Playing Blooming Business: Casino made us think about how video game development tends to be a game of chance. Companies often look to venture into a specific genre of video games and double down by integrating new systems or things that are different from other releases. Many times it works out in a great way, but other times, not so much. Blooming Business: Casino is a fantastic game with interesting gameplay and a simple story that takes you by the hand to learn certain things; these elements made our time during the review enjoyable. Although many things make the game fall short, it still shines in many aspects, making this title look like a game with potential.
Blooming Business: Casino Review – Great Gameplay, Simple Story, and Lots of Fun
Story – Dreaming Big in Las Venas
You start the game as the average person arriving at Las Venas with only a dime to their name. As soon as you get there, you’re offered the chance to start your Casino, which nets you a new business and a lot of debts. The story starts here, and you get introduced to the mob and the government. This place is home to a colorful cast of animal-like characters working in your daily jobs. We have government officers, prospectors, baseball players, and even mobsters. Why do we deem this important to mention? Because it is your job to entertain them all by building the best Casinos in town. This is the story of Blooming Business: Casino and the biggest part of the game, which we’ll discuss throughout our review.
In tycoon games, the story isn’t important. People are all about building empires, managing their money, looking for strategies to make their businesses bloom, and so on. If you are looking for that, you’ll find most of it here and don’t need to pay attention to the story; we’ll still talk about it.
While simple, the characters are well-developed, and everyone fits a simple archetype, from flamboyant characters to the stereotypical mob boss. All of them are great and make the long tutorial play more organically. While it isn’t the story for the ages, it is nice to see developers adding more narrative to a game of this genre which is a double-edged sword. The fact that the game has a narrative makes it more interesting, but sadly, it loses its grip on the most important thing: the tycoon elements.
Gameplay – Not Very Tycoon-Like
We will be discussing tycoon elements because the game advertises itself as such. Anyone who’s played games of that genre is in them for the management, the strategy, and the risk of losing resources if not managed well. All these things add a layer of danger that requires the player to think carefully and prepare. It is sad to see that it is impossible to lose in this game. We know the fantasy is all about creating Casinos but the gameplay of Blooming Business: Casino makes it feel like you’re cheating at the game at every turn.
At first, we thought this only applied to the first missions of the game, which are a tutorial. No complaints, though; the narrative makes it all fun. Sadly, there is no way to lose. In other games, you need to pay attention to your resources; here, it was the last thing we saw. Money kept coming, and we were able to build without any issues. Yes, client satisfaction is the biggest wall in the game, but money won’t ever be a problem. At one point, we wondered if we were the bad guys for ripping off every animal-like character in town.
Yet, there’s something in the game for those who prefer designing and building things. Again, while the game is advertised as a tycoon game and doesn’t quite deliver, there are still many fun things. The building mechanic is easy and intuitive, although we’d love to be able to close menus by pressing the escape key; our only major complaint. All furniture is great and has many styles to cater to each type of client.
One thing we think needs some work is the UI. While it isn’t bad, it isn’t the friendliest of the bunch, in our opinion. We could play without issues, bugs, or glitches, but the UI was confusing during the first hours. After a while, you get used to it, but some games from the genre make it easier from the get-go.
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Graphics and Audio – A Las Venas-Worthy Show
The game’s art style was one of the best things during our Blooming Business: Casino review. This title is based on the 1950s style of Las Vegas, and it shows. The characters, the music, the color palette, the furniture- every piece was made with care, and we loved that. While some might think it is too simple, we believe simpler things make a game even better. Seeing owls as Bouncers and billy goats as customers was a visual treat.
The audio is great and goes well with the time the game’s set in. In games of this genre, background music must be engaging to keep the player awake while not being too loud or annoying. The game developers deliver on that front and make the 10-hour journey worth it.
On the technical side of things, there aren’t many issues. While some players reported bugs, glitches, and crashes, we didn’t. The game ran at a smooth 60fps with zero stutters or anything like that. Again, a simpler style with simple graphics and 3D models can make a game look beautiful under the right art direction.
Conclusion – An Enjoyable Non-Tycoon Game
As mentioned, we’d discuss the tycoon part in our Blooming Business: Casino review. If the game wasn’t promised or advertised as one, it would be perfect. It has the right art style, fun gameplay, and a simple but entertaining story with fun characters, yet, it isn’t a tycoon game. If you want to go creative and build your dream Casino, this game is for you. If you want to feel the rush of managing one of these businesses and constantly checking your resources, this won’t do it. Still, it is a game we recommend trying due to its narrative and fantastic style.
Blooming Business: Casino is available now on PC.
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