Was the game fun to play?
I enjoyed reading the criminal profiles and a prison is a great setting for the game. While the game feels a little simple at the moment, I think there is potential for more fun things to happen and I noticed more was planned. I think it could be cool if the prisoners sometimes misbehaved and tried to escape when you unlocked the doors to feed them. To lean into the fun, maybe a mini game or 2, something like try to find the contraband in their room and you have a time limit to spot something suspicious. Or a mini game that increases the inmates happiness like a basketball hoop in the yard.
Did the game include the core elements from the original?
Yes. I liked that instead of looking after an animal, you are a warden looking after prisoners. There are also essential needs such as feeding (burgers), hygiene (mopping), and discipline (slapping) and I like that you had the sleeping aspect too.
Was there a clear path of progression?
Yes. I like that the intro gives a clear goal and that he tells you to look after them for 10 days. Unfortunately for me, I think 10 inmates was a bit much for me to look after. I got up to day 5 before everyone was dead in their bed with one inmate dead after I slapped him too much on day 3. I think my ideal setup would have been 2 prisoners to look after and to keep it on a single screen.
How good was the audio and sound FX?
The opening voice adds a lot of personality and polish. The background music was pleasant. The sound effects of my actions were responsive. I’m not sure why the doors opened so much but it sounded good though.
How well implemented was the UI?
The date and how many days completed is very clear in the bottom left corner. The inmate files were easy to open and read. The way the actions become visible by putting the cursor in the lower half of the screen keeps things tidy and I like the hover over effects. Left clicking to do an action felt natural and the same can be said about right clicking to get off them. I like that each prisoner had a name. The animated emoji icons were easy to recognise their needs while also looking good. When it’s light out and the clock appears, it’s good that it visibly shows the passage of time by going around in a circle and I think it would be even better if the hour hand on the clock moved with it.