Painter’s Guild Review

Painter’s Guild is a management game based upon running a painter’s guild in Italy. The game starts from the 15th century, but you can choose from 3 locations each location having unique perk(s). The game itself is a strategy game in the games general design. Although it is a bit of a management game in the sense that you have to manage your artists needs. Since they will need to sleep and paint in order to grow their abilities. As this in turn makes them become better and faster at what they do. You also have the objective of getting them to a higher skill level so they can become painting masters.

But just like people in the real world they will need to be tended to. As your artists can become ill, grow old and require going on a holiday after their apprenticeship is over. However it isn’t all about your artists as the building that your painter’s guild is located has its own needs. Such as managing resources, paying bills, upgrading the facilities of the building and making your guild become famous.

Although the prestige system is based upon how rich your property is and what items you have. To add to this your prestige level is influenced by how many rich customers/churches you have successfully painted for. Whilst you can earn prestige easily you can also lose prestige just as easy by not completing paintings in time.

The main difference between prestige levels is the amount of money you earn from patrons. In comparison a lower prestige level guild will receive more patrons from the more working class people such as carpenters. Although once you reach a higher prestige level you will be getting higher members of society coming to your guild, such as royalty. However even though they have more money to spend on art they will have difficult tasks for you.

I like how this game doesn’t hold back from historical accuracy. As the game is fairly accurate in depicting the setting and the culture of the era it is set in. Whether it is the notification of when events in history have happened in game such new popes coming into power. The culture is also very accurate to the period the game is set in. As you may expect this game is complete with a large amount of references to Christianity. The references are constantly throughout the game. Ranging from the life of the people in game, through to the visual representation often featured in the art work. In fact Christianity is often put into everything that can possibly fit into.

History is also included in game such as the art references, social representations and references to historical events. I like how it even incorporates some famous art pieces of the period such as the creation of Adam. You can even hire notable artists of the time to work in your guild such as Michelangelo. However all the historical influence isn’t all beneficial (as expected). Since during that time as the Catholic Church was a major influence of the time. As a result of this there are some mechanics that will be to your detriment. Such as the constant requests for you to paint a local religious building. Although doing so is beneficial for growing your prestige level. But if you do paint a building it will take away some of your artists from earning you money.

There is also a mechanic that may influence you is when it comes to hiring artists. This is due to the fact that there is a punishment for having a gay artist in your guild. The random event is whenever the authorities suspect that one of your artist’s is gay. Even if it isn’t the case the authorities will punish them. Unless you decide to pay for legal representation (which does work but on occasions it won’t have any effect.). If you fail your appeal you will lose the artist. This is detrimental to your guild especially if they are at a high level as this can break your guild. In particular if any of your artists are low level or if you are short on cash. Another thing that is that there is also no rewards present for the risk of hiring them.

The music in the game also fit in the game. The soundtrack featured in this game is of a classical style which was popular at the 1400’s. The soundtrack is great but it is short and overtime becomes repetitive.

Lengthwise this game can carry on for as long as you want to play on it. I feel that although the game is very simplistic in execution. Particularly because the game is involves dragging and dropping items into where you want them. Overtime the game gets quite repetitive after so long due to the gameplay. Long term the game hardly changes the game play. The only difference between the years in game is minimal. The main area affected is the difficulty of the game. Especially if the guild has a high prestige as you get more random events. Overtime the only motivation is hiring new artists as you can get many famous artists. Other than that there is no real reason to continue playing after so long. Since after so long you will have seen/done everything.

I think it is also a missed opportunity to have a reason to continue playing. Since the game could have included technological advances in game. Particularly because it changed how people lived lifestyle wise. It could have even included political/historical events that happened. At very least all the aforementioned ideas would have at least given the developer some more content ideas.

Sadly as much as I like Painter’s Guild I don’t recommend getting it unless it is on sale. This is purely because this game doesn’t offer much content. However, if in the future this game receives any updates that provide extra content and steam achievements/trading cards. Then I think that this game might be worth looking at.

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