Recent reviews by canis39

It's probably not quite as good overall as its predecessor, and maybe not even as good as SMB2 -- they were both classics -- but it's very good, and very fun, and has tons of customization options and lots and lots of players, including real players for the first time in the series. They call them 'Legends,' but only some are actual 'legends,' the rest would be better characterized as 'guys who played in MLB for a while and were generally pretty decent.' Guys like Bucky Dent, and Curtis Granderson, and Mark Buehrle, and Jim Sundberg, and John Olerud. The actual 'legends' are here as well: Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Bob Feller. (You will have to edit Willie Mays so that his speed is realistic -- for some reason they didn't want to make him too good -- I guess? -- so they gave him a speed rating of 45).

If you want to create custom players, and custom teams, and custom logos, and custom uniforms, SMB4 has the best tools in the series for all of that. You can pretty much make what you want. There are also more stadiums here than in previous games.

The baseball action is great as in the past. It looks a little cartoonish but it's fun and more realistic than it seems. For me, pitching is where the game shines, but hitting is fun in its own right. Fielding can be a bit of a learning curve but it's not as hard as some people make it out to be.

Overall -- if you're looking for a baseball game on PC, this is the one. It's the last in the series, now that EA has ruined the series. Get it, enjoy it, savor it, there won't be another one.

I love this game. If you're into movies and management-type games even a little bit, I highly recommend it. It hits that "logic puzzle" spot perfectly, while maintaining a wonderful "old Hollywood" atmosphere. "I'll just make one more movie," I say, and then it's 4 hours later and I've made 10 more movies.

It's still in development, so things may change a bit, but hopefully for the better. It's not easy, but there are guides out there to help, and honestly it's pretty fun to fail because then you learn how to succeed next time.

I like this game because it can be very chill, or very technical, depending on how you want to play. You can try to maximize points, or you can just make a beautiful little landscape -- your choice. The art style is perfect, the music is great, and the developers are still involved with the game years after release.

Absolutely recommended.

Would it have been preferable if the publisher didn't sell the rights to a different developer? Sure, I loved the previous game and I still have it installed. But this is a worthy addition to the Ticket to Ride digital lineup. The gameplay is true to the board game and the UI is easy to understand and use.

Do I love having to buy a whole new set of DLC maps? No, but I'm a working adult, and I have a budget that includes entertainment, and this game has proven to be worth the money. They've already released several maps that had not been digitized before (Japan, San Francisco, Heart of Africa) with the promise of plenty more to come.

I only play solo against the computer, but I've seen some reported issues with the online multiplayer. But the developers seem engaged and responsive, so issues seem to be investigated and fixed in a timely manner.

There are lots of hard feelings towards the publisher that have been taken out on this developer, but that's really not warranted. This is a very solid game and likely to get even better.

EDIT:
I have to change this to 'not recommended,' because the game was completely abandoned by the developers, despite them still listing it as 'active development' on their website. It's hard not to see that as a bit shady. If you're done with the game, admit that you're done with the game.

It's still a fun game, but it has a few persistent bugs and it desperately needs some quality-of-life improvements. It would really benefit from mod support, too. I'd love to see what kinds of content talented modders could come up with.

ORIGINAL REVIEW:
I am loving this game, despite its flaws. If you're looking for a fun building game with no gameplay outside of the building aspect, I think this is it. Definitely recommended overall.

The default controls are a bit weird, but there are control customization options in the menu. The objects (especially without any of the DLC) are pretty limited. But you can color-shift and re-paint every object, which expands the possibilities. The grid snapping is decent but inconsistent.

But man, is it fun to design and build houses. I am often somewhat paralyzed by 'freeform' or 'sandbox' type games where you can build anything... but somehow here I feel inspired instead. And that is pretty awesome. Maybe it's the small footprint of the building area? I'm not sure. But I love this game. It's exactly what I was hoping for, even with its flaws.

I really hope we get a lot more content, I would love to see more furniture, more interior items, more building types (maybe some commercial buildings), more everything.

You get 10 expansions for 35 USD, so it's a pretty good deal if you're planning to play the game a lot.

So far the expansions have been done very well, they're quick, accurate to the board game, and the AI is not as terrible as it was in the previous version of the game.

EDIT AUGUST 2025: this DLC is looking even better as more maps are released. Switzerland, Africa, Japan, San Francisco are all great.

After playing on Rockstar's launcher, it's nice to have this game on Steam.

Not much to say that hasn't already been said. This is a legendary game. Currently playing it as a hunting/camping simulator.

I think if you enjoy driving (not racing, but driving) you'll like this one. If you have a steering wheel, it's a no-brainer.

I see a lot of reviews mentioning cars and pedestrians doing crazy things. Well, if you've ever driven in a big city... that's how it is. Many drivers and pedestrians are crazy and unpredictable and stupid. This game absolutely feels like driving in a big city and it's fantastic.

I wish the turning radius of the car matched the turning radius of my steering wheel... but otherwise the controls feel good. The graphics are not amazing, but they're very good. The city mostly feels alive and vibrant, which is a pretty big accomplishment.

A couple of very minor cosmetic things: all pedestrians walk the same; all cars have the same turn signal pattern. A bit of variety in either or both would help the game feel a bit more organic.

But overall, if you have a wheel and pedals, and you like driving... you should absolutely get this game.

Loving this game in 2024; wishing I had tried it sooner. To me it seems like a spiritual successor to Railroad Tycoon 3 -- an economy simulator as well as a computerized model train set. It's challenging to figure out the best train routes, it's enjoyable to lay the track and place buildings, and it's fun to watch the trains run and the cities grow.

This game is really something special. It offers a fun, compelling story... that you can ignore for hours at a time. It lets you float around the ocean depths pretty leisurely (okay, there is an occasional shark to be defeated or avoided)... but then it interrupts you at just the right time with a new gameplay mechanic or a new way to make money or an adorable side mission or a fun mini-game.

I don't know that I've ever played a non-turn-based game that had more of a "one more turn" feeling. "One more dive, then I'll go to bed" I say to myself every night... and then 2 hours later I've done 4 more dives, checked my fish farm, completed a side quest, unlocked a new recipe at the sushi restaurant, and met a new character.

This is also probably my favorite pixel graphics game. I am not typically a fan -- I lived through the 80s and 90s when bad graphics were all we had; why would I want to intentionally go back to bad graphics? But the art style in this game is just about perfect.

The characters and writing are also great.

I don't know what else to say -- try this game. I don't think it's for absolutely everyone... but man, if it clicks with you, I think you will freaking love it.