Weedcraft Inc. Preview
The landscape of the Cannabis industry has changed significantly since both Canada and the US have gotten a taste of legalization. Weedcraft Inc, the business management simulator is about to step into this space with some serious science to drop. The positives and negatives of the changing landscape will be highlighted quite nicely in this well-researched, lightweight game, which I am so glad I had the opportunity to preview.
At release, Weedcraft Inc will feature three playable story modes. In one story, you will get to play as a recent graduate with an MBA who comes home to his Flint, Michigan town shortly after his father’s passing. Through some discussion with his lowlife brother, he decides to go into the Cannabis business, having learned that the plant was helpful in easing his father’s pain toward the end of his life.
The second story mode, you will to play as a man who was in prison for 15 years for cannabis-related charges in a city that is now legalized. He decides to go into the cannabis business again and you will decide his fate, whether he chooses the legal path with permits and everything or if he tries to sell on the black market. The third story mode for Weedcraft Inc will be expected to be playable upon release and details are not yet available.
More Than What Meets the Eye
Both stories raise up some amazing issues about the dangers involved in illegal cannabis-selling. They also touch on how the legalized cannabis industry has its host of issues similar to any other business venture. Weedcraft Inc will be jam-packed with story elements. You will learn to navigate scenarios adeptly through understanding how to grow plants and research their optimal conditions while understanding your market in every venue. You will learn to crush the competition and grow your empire.
I think the thing that will set Weedcraft Inc apart from other games in this genre is the artwork used. So far, it’s stunning. It hearkens to the art of Jamie Hewlett (Tank Girl, Gorillaz) in its graphic, urban landscape style. I loved the way it looked and the design of all the characters was smart, clean, and tight. The art is coupled with the lo-fi, downtempo, space-out-to-me.
The deeper thing here, though is that Weedcraft Inc is going to punch with a bigger message. Cannabis, especially in the United States, but really all over, is a complicated and stigmatized issue. This game will make use of familiar places like Flint, Cleveland, and Denver – three cities with very different perspectives of cannabis (Illegal, Medical only, and fully legal). Everything will be approached through gameplay: how it’s helped cancer patients, its role in helping PTSD victims, how cannabis related jail sentences have potentially ruined lives, and how cutthroat full legalization has become on the business landscape. For a little indie game, it’ll pack a hefty message.
Look, Weedcraft Inc won’t be a massive, all-out brawl of a game. It’s not Grand Theft Auto. It’s not Sim City. It is perfect for exactly what it is: A lightweight business sim with a load of research behind it. It will be really cool to see this grow (pun intended). I certainly look forward to what’s to come.
*** PC code provided by the publisher ***
