The Manga Works
- July 24, 2022
- Kairosoft Co.,Ltd
Get on Steam"The Manga Works" is a simulation game where players run their own manga magazine company. You'll scout for talent, develop storylines, and oversee the production process to create popular manga series and increase your magazine's sales. Features include various customization options, different genres and themes to explore, and the ability to compete with other companies in the industry.
iPad
iPhone
Nintendo Switch
PC
Phone
Playstation 4
Steam Deck
Windows
Android
Mobile Platform
PlayStation
Tablet
Reviews
- The game is highly addictive and enjoyable, especially for fans of manga creation.
- Once players understand the mechanics, the gameplay becomes fun and engaging.
- It serves as a good introduction to management sims, with a charming theme based on creating manga.
- Progression is slow and tedious, leading to repetitive gameplay that can become boring over time.
- The translation and UI inconsistencies can be confusing and detract from the overall experience.
- Many players find the game lacks depth and features compared to other Kairosoft titles, making it feel barebones.
- story14 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game offers a familiar experience reminiscent of Kairosoft's previous titles, allowing players to influence the narrative to some extent while managing a manga series. Players spend much of their time in a confined space, focusing on drawing and story arcs, but face challenges in earning plot points, which are crucial for success. The game features a system where the order of story arcs can impact popularity, adding a layer of strategy, though the process can be frustrating due to the limited rewards for effort.
“I have played many Kairosoft games over the years, starting with Game Dev Story.”
“The player spends the majority of the game in their room/apartment looking at things or drawing, which isn't too far off from Game Dev Story.”
“Depending on the story, if you don't choose the correct order of arcs, you may lose popularity and this may cause your series to be cancelled.”
“Other than that, the game is fun, can be addictive to tycoon players, but the search for plot points is very, very frustrating.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay is criticized for being problematic and repetitive, with a slow progression that can feel tedious. While players may find humor and become overpowered once they grasp the mechanics, the lack of meaningful type selection and poor translation contribute to confusion. Additionally, the user interface is deemed inadequate, and certain gameplay elements, like the gacha-like mechanics, detract from the overall experience.
“Once you learn how the mechanics work, the game starts to be fun.”
“Tricky to beat in the beginning, but we become overpowered once we understand the main mechanics.”
“Maybe it still needs lots of additional features for better gameplay.”
“Overall gameplay is problematic; the going out segment feels nearly like a gacha system, and there is no option to simply delete a manga.”
“This game is very brutal and slow; progression takes a long time, making the already repetitive gameplay feel even slower and more tedious than in other games.”
“The game is translated poorly, making it hard to understand many aspects. Some mechanics or stats are referred to by two or three different names in different menus, which is quite confusing.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's cutesy pixel graphics are charming but may not appeal to all players, and they serve to mask the underlying struggles faced by manga artists and animators. While the visuals contribute to a lighthearted atmosphere, they also highlight the game's mechanics, which can feel cumbersome compared to other titles.
“However, it does have a dark side and the game's cutesy graphics help you forget how often manga artists and animators truly suffer like a medieval Russian serf just to be told they are not working hard or fast enough.”
“The game features pixel graphics, which isn't everyone's thing.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game becomes more apparent once players grasp the mechanics, though some find the overall experience to be somewhat lacking and monotonous, with the funniest moments often stemming from specific incidents, such as running out of energy.
“Once you learn how the mechanics work, the game starts to be funny.”
“The game feels very barebones and a bit boring outside of the funny incidents that happen if your energy reaches 0.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively slow and tedious, leading to frustration and a loss of motivation to continue playing. This prolonged progression often causes players to question their enjoyment and purpose in the game.
“However, they made progression so slow and tedious that it's just a matter of time before something 'clicks' in your brain, your patience runs out, and you start questioning why you are playing this.”
“Some aspects may seem tedious.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game to have high replayability, noting that it remains enjoyable and engaging even after multiple playthroughs.
“Loads of replayability, really fun.”
“Each playthrough offers new challenges and surprises, keeping the experience fresh.”
“The variety of choices and outcomes makes you want to dive back in for more.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with some users noting that the controls feel suboptimal due to its origins as a mobile game ported to PC.
“Some controls aren't really optimized since this is a PC port of a mobile game.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express excitement about creating a wholesome and emotionally engaging family-oriented manga, highlighting the potential for heartfelt storytelling and connection.
