Tycoon games are now a dime a dozen but that doesn’t stop us from playing them. Everything from roller coasters to trains and now a new title from Stillalive Studios, Grand Casino Tycoon. A casino game that will have you luring in the best of the best and the worst of the worst in an attempt to make the most money. Find out if you have what it takes to be a casino tycoon.
Poker, slots, good food, and more are what you will find when you begin playing this title. It is an all-inclusive vacation from reality where you will learn to manipulate your patrons as they play at your slots, or drink your alcohol. I love the depth that GCR goes to when it takes a look at all the different likes and dislikes that different groups of people could have. For example, the posh group likes a good fun quiet time while the other groups might like loud music and loud machines and bar food while they lose their money to you. You learn how to give the people what they like while separating them from the ones who don’t like certain things. I found that building paths with soundproof walls helped to direct people in certain directions while moving things one group liked into one corner and the other games and foods into another corner.
Expanding your casino is one of the keys to a successful setup. You start with limited areas and then have to build up your revenue in order to afford to rent out new spaces. Before expanding you want to build up a good base for your clientele. Building a few slot machines, a gaming table, a bar, and a restaurant is a good start. Once you start getting the crowds flowing in and out of your establishment then you can fine-tune it. The use of security cameras will help you determine what tables or machines people like or dislike. Then it is all about streamlining their fun by removing the objects that won’t get them excited. VIPs enter into your casino and they are the ones you want to make especially happy because they will spend a lot. Each group of people has patterns that you will learn about and this game is all about making sure those patterns are followed to maximize your income. This includes a view that allows you to see trouble spots in your casino so that you can add items such as plants or statues to make the areas look better thus making your VIPs and other guests happier even though there are some detriments in their views.
I like a lot of things about this title but I don’t really like how there are time limits to each casino mission. I mean you can move onto the next mission after the time runs out but it doesn’t feel like you have accomplished anything. I completely get that people will not want to stay on certain levels and will want to try out new setups so to each their own for GCR. There were a couple of times while I was playing where I was actually succeeding with my casino and the game glitched out so bad that every person was stuck in the same spot no matter how much I moved away from them or deleted. After gaming for an hour or two, it was kind of a let-down and made me immediately turn the game off because I felt like I wasted too much time at that point.
Note: Our copy was reviewed on Steam with a code provided by PR.
