Sneak Peek: Librarian Simulator (PC) – Libritopia

The Sim genre really is a curious one. While you could argue that every game genre has its highs and lows, the discrepancy seems even more pronounced here. Over the years, I’ve encountered some excellent Sim games, but I’ve also come across some that are just atrocious. It’s as if calling a bad game a “Sim” somehow gives it a free pass. As a reviewer, I’ve handed out some of my harshest scores to games from this category. Today, I’m delving into LIBRITOPIA: Librarian Simulator on PC. There’s definitely a bit of charm in what it offers, but there are also some significant gaps that leave room for improvement. Bear in mind, this game is currently in Early Access, so my observations are based on its current state rather than a polished final version.

Jumping into LIBRITOPIA: Librarian Simulator, the concept of running your own library sounds genuinely inviting. Libraries have always been cozy havens for those who seek an escape or a quiet place to learn. When I started playing, I was hoping for an engaging, leisurely-paced experience, yet I found myself unexpectedly thrown into a frantic dash game.

In the game, you’re tasked with catering to your library’s visitors while trying to keep complaints to a minimum. If you don’t have what a visitor wants, they leave disappointed. Too many dissatisfied patrons in a day? Game over. This scenario would resonate more with fans of fast-paced games, rather than the thoughtful management simulation one might expect from a Sim. Associating library work strictly with stress isn’t necessarily what I think players would enjoy.

At the start of your day, the game lets you rearrange your library and collect returned books. From the odd decision to begin your day at a computer station to the parade of book lovers vying for your attention, the setup initially feels intuitive enough not to raise complaints.

But, for a crowd that should appreciate literature, these customers often act surprisingly clueless. Initially, you’re given only a dozen books to manage. Your visitors will stand right in front of them yet often request titles sitting in plain sight. This behavior makes sense only if your library were brimming with tomes. As you advance and expand your library, the game challenges you by displaying books with only their spine visible, which complicates tasks when customers request books by author or genre. You can either memorize your entire inventory or waste time searching for each request, risking impatient patrons leaving in frustration.

LIBRITOPIA’s layout features distinct zones. You have asking and checkout areas, each with separate computers, adding unnecessary complexity. It would streamline the process greatly if everything was accessible from one place. For a dash game model, starting with simpler steps and building complexity gradually seems more effective. While there are ways to manage this, like purchasing automated checkouts, the initial complexity feels excessive.

Checking out books involves a cumbersome process: returning to a computer to search for each item before completing the task. If there was a simpler, more efficient process — say, viewing pending requests on-screen at a glance — it would ease gameplay significantly.

The check-in desk includes a matching mini-game intended to verify book titles, authors, and genres. However, the controls lack the responsiveness and speed needed for a smooth experience. Given the dash elements, everything should be fast-paced, and the current mechanism falls short.

The core loop of LIBRITOPIA is straightforward: get books to patrons and retrieve them later. However, the game manages to complicate this, often asking for books yet unseen. This scenario becomes frustrating, especially when losing customers leads to game penalties beyond your control.

Visually, LIBRITOPIA seems to draw from earlier gaming aesthetics, reminiscent of the 2000s. While understandable given resource constraints, it does lack visual polish. The audio, too, seems off at times, with mismatched voices and non-immersive sound effects. On the bright side, the controls generally behave as expected.

Despite these setbacks, fans of dash games might find some enjoyment in LIBRITOPIA: Librarian Simulator’s mechanics. It doesn’t aim for game-of-the-year accolades, but it has potential as a replayable dash title. As a Sim, however, it’s somewhat misleading in its current form. It might just need some refining to fully define its identity.

Being in Early Access means LIBRITOPIA can potentially transform into a more cohesive experience with subsequent updates. It’s also affordable, so if you’re intrigued, trying it won’t break the bank. It’s worth keeping an eye on how it evolves post-Early Access.

Note that this preview is based on an Early Access version provided by the publisher.