Youtubers Life: OMG Edition

For any cynical outsider looking in, the view for Tycoon Style Games may be that if you’ve played one, you’ve played them all. While this view does highlight the reliance on the genres tried and tested formulas, it does have it’s exceptions. One of which is the Youtuber based Tycoon Game, Youtubers Life.

This game plays like most games from the genre such as Planet Coaster, Game Dev Tycoon or Two Point Hospital. Focusing on a particular profession and allowing players to live the life of that person, facing all the various hurdles that the occupation provides and aiming to make you as proficient in the field as possible. In this case, your job is to become a successful viral content creator, easy right?

Welcome to my channel

This game allows you to take three diverging paths, each with their own unique quirks and gameplay aspects. These are the path of music, cooking or gaming based Youtube channels. Despite the simplicity of this concept, the way the game fleshes out these roles to be complex and challenging is rather compelling. Such as having to stay up to date with the most current gaming software or coming up with new recipes for example. The game also has it’s root very much in reality with some relatable additions to the plotline. In the beginning, you will have to do schoolwork and work a part-time job to keep up your education and stay afloat financially. It’s a subtle addition but one that really matters in the grand scale of things and provides an immersive start to the game.

Going Viral

Eventually, as you develop a brand of content and a schedule for your channel to put out videos. You’ll begin to gather funds and your subscribers will begin to rise as well. The gameplay loop this offers is a good one that will grab players attention and keep them hooked as they strive to break the mould and become Youtube famous.

This along with the additional considerations that come with fame such as making relationships for collaboration, making important business decisions, branding and merchandise. This all features to keep the gameplay fresh and constantly asking the player to stay on top of their game or face the prospect of no longer being relevant.

Bog standard presentation

When it comes to how the game presents this fun gameplay. They do this in a typically cartoonish and whimsical way. Though the textures and resolution quality is more reminiscent of a Nintendo Wii game than a next-generation PS4 outing. This coupled with the lacklustre sound and music that features in the title and it all culminates to give a feeling of filler content. Simply good enough to get by but nothing special and in a game based around making killer content, the irony was not lost on us.

Hits a creative wall

This game is by no means bad. It is a competent tycoon style game with a niche and interesting core concept. Though, where it fails to meet the mark is in its presentation and it’s the ability to keep players engaged. The visuals and sound do nothing to hold the players attention, allowing the gameplay to carry the brunt of the load.