Several months ago, at PAX East I was able to play a demo of a new simulation game. One that went deep into detail as you started your own bootlegging empire. This game is not coming out for another month or so, but imagine my surprise when the company announced another sim. Klabater has just released Weedcraft Inc for consoles, and now you can dive into the dank to skyrocket into the business.
The game starts out with one of the most over used tropes in video gaming. You come home to attend your father’s funeral, and your life seems to be at a crossroads. You have been studying for your Master of Business Administration degree, but you are now lacking funds and motivation. Your brother suggests starting to grow and sell marijuana for extra money. Put your education to work while you try and figure out what you are going to do with your life.
The game is divided into scenarios, and the 1st one acts as a very extended tutorial. You will learn new concepts and have to complete several milestones to move on. Starting in the basement of your family home, you start growing basic weed inn regular pots. The first thing you will have to do is upgrade your lighting. As you progress, you will learn about other soils, new lights, temperature, humidity, and even soil nutrients.
You are not just responsible for growing your product. You also have to set up channels of distribution. At first you are able to take care of your plants and sell at the local market, but as you expand you will have to hire employees. There is no indication about what your brother is up too, so you must pick from a pool of local unemployed persons. Everyone has skills. Some are good at growing, others selling, and some are even good at getting dirt on your competition. You didn’t think you were the only herb seller in town, did you? Your employees also have moral views that may or may not coincide with what you want them to do.
Different strains, different locations, police activity, competition, and the overall market are just a few of the things that you are going to have to navigate. Not only do you have to learn your business, but as you gain influence, you can also start to propose laws to make your product legal. I have been playing on the Xbox Series X, and while the menu system would be a bit easier to navigate with a mouse, the controller navigation works very well. Once you get the hang of where everything is, it is quick to switch between tasks, stash, and everything you need to see.
The game has a good soundtrack, but there is nothing outstanding about it. Luckily, you don’t need the audio to understand what you are doing. I will admit that I have spent a few hours of playing with the audio turned way down and listening to Pink Floyd and Bob Dylan on vinyl.
The graphics remind me of a graphic novel. Most scenes are static back grounds with just a few moving items. This works well since you are rushing around a lot The cities are varied and the people are memorable. Each strain of marijuana is vibrantly illustrated, with more information than you think you will need. Trust me when I say you are going to learn a lot more as you play. The graphics are not over the top, but keep you well engaged in the story and your budding empire.
Weedcraft Inc has been out for a bit on PC and has just released on Xbox and Playstation for around $25. If you are looking for a quick and easy simulator game to dive into, I do not recommend this. But, if you are looking for a game that will have you multitasking and managing many small details, this is perfect. Master your stash, then move on to bigger and better products. Once you get everything dialed in you will well be on your way to be the King of Chronic.
