I’ve been thinking about the core of what makes video games attractive to us, and I came to a simple answer. Advancement. Building games to a new level. As gamers, we love to advance: leveling up, increasing strength, gaining new spells. All those things can be distilled down to a simple reality – somewhere in the code, numbers are getting bigger. We like that. More damage, more health, more speed. It’s just satisfying, isn’t it?
Few genres scratch that increasing number itch like management sims and building games do. You know what I mean – meticulous planning and gradual development leading directly to increasing numbers. Watching your city or civilization or army grow like that is incredibly satisfying. The building games market is also almost completely saturated with quality products.
Recently I’ve been playing Block’hood, which is in fact spelled like that, and is currently out in Early Access on Steam. Block’hood is a management sim, but is more unique than most others. Let’s start with the basics. Creations in Block’hood are based on tiles. Each city(?) has a defined area where you can place your blocks, which you can start to stack once the area is full. In a way, it feels similar to games like Tiny Tower in that sense.
There are a few factors to consider when deciding how to structure things. First, each block has requirement to function. Fulfill them, and it will produce products that other blocks require. Fail to do so, and the block will degrade until it breaks down. The ecology of the system is of critical importance, and you need to balance the requirements and products of your blocks intelligently. You also need to provide access to the various blocks with a system of walkways and elevators. I built several poorly conceived hoods before coming up with a design that worked, and the result was super satisfying.
Another consideration is structure. Your inner architect will be severely challenged in larger hoods, as the upper levels need to be properly engineered to avoid things collapsing. Any who wants more control from their building games will absolutely love this aspect of Block’hood. Finally, tiles can synergize with one another. Put trees next to water, and they’ll both operate more effectively. But, place something nasty next to an apartment and the blocks’ performance will suffer.
The game looks great too. It’s clean and simple, and has a bit of a Fez vibe. It’s not pushing any boundaries really, but it’s relaxing and easy on the eyes.
It’s a concept I’ve not seen implemented before, and it’s entertaining as hell to play around in the sandbox as it exists right now. There are some basic challenges in the current iteration of Block’hood, but I imagine the suite of modes you find in most building games will crop up as development goes on. I’m impressed so far, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on Block’hood as time goes on. If you’re a fan of building games and management sims, take a gander at Block’hood.
