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REVIEWS

Here it is folks, the game we have all been waiting for. A real-time, modernistic warfare strategy game. That’s right, we have commando troops and army units. Confused yet? Stardock Systems, Inc. has delivered to us Entrepreneur, the game of "World Domination Through Corporate Warfare". Using commando troops (Marketers), army units (Sales Executives) and a host of other little tricks, your goal is to:

-Pinky & the Brain

Now understand that this title is more like a business-sim lite. While it logical and realistically portrays certain elements of the strategy necessary to create a multi-national corporation, it also leaves out a lot of the boring elements. Heavier than Monopoly, but lighter than Capitalism. But how well does it work?

You begin the game by choosing the name of your company, name of your CEO and color. Next you choose your opponents (Mitrosoft, Itty Bitty Machines, MacDonalds), AI level (5 to choose from), product (computers, browsers, cars, airplanes, etc.) and finally a map. When you are satisfied with your choices, away we go.

You start off on a randomly selected country. With your starting funds you will immediately begin researching the countries around you. Doing so allows you to sell to that area. Next you will click on your site to enter the site map. Here you can hire/fire workers, build new buildings (research department, marketing, a sales office and Happy Fun Land, a recreation site). You can also, if you have the funds, upgrade the buildings to be able to hire more workers and have more power over what you do (by upgrading the marketing office you have more marketing campaign options). By clicking on a building, you enter that map to decide what to do. The marketing office allows you to create newspaper/radio/television ads that highlight a certain element of your product. Your research department allows you to choose what part and type of research to do (from making the part cheaper and quicker to produce to having a better reliability or look). For now, you will end up clicking on the garage. Within this menu you can see the statistics of your product and the profit/loss ratio. You will see the cost of your product and set the price accordingly to balance production versus demand.

Next it is simply a matter of researching neighboring countries and expanding. Your sales executives will see to it that the country they are in and up to two countries away are receiving your product. It is strategically important to see to it that they are placed as optimally as possible. Without them, a country will not receive your product, which means no soup for you. At the end of the year, if you have made enough profit, you will get another sales executive to use at your whim. New sites can be built around the globe, but at a cost. The farther away you are from your home base, the higher the cost. Sooner or later, you will bump into the competition.

The competition is seeking to knock you out. It is only respectful to react in kind. Building a site in the same country that they have is a good way to start. Next you unleash your commandos (marketers), to blast the country with ads that proclaim your product is the best because it is easier to use, looks better, cheaper, etc. Each country has its own wants in a product and you need to cater to them. Sales Executives (your armies) can also help knock out the competition through providing bonuses to sales. The final way to bump the competition is through the use of Direct Action Cards.

You begin the game with a few Direct Action Cards (DAC). Each year when you receive your company report, you get a new one. Certain countries have Special Resource bonus’ inherent to them that the company who is number one in that region will receive. They range from a politically enhanced region to a lawless region. Each year you receive one point per Special Resource that you control. DAC are played by spending these points. Spending points from your political point pool plays the Anti-trust card, which wreaks havoc on the player with the most countries controlled. DAC’s are what sets this game apart from its competitors. They easily highlight the tongue-in-cheek humor found throughout this game. They also provide the opportunity to meddle in the affairs of your opponents.

The interface is extremely user friendly. Whenever you enter a map for the first time, a friendly overlay explains those particular maps functions and how to use it. On the main screen, you have the basic map before you. Here you can view friendly/enemy sites, the moving around of Sales Executives and who controls what countries. Under this you have a row of buttons that provide quick data about how well each player is doing so you know where you stand. On the top right you have the atypical mini-map. A quick way to view what's going on. Underneath you have two windows that allow you to keep on hand whatever data you wish to constantly view.

The aesthetics of the game may be lacking for some. The graphics in the current 1.5 version are apparently an enhancement over the original. And the 1.5 version graphics are nothing short of functional. The music is bare minimum. It is going to be the gameplay that sucks you in.

The gameplay is great. It is set up to be specific and to the point. Beyond starting location and DAC received, there is no random element. Whether you win or lose is all up to you. It tests your abilities to properly research your product, market it and get it into the hands of the consumers while you fend off competition. You will spend your time playing DAC’s at the right moment, moving Sales Executives around to capture regions, researching to make your product superior, marketing its strengths while pointing out your competitors weakness’, building up sites, etc., etc.

Entrepreneur is a simple game to pick up, tough to master. It plays like a board game, using the computer to do things that no board game can do. It does all the paper work, allows for real-time play and offers a highly competitive AI. With five levels of AI, everyone will find their level here, from a kid to their parent. This is one of those games that is truly fun for the whole family. Using Stardock.net, you can play mulitplayer with a host of opponents. At an hour a game, it does not consume a whole lot of time, yet keeps you coming back for me. The support for this game is incredible. Stardock offers free upgrades that include more maps and products. They also have Entrepreneur Corporate Expansion, which includes more maps, products and new Direct Action Cards.

Reviewed by A. Sage

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