.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users appreciate the stability of the game, noting that while no programming is entirely bug-free, the ongoing revision loop enhances the experience by allowing for continuous improvement of employees.
- “In programming, code is rarely ever bug-free and perfect, so this revision loop is great to see and rewarding as you improve your employees.”
- “The game runs smoothly without crashes, making for a stable and enjoyable experience.”
- “I appreciate how the developers consistently address issues, ensuring a stable environment for players.”