Blockbuster Inc.
A fresh system based game for simulation fans
In Blockbuster Inc. you will take total control of your very own movie studio. You will be able to construct all the facilities, hire and manage all sorts of employees and stars with the aim to produce the most prolific films and Tv. There are 3 pillars of the gameplay:
Freeform construction systemAn intuitive and deep construction system allows you to plan, build, decorate, clone and expand your studio with ease. Further link your road system, landscape the lot and create a smooth utility system to get the best out of your employees.
Play through the decadesEach passing decade affects the gameplay and visuals accordingly, from the way your employees and stars dress, the cars they drive, as well as their physical attributes. Random and historic events will spice things up for your studio.Manage unique employee typesNot every employee is similar, stars like Actors, Directors and Producers require more attention than your average construction worker. Managing employees is fun, thanks to the randomly generated character traits for each employee. Will your main actor be a diva or a smooth operator?
Interactive product processControl the different phases and parameters for your Films and TV shows, from choosing the sets, outfits, stunts and all sorts of options that tailor your products to your desires.Our mission?A one-of-a-kind experience. There has been no other game in the past decade to match the unique experience that Blockbuster Inc. is. That we promise.
Game Discussion
Steam User 170
The Movies Strikes Back?
Let’s face it, if you were a fan of The Movies then (like me) you’ve probably been waiting for this game. If so, it’s probably disappointed you, but it’s also IMHO the closest thing we’ve had so far and still worth a look.
There is huge potential here and for a small team of devs to produce such a promising successor is impressive. I purchased the game after having played the Prologue, recently replayed The Movies and read some of the early reviews, so I was well aware of the game’s issues, but felt it was worthy of support nonetheless, especially at this price point.
So, this is a Thumbs Up, albeit one with some hesitation.
The Good:
* The Tutorial is very thorough.
* Graphics and UI are good for the style of the game.
* Making and furnishing your own buildings and sets is a nice feature.
* The camera controls (while limited) do give you a good feeling of being in control of direction.
* Being able to position actors wherever you like (mostly) in a scene.
* Sound effects and subtitles in the video editor. A big tick for this.
* Since The Movies we haven’t actually had a movie making game that actually lets you make and watch your movies. The movie making controls in Blockbuster Inc are also better than The Movies, and you can have a lot of fun with this if that’s your jam. It’s just a shame that we don’t have more animations (especially ones that fit each genre) and more costumes.
* It’s a passion project so hopefully will continue to get much needed love from the devs. The team has stated that they will continue to add content and improve things. Therefore, if you’re not sold on it yet, maybe check back later.
The Bad:
* Players need more challenges. Making money seems a bit too easy and the Missions were so easy that I was completing them without even checking the requirements.
* The stars feel very one dimensional. There’s only two actor skills, Charisma and Athletics, and no specialisation in particular genres. In The Movies stars had addictions, multiple personality traits, fashion and entourage needs; they could even go in for plastic surgery and rehab. Managing staff in Blockbuster Inc. is too straightforward.
* Once you have the genre sliders worked out (which doesn’t take long) there doesn’t seem to be any advantage to making your own movies versus letting the AI do it for you, nor any significant advantage gained from the various tweaks, apart from technology and some re-shooting.
* There are not enough animations. There are no sitting animations nor can you place actors on top of items in set. So, you can have a coffin in your vampire flick but can’t actually have the vampire in it. In fact, that lack of varied animations really starts to get old quickly.
* No outdoor sets. So, no war-torn battlefields, scary forests or wild west streets!
* Item placement in buildings needs a polish. Notably, windows seem to interfere with character movement.
* You can’t start marketing till 1945! This makes zero sense.
* Research takes a LONG time and/or lots of researchers. You can’t help but feel that certain technological leaps and trend changes should be happening as time progresses (again, like in The Movies) rather than being totally dependent on you. As it stands, you end up constantly hiring more researchers just to get access to the various genres so you can at least have SOME variety.
And the Ugly:
* There’s no customisation of stars. You can’t change their clothing and each genre only has ONE costume. There is also very little distinction between genders. eg: Medieval women get dresses but not Western ones. Access to these costumes is also automatic. Why should we have cyberpunk costumes in 1920?
* The short list of animations includes some highly inappropriate ones which too often appear in the AI generated films. Having the actors in your medieval drama shooting one another (seemingly the default action animation) is really off-putting. The film-making AI needs improving and more animations AND COSTUMES (yes, I know I mentioned that earlier, but it really bugs me!) are seriously needed.
Back to the Future
Ok, so it’s not The Movies and that’s the inevitable comparison most will make, fair or not. There are some nice features in Blockbuster Inc. and I am happy to support it in the hope that the devs will address some of the more glaring deficiencies. There is so much promise here and I’m optimistic enough to hope that it’s going to get the attention it needs.
The Bucket List
* More Costumes!!!!
* More animations!!!
* Outdoor sets!!
* Better movie making AI!
* More traits for stars and the ability to customise clothing etc
Steam User 43
Bought this game and agreed with a lot of the negative reviews that it was a little light on content.
Since then the devs have done nothing but churn out new content. I haven't super gotten back into the game yet, but a lot of its negative reviews are around 'lack of content' and I want to tip the scales back a little.
For a three man dev team the crew behind this game are firing out new content at an alarming rate, and have shown a lot of passion and dedication to this project. Don't judge this game based on the lacking content reviews, because in under a month the devs have kicked out three pretty sizeable updates, addressing many of the problems players reported.
Seriously, give this game a chance, the developers have more than earned the price they ask with their dedication alone.
Steam User 25
As a longtime fan of "The Movies," I was thrilled to dive into this game. While it still needs a fair amount of polish, the potential here is undeniable. It’s an impressive start that captures the spirit of its inspiration, and I’m excited to see where it goes.
One area where the game could really shine with improvement is in the directing controls. For those of us who love to get our hands dirty with scene creation, more intuitive and detailed options would be a game-changer. The employee editor also needs a broader range of customization options, as does the selection of set furnishings.
That said, the developers seem committed to enhancing the game, with constant updates and fresh content being rolled out regularly. At $25, it’s a solid investment for fans of the movie tycoon genre. While it still has a way to go before it can fully rival the classic that clearly inspired it, I’m confident it will get there in time.
Steam User 17
I recommend but it has it's PROBLEMS!
Look. I'm not gonna sit here and say "too easy" like a lot of other reviewers. BUT I will say this game needs something else to it. I'm not saying I need more of a challenge, I love an easy game, but easy games get boring a lot easier UNLESS there's a layer of something really good that keeps us.
I would add a layer of Hollywood drama to it. Make it where your employees can marry and theres more scandals, especially in the old Hollywood time! Make it where you can hire publicists who have to cover up scandal. Just have fun with the ideas! Add more!
Steam User 14
Generally a good game worth the play, have to say The Movies is still the best ever game in this genre. If only they can match that....
Steam User 22
I'm not saying I bought it because The Spiffing Brit recommended it (His exploit doesn't work on it anymore anyway)
But I was always a fan of the old game "The Movies" and I do consider this the spiritual sequel. I went on to do a quick test and lost an hour, so I know I'll be spending far too long playing this game and I'm looking forward to it.
Steam User 15
As with many others who are drawn to the game, I was a fan of The Movies back in the day. As much as I enjoyed it, I didn't get to play it much as I never had a PC that was fully capable of running it and I would get frustrated more often than not because it just wouldn't work properly for me. Blockbuster Inc is healing those wounds. Its bringing back a childish joy and feeling of nostalgia.
I was hesitant because so many reviews spoke of it being too easy etc. Well, I'm 10 years in game time, just reached the 1930s and I'm yet to have a hit movie. Only awards I'm winning are because I decorated my studio. Only reason I'm making money is because I keep buying shares in the other studios. And I am having an absolute blast.
I'm really looking forward to seeing this game grow and develop, and I'm glad I bit the bullet and bought it. If you're on the fence like I was, take the leap, give it a try. You might just enjoy yourself.