Prison Architect

Build and manage a prison they said. It'll be fun they said. And indeed it IS fun! Whoever this "they" person is that told this,. I'm sure we should listen to them more often.

Prison Architect is a chill prison management simulation game. And very well made at that. A quick note: If you enjoy Prison Architect, often RimWorld is mentioned in the same sentence. Be sure to check it out as well.

Bill and Barry

The initial tutorial levels should keep you busy for an hour or two. These will casually introduce you to the basics of prison life. What do people need and what can you provide them to ensure they stay calm and happy while in your prison. Do you build a luxury hotel with ample space, workshops, giant canteens and private showers? Or will you be a dictator that prefers to maximize security and keep your prisoners down and sedated under an iron fist?

Your first prison will probably be a small one. A simple entry hall to take in prisoners and for trash and produce to be exported. All the basics from the tutorial may be placed, and some bunks for your prisoners to sleep in. Making a decent, not overly comfortable place for your involuntary visitors to spend their days in and plot their escape.

As you grow your building to fit in more, and more prisoners you'll start to notice things getting a bit crowded. Queues are not a thing in Prison Architect, everyone wants to do their thing right away. And so you'll get a few prisoners who end up being rather angry at each other.

Riot!

Nothing good lasts forever, and neither will a peaceful prison. Each of your prisoners has their very own personality. Some are more sedate, but some like Barry, are hotheads by nature. Bumping into other prisoners in the shower will certainly lead to some knuckles getting busted and blood spilling on the floor. If things get really heated you may get some other inmates knocked out or even killed. Either way do not wait too long to build an infirmary.

Your income and expenses are a fine balance that will eventually topple over. Ambition is always a great thing when it comes to having a small prison and a massive slab of land to fill. Your prisoners are always plotting however, never forget that. Spoons stolen from the mess hall, used to dig a tunnel under their toilet is a favorite nighttime event.

Scandal,. your prison has had an escapee. Fundings were lowered. Scandal, another prisoner killed in your prison. Less money to spend on food, and luxuries means prisoners will become agitated and it's time for a RIOT !

Scandal! Fire! Death!

The prison goes on lockdown, all prisoners are ordered to return to their cells in an orderly fashion. Time to bring in the troops. You have available multiple squads of SWAT with riot shields, tasers and even shotguns.

But, not all prisoners were created as equals. Meet the Legendary prisoner. These guys will have the "legendary" tag in their profile, and can have as much as 10 perks instead of the usual 3-4 that Bill and Barry had. Think Barry, but then 10x as strong, hotheaded and able to kill other prisoners in a single hit.

I had a guy like that enter my prison once. He did not agree to his cell so be broke it open and took down a few guards before getting caught. Het got bumped up a security level and I moved him to a smaller cell with a reinforced steel door. Less than 2 days after this incident he was hungry and irritated again and eventually went into a rage. During this rage he broke his cell door. (Again,. this was reinforced steel! I guess reinforced with paper,.. but whatever.) Two guards took notice but were quickly dispatched and disarmed. An armed guard came in, and was dispatched in a similar way. There was now a single legendary prisoner on a rage, armed with a gun walking around my prison. He proceeded to kill three more armed guards before being pummeled down and locked up again.

The next day he did the same thing again! This guy was a madman.

The scandal that followed caused me to get fired from my job as prison warden. And right when you think it's game over - Prison Architect gives you an entirely new game mode to play. Escape mode!

Escape?

Similar to how your prisoners spend their day, you too now have the orange jumpsuit. Criminal negligence and most cruel - you get to spend your life in your OWN prison.

Welcome to your very own prison. You get assigned a random cell and your new game goal is to escape. (or die trying) Build a reputation as a legendary prisoner, gain game and grow stronger. You can recruit a crew / gang and fight your way out of the fortress you constructed. No special treatment for you, scrubs and prison food along with everyone else. Mandatory curfew and school hours if you want to learn new skills.

Prison Architect : Release date: 6 Oct, 2015

Minimum system requirements: Windows 7, Intel Core 2 duo 2.4 Ghz, 6 GB Ram, Nvidia 8600 / Radeon equivalent, 400MB HD Space.