There are many games that can be called a timesink, a term that can be defined as follows.
“a game that you can play for hours and not realise the time”
Games that I am aware of the fall into this category are Infamous (hours go by running around zapping pedestrians), Borderlands, Mass Effect (o, it’s night time outside), Theme Park (I have no time for friends,i have to get rid of the rats in the rollercoaster); I think you get the picture.
Artist Colony is a timesink game, so do not be surprised if you eyes are stinging and you realise that you have to be up for work in 2 hours when you finish playing.
A casual sim is what it is, so the game has you doing a variety of tasks. Feed your artists, keep them inspired and help them find love or heartbreak. If you are thinking ‘The Sims’ for the artistically inspired then you are on the right track.
The aim of the game is to bring more artists to you colony, which starts of being empty until ben and Dylan arrive to turn its fortunes around. The game is clever in the way it teaches you the integral aspects of the game, by only giving you access to two characters at the start. This learning curve is what makes simulation games succeed, if the controls and objectives are too complicated then one does not stay with it.
The central game mechanic is to keep your artist happy, and keep them as far away from depressed as possible, we don’t want any artists without an ear. If you keep your artists happy and inspired then they will create an artistic example from their chosen medium. That’s right kids, not all the artists paint in Artists Colony. We got dancers, musicians, sculpturers’ to add to the mix but this does not mean that you treat them differently.
Inspire your artist, and then they will be more than willing to create one of 550 masterpieces that the game has at its disposable. With these masterpieces, you then have to sell them to keep the colony running, making sure that those artists are well fed. You can’t create on an empty stomach. Elvis knew that.
The premise of the game is great, that is if you are a fan of People Simulation games, such as The Sims, maybe Dungeon Keeper. This is not a Command and Conqueror, you are not gathering your artists together to lead a charge.
Quick sum up
Controls are tight, there are no instances of being unable to pick up characters and move them around. However, sometimes the game flicks between characters when you are trying to move them in the opening phases. This is to progress the supposedly ‘engrossing’ story in the opening stages.
The graphics are great and the artistic style compliments the game idea perfectly. My main complaint with the game is a large one. When there are games out there that allow you to completely customise what people in your simmed world look like, work and act, why would you want a game that restricts all of this to art.
If the game interests you, then buy it, don’t hold back as it is a strong example of the sim genre, but if you are expecting any surprises to be thrown at your that aren’t on the advertising, then walk away now.
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