The Dope Game

About

The Dope Game is a single player casual management game. It was developed by Tenth&Hess Games and was released on May 30, 2016. It received positive reviews from players.

To escape the city of Starkham and start your new life, you get your friend Preston to set up a meeting with the local loanshark, Sweaty Mike. After foolishly borrowing $2,000 to start your fledgling drug dealing career, you embark on a timed mission to sell as many drugs as possible throughout the city.

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82%

Audience ScoreBased on 312 reviews

music12 positive mentions

story2 negative mentions

The Dope Game is a fun and addictive revamp of the classic Drug Wars, providing a nostalgic experience for players who enjoyed the original.
The game features a simple yet engaging gameplay loop of buying low and selling high, with randomized events that keep each playthrough unique.
It's an excellent time-waster with a low price point, making it accessible for casual gamers looking for a light-hearted drug dealing simulator.

The gameplay can become repetitive quickly, with a lack of depth and variety in missions or quests, leading to a sense of monotony.
The user interface is awkward and could benefit from improvements, such as a 'buy max' button and clearer organization of inventory.
Some players have reported issues with the game's mechanics, including frustrating RNG elements and unrealistic pricing for in-game items.

music
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
47%
13%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its charm and ability to enhance the gameplay experience, while others criticize it for being repetitive and occasionally annoying. Some players find the soundtrack engaging enough to overshadow other distractions, while others feel it detracts from the overall enjoyment due to its monotony. Overall, the music is seen as a fitting complement to the game's art style, though opinions on its quality vary significantly.
- “This game is one of those where you boot it up idly while listening to a podcast and end up muting the podcast so you can take in the awesome soundtrack.”
- “There's a surprising amount of charm in the dope game, from the funky soundtrack to the MS Paint art style.”
- “True to the original in my opinion while also adding a bunch of new twists, the music and dialogue throughout the game are solid, sometimes even disturbing (old lady, looking at you).”
- “The music is repetitive and awful, and the game itself is just so slow and boring.”
- “The horrible, horrible soundtrack.”
- “The music is decent background noise (if a bit repetitive), and the gameplay is simple, enjoyable and strangely addictive.”
gameplay
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
75%
11%
The gameplay is characterized by simple, addictive mechanics reminiscent of drug dealing systems in titles like GTA: Chinatown Wars, appealing to fans of that genre. While some players find it enjoyable and engaging, others feel it lacks depth and challenge, with the potential for repetitive gameplay. Overall, it offers a solid experience for its price, but may not meet the expectations set by its presentation.
- “Definitely recommend this game to others who are looking for that type of gameplay.”
- “The artwork and dialogue is endearing and authentic, the music is decent background noise (if a bit repetitive), and the gameplay is simple, enjoyable and strangely addictive.”
- “Gameplay-wise, this game is solid; for a game that is worth a dollar it's really fun, it's not the Grand Theft Auto type crime game, but it's like a choose your own adventure; you start with some money from a loan shark and from there you choose where you want to go and what you want to do with that money.”
- “The game looked pretty exciting on the store page and they really did a good job both with the trailer and with the game info; however, the gameplay is pretty underwhelming considering the presentation it offers.”
- “I use the term 'so-called' because you could really replace the drugs in this game with anything and it wouldn't make a single difference in the gameplay.”
- “It adds nothing to the game in terms of substantial gameplay.”
graphics
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
37%
13%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique, hand-drawn, and somewhat cartoonish art style that many players find charming and fitting for the game's atmosphere. While some appreciate the endearing artwork and its alignment with the music, others feel it lacks depth and sophistication, especially considering the game's low price point. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the gameplay experience, though opinions on their quality vary.
- “There's a surprising amount of charm in the game, from the funky soundtrack to the MS Paint art style.”
- “I liked the artwork a lot, and found it to be very grimy and fitting for the atmosphere of the game.”
- “- I don't particularly like the artwork.”
- “Graphics are... well, what can you expect from a 2€ game.”
- “The graphics are of a hand-drawn, somewhat cartoonish style that actually works well for this choose-your-own-adventure game.”
replayability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the randomness and short playtime that encourage multiple sessions, others find it lacking due to straightforward gameplay and the need for additional titles to unlock bonus modes. The potential for fun and luck adds to its replay value, but not all players feel it sustains long-term engagement.
- “This is a great timewaster and the randomness of each game makes it highly replayable, as you can probably tell by my hours logged.”
- “This adds for more fun and replayability, and can help you out quite a bit when you get lucky.”
- “The game itself is pretty straightforward, but lacks replayability.”
- “Also, I won't edit out needing another title to unlock bonus modes; it was required when written, and the update still adds no replayability.”
- “Which is good, because the game depends heavily on replay value as it is quite short.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a unique blend of humor, with many players noting its effectiveness in eliciting grins and laughter. Dark humor is a prominent element, particularly highlighted by the quirky remarks of a crackhead lady on the bus, contributing to the game's overall charm and distinctiveness.
- “The humor is great.”
- “There are quite a few funny moments that made me slightly grin, especially some of the things the old lady has to say.”
- “All in all, for this price, you get a funny and interesting game that is definitely unique in its own way.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The story has been criticized for being unengaging and filled with excessive background details that fail to capture players' interest. Additionally, there are concerns about the lack of realism in the narrative, particularly regarding the portrayal of drug-related elements. Overall, the storyline is viewed as boring and poorly executed.
- “Boring and the storyline sucks.”
- “I understand that it wasn't an easy game to make, but if you are to make a game on drugs, could you at least do some research on the average prices for street drugs?”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report that the game demonstrates impressive stability, even running smoothly on older hardware, such as a seven-year-old gaming laptop.
- “The best part is that it runs great on my 7-year-old gaming laptop!”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is praised for its gritty and fitting artwork, which effectively enhances the overall experience.
- “I liked the artwork a lot, and found it to be very grimy and fitting for the atmosphere of the game.”