Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic

About

In Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic, players manage a Soviet-themed city, controlling all aspects of the city's economy from resource extraction to manufacturing and service provision. The game features a deep simulation of global supply chains, allowing players to make decisions that impact citizens' daily lives and loyalty to the nation. A challenging and engaging experience, players must balance various elements of city management to ensure their republic thrives.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic screenshot

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 13,838 reviews

gameplay420 positive mentions

grinding190 negative mentions

The game features a unique Soviet aesthetic that effectively captures the atmosphere of the era, with detailed architectural styles and an engaging soundtrack.
Players appreciate the intricate gameplay mechanics and the high level of customization, which allows for a rewarding experience once mastered.
The game boasts exceptional replayability due to its complex systems and a robust modding community that enhances the overall experience.

The grinding aspect of the game is criticized for being excessively tedious and frustrating, leading to burnout before achieving meaningful progress.
Many players find the lack of clear tutorials and guidance frustrating, contributing to a steep learning curve that can deter newcomers.
The game suffers from frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes, which significantly detract from the overall gameplay experience.

gameplay
1,776 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
73%
3%
The gameplay of "Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic" is characterized by its intricate mechanics and steep learning curve, requiring players to manage complex systems of construction, resource allocation, and citizen needs. While the game offers a high level of customization in difficulty and mechanics, many players find the lack of clear tutorials and guidance frustrating, leading to a challenging but rewarding experience once the mechanics are mastered. Overall, the game is praised for its depth and unique approach to city-building, though it suffers from some clunky interfaces and bugs that can detract from the experience.
- “Super detailed gameplay that allows you to decide what level you want to engage at.”
- “The intricate gameplay, and healthy modding scene make it one of the most endlessly replayable games I've played.”
- “The sheer depth of each mechanic, and the ambition of it is staggering.”
- “While it looks cool on paper, it's disappointing: outdated game engine, complicated mechanics, outdated graphics, terrible road tools; it's centuries behind 'early access' Cities: Skylines 2.”
- “The game mechanics are just right, it is actually hard but not too hard.”
- “The game throws the player into the thick of things without proper tutorials or explanations of basic mechanics.”
graphics
846 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
59%
8%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they appear outdated and reminiscent of early 2000s titles, which may detract from the overall experience. However, the unique Soviet aesthetic is praised for its authenticity and charm, effectively capturing the atmosphere of the era. While some players find the visuals acceptable and fitting for the game's theme, others express a desire for improvements in graphical fidelity and user interface design.
- “The aesthetics of the game are very well done and certainly convey that Soviet style, and the soundtrack is a delight to listen to.”
- “The graphics are beautiful, the sound is atmospheric, and the gameplay is smooth and stable.”
- “The graphics and art style of the game are unique and beautiful in their own way; for example, if you elect to play with maintenance enabled, cars and buildings will visibly wear down over time as their condition deteriorates.”
- “The graphics are as drab as a Soviet-era apartment block, but the satisfaction of watching your city grow, albeit slowly, is oddly addictive.”
- “The graphics are disgusting and overall the game is not great.”
- “The graphics look like a computer game from the 90s.”
music
588 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
48%
5%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its thematic alignment with the Soviet era, featuring a blend of synth pop, folk songs, and military marches that enhance the overall atmosphere. While some players find the soundtrack catchy and immersive, others criticize it for being repetitive and suggest the need for more variety. Overall, the music is often described as a highlight of the game, contributing significantly to its charm and nostalgic appeal, despite some players opting to listen to alternative playlists after a while.
- “Fantastic soundtrack.”
- “The music is amazing.”
- “This game also has a great soundtrack of Russian synth pop, folk songs, and military marches.”
- “I have to mention that the game has maybe the worst music I've ever heard in a video game before.”
- “The music is just bad lol.”
- “The soundtrack gave me a headache the first time I started the game years ago.”
grinding
214 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
10%
89%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and frustrating, with players often feeling overwhelmed by the steep learning curve and lack of intuitive guidance. Many reviews highlight the repetitive nature of tasks, such as managing resources and transport, which can lead to a sense of burnout before achieving meaningful progress. While some players appreciate the depth and complexity, the overall sentiment suggests that the game demands a significant time investment, making it less accessible for those with limited gaming time.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “Your mom yells at you for grinding till 3 am.”
- “But for anyone with a life, this game is overly tedious and you'll feel like tearing your hair out long before you've even achieved anything noteworthy.”
- “The gameplay is exceptionally tedious and vexing, revolving around fighting the game mechanics and existing infrastructure every step of the way, the instant a new objective or need is presented to you.”
- “Every aspect of this game is horribly tedious for all the wrong reasons.”
optimization
192 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
59%
10%
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with some players praising its performance on lower-end systems while others report significant lag and crashes, especially in larger cities. Many users highlight the need for further optimization, particularly regarding UI and resource management, as well as issues with graphical glitches and slowdowns during construction. Overall, while the game shows potential and runs well for some, it still requires substantial improvements to enhance the experience for all players.
- “Plus it's very well optimized, even running on a potato PC.”
- “This game is well optimized.”
- “I love the optimization and recommend this game to anyone up for the challenge of building a Soviet republic.”
- “The optimization leaves much to be desired: even on powerful systems, the game can lag and freeze.”
- “Simply put, the game is very unoptimized; quality of life features are very much missing.”
- “The game isn't optimized enough and can be slow to run when the size of a republic goes beyond the 100,000 citizens mark, with low to very low FPS and moving around the map in general becoming slower.”
story
190 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
81%
11%
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its absence, with many users noting that it lacks a coherent narrative or meaningful campaign, often describing it as a glorified tutorial. While there are minor themes related to building a socialist state, these are overshadowed by the game's sandbox nature, which offers no clear objectives or progression. Overall, players express a desire for more structured missions or a story mode to enhance engagement and provide a sense of purpose.
- “[i] Compelling storyline - engaging narrative.”
- “You start with nothing but a plot of land and a stack of cash (and on some maps, a few hundred workers living in shacks) and transform it into a prosperous socialist economy where everybody is happy and healthy and nobody would ever want to leave (if you mistreat them, they will leave).”
- “Because this game wants to tell you a lot deeper story than those two could ever do.”
- “There is no story; the campaign is basically a tutorial.”
- “The lack of story or an ultimate goal usually prevents me from playing a game.”
- “Zero reason to play - absolutely no any kind of story, or evolution of environment (like in 4x strategies where you have enemies at least).”
stability
180 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
2%
91%
The game's stability is a significant concern among users, with many reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that hinder gameplay. While some players find the game enjoyable despite these issues, the overall consensus is that it requires substantial optimization and bug fixes to enhance the experience. As it is still in early access, there is hope for improvements, but current stability problems detract from its potential.
- “On the technical side, it works well with no glitches or halts, and it has low PC requirements.”
- “The game isn't buggy at all, but it does take a lot of figuring out yourself.”
- “Technically, the game runs great!”
- “This game has some good points - however, it is buggy as all hell, which means you cannot get through the campaigns.”
- “The game is ambitious in scope, but the game is a buggy mess and in 5 years of development they still haven't been able to address basic issues.”
- “Constant bugs and glitches significantly spoil the impression of the game.”
atmosphere
138 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
41%
3%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its authentic representation of the Soviet era, characterized by bleak, gritty visuals and a fitting soundtrack that enhances the immersive experience. Players appreciate the detailed architectural styles and the overall sense of nostalgia it evokes, making it feel like a genuine reflection of life in a post-communist landscape. While some critiques mention gameplay shortcomings, the atmospheric elements remain a standout feature that captivates and engages players.
- “This game delivers on its promise: a detailed city builder with a strong sense of atmosphere.”
- “The entire feel of the game is atmospheric and makes you really appreciate the 1970s Eastern Block aesthetic.”
- “Worst of all is the lack of atmosphere and character in that game.”
- “The decrepit panel houses and smoking chimneys on the horizon create a depressing atmosphere.”
- “The developers really nailed that oppressive, bleak Soviet atmosphere with the graphical style and the music as well.”
humor
90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The humor in "Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic" is a blend of tongue-in-cheek satire and absurdity, often drawing on stereotypes and quirks associated with the Soviet era. Players find amusement in the game's mechanics, such as the hilariously inefficient AI and the exaggerated speed of pedestrians, alongside witty dialogue and quirky translations. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted layer to the complex gameplay, making it both entertaining and engaging.
- “Roads are king in this game and second place goes to the pedestrians where a granny of age 86 goes 40km/h (I am not bullshitting, take a stopwatch and a known walking distance, it's hilarious).”
- “It is well crafted and the dialogue available from advisors does feel a bit like stereotypical satire of Soviet Russia, but the tongue-in-cheek humor to it all is pretty fun.”
- “Step into the world of 'Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic,' where building a utopian socialist paradise is both hilariously challenging and strangely addictive.”
- “That is not the purpose of a computer game, because that is not funny.”
replayability
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
55%
5%
The game boasts exceptional replayability, driven by its intricate gameplay, diverse economic systems, and a robust modding community that continually enhances the experience. Players can explore various strategies and specializations, ensuring that each playthrough feels unique and engaging. However, some users note that the lack of randomly generated maps and certain game mechanics may slightly diminish replay value for some players.
- “The intricate gameplay and healthy modding scene make it one of the most endlessly replayable games I've played.”
- “The game has incredible replayability and complexity, making it a lot of fun every time I play.”
- “This is the most complex city builder ever, a unique experience and a must-have for fans of the genre, but that also brings a steep learning curve and quite a brain effort to play, which may be forgiven by great longevity and replayability, making it worth the full price.”
- “But the game has several issues with game mechanics and other elements that shorten the game's replayability.”
- “There's no randomly generated map, so replayability lowers.”
- “Flaw 9: by the looks of it, every player must manually edit some script files to tweak the game into a more playable mode, but I haven't yet found where those files are or how to edit them.”
emotional
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting its heartwarming community engagement and the sense of fulfillment it provides. The game's focus on building a self-sufficient nation resonates deeply, particularly for those with ties to Central Europe, while its wholesome ambiance and detailed world-building evoke feelings of nostalgia and appreciation for the past. Overall, the emotional depth of the game is enhanced by its engaging mods and the love shown by the community.
- “The game gave me this incredible sense of fulfillment and made me feel so alive.”
- “For me, I have a strong emotional connection to the setting as a Central European, but I would recommend this to anyone in the world.”
- “The mods on the workshop are fantastic, and it's oddly touching to see how much love Eastern Europeans can give to the concrete relics of fairly cruel and only recently toppled regimes.”
monetization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn mixed reactions, with many users criticizing the reliance on microtransactions and in-game purchases, labeling it as a cash grab. However, some players believe that the developers are genuinely focused on creating a quality game, suggesting that any additional monetization should come in the form of meaningful DLC that enhances gameplay rather than just cosmetic or superficial content. Overall, the sentiment reflects frustration with the current monetization approach while acknowledging the potential for improvement.
- “[i] Microtransactions - in-game purchases.”
- “[i] Microtransactions - in-game purchases.”
- “The building system still feels early access and glitchy as hell, the dev team is completely useless in trying to teach anyone on how to actually play this cash grab.”
- “If you feel compelled to continue monetization without adding to the base game, then add functionality/features with your DLC.”
- “[i] microtransactions - in-game purchases.”