Note:
There is a patch that you should download before playing this game.
I have
played a lot of various simulation games since first getting my hands on Sim
City many years ago. Some have been novel ideas and quite good, while others
felt like hurried attempts to cash in on a popular genre of game-playing. We
love to build our own worlds and see how well we can succeed like the Trumps
of the world. They enable us to immerse ourselves in environments that would
otherwise be unreachable for our hum-drum lives. From hunting experiences to
managing a flourishing ant farm (still one of my favorites), you can find a
simulation game for about anything you can imagine. So, on the heels of
similar titles such as Zoo Tycoon, we now have Enlight’s
Marine Park Empire. This newest offering is a delightful, welcomed addition to
the ranch of park-styled themes from over the years.
I am truly
glad that this one scores a hit. I was skeptical about hearing that they dared
to stray away from being a straight Marine (only) Park and meddle with more
"zoo" type attractions such as kangaroos, but they all work in this case. The
mix of animals ranges from chilly penguins to African rhinos. While the scope
of animals is nothing compared to Noah’s collection (hey – someone can build
Sim Ark, now!), the offerings they do have are a good sampling of
various environments – without making it too unrealistic. Sims
are fun when they push the envelope of realism –
without making it silly. Marine Park Empire (MPE) does a great job mixing up
the batch without crossing the fence of absurdity. Whimsy
good, stupidity bad.
Like most
all sims, you must
build/create a world (or theme park, in this case), then populate it with
staff, attractions then get the people to come– and stay. It all seems so
simple until things are up and running; then, realism creeps in and you have
to juggle and think. Fortunately, MPE has half a dozen tutorials, which is
generous for a sim game. Despite being a veteran player, I still went through
them – though I admit I skipped forward during some of the more obvious
sections. The how-to is narrated calmly by a "Mr. Rogers" type character that
lulls you into thinking this game might be easy. You can do a few
mini-scenario games in this process. This better prepares you for the scenario
portions of the game itself. You can play free-form in which the clock just
runs and you manage the park as best you can. Or, load up a mission and try to
complete it as described. I usually do both, and this was no exception. I used
to loathe scenario play, but now I like the challenge of it. This game pulls
of the challenge aspect quite well. Not making it too hard for the novice,
nor boring to the seasoned experts.
Doing the
scenarios is refreshing here, as building your own park from scratch is no
simple feat. There are more than two dozen water-loving animals, alone. The
only drawback is a lack of real estate from which you can expand upon. The
array of possible buildings is immense, though funding will keep things simple
from the start. As all park
sims do, this one makes you build and place restrooms, attractions,
food spots and shops within convenient intervals for your paying guests. Keep
everyone happy, and the animals healthy, and you “win!” Once you’ve mastered
the self-creation (Free) mode and want a new challenge, the Scenarios are more
fun than usual in this type of game. From snapping pictures of rare animals to
creating people-gathering attractions, you’ll find a lot of challenge within
reasonable reach.
The game has
some pleasant music. Although you can (almost) always change the volume or
other audio options on these games, the default music is often horrible and a
lax afterthought. This music is nice to hear in the background, but doesn’t
demand your intention in an otherwise “obnoxious” manner. It sounds good,
though some of the other environment sounds are slightly lacking in realism.
But I don’t claim to have a lot of jungle animals in my house to compare them
to.
The graphics
stand out quite nicely for a game of this size and value. Often, these games
are rushed out without much to look at, but they actually made this nice to
look at. The people are “cartoonish” (big heads
and funny bodies), which lends nicely to the Family-orientation of the game.
By making it look like a cartoon, it will help peak the interest of a younger
player, which might lead to some nice opportunities to get an education on
various animals. They did not take cute liberties with the animals, though
they are simplified in their detail. But there is not a “Disney-looking” seal
or other such nonsense. The park scenes are nice to look at without wasting
valuable processing power on tiny details that made a
otherwise fun game get bogged down with unnecessary graphics. Again, the
overall look is appealing to a young audience, which should help make them
want to spend more time on it … thus, educating them along the way!
This is a
very good, low-cost title that has a lot to offer for various audiences. I
have played several Theme park sim games like Zoo Tycoon and the ole
faithful Roller Coaster Tycoon as well as Theme Park — my first
“Park” title in the 90s. This is one of the most enjoyable ones I have tried.
Intentional or not, the look and feel of it will lend itself to attracting
young players, which many sim games seem to shun due to their complex nature.
Once they try it, the friendly tutorials and inviting situations will keep
them there for a long time. There’s a lot of replay value to this title, which
is a great asset to any stand-alone sim game!
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Gameplay: 7.5
The
tutorials are very simple and thorough. The narration is friendly and
non-intimidating. Once you settle into playing the game, the array of button
items is large, but easy to navigate. There is a nice combination of
challenges and Free play to keep you wanting to
return for a while. I was more drawn to playing this in repetition than most
other games in this genre. Despite its low-end price tag, it plays like a
bigger release.
Graphics: 8.0
They
did not, thankfully, attempt to make this a National Geographic game with a
lot of demands on my system. Though it could handle it, it was nice to have
good speed in lieu of being dazzled by photo-realism. They seemed to
accurately balance the importance of good gaming against the need for
realistic environments and objects. That was nice to see. I like the
cartoonish employees and visitors very much. It
reminded me of an old Sierra game.
Sound: 7.0
The
tunes are mellow but not annoying. You can turn them down/off, but I never
touched the settings on this one at all. I played in Default mode the entire
time. That’s nice — for a change. The narration is nicely done by a low-key
fellow that you’d expect to see in a old, well-worn
sweater (hence, the Mr. Rogers reference).
Difficulty: Easy
It’s
not very hard to pick up and play. Seasoned sim players can skip the lessons
and jump right in, but I still went through them — and did learn a few things
that I appreciated. If you’re new or unsure about this type of game, the
tutorials will make it much easier to handle. Though easier than many, it has
it’s challenges — but they are fair and can be met
with focus and by paying attention.
Concept: 6.5
There
isn’t much new about this. It’s like a lot of sim games out there already.
What feels new is the mix of aquatic animals in the same park that has more
exotic species like kangaroos and rhinos. Going with the low-tech cartoon
people helps make it look fresh as well.
Overall: 7.5
Without
apology, this is a good game that most any sim player should enjoy very much.
Enlight deserves praise for not wasting time
making the game look a certain way — and neglecting good game play. They
managed to make it look appealing, yet keep the action engaging and a
challenge. Proof that it can be done (attention: GBA developers). There are a
lot of things to keep you busy building your park when funds allow. If you
keep your staff paid well, you will ensure they keep the animals/attractions
in great condition, which will keep the people coming back. If things are
running well, you will have the funds to expand and see how crazy you can get
with the park. That’s a lot of fun. Over and over, Free Mode and Scenarios, I
was playing with the animals and watching kids eat ice cream. Not a bad way to
spend a cold-season night!
