We don’t think we’ve covered a prison simulator since the days of MDickie’s Hard Time, but if you’re looking for something similar, though not necessarily the same, you might want to check this new game out. Paradox Interactive’s Prison Architect: Mobile is now out for iOS and Android devices, and it offers you a chance to build and manage your own maximum security prison. But instead of playing an inmate, you’re playing the person in charge of the prison, meaning you’re going to be deciding where cell blocks go, and what facilities inmates get. You’ll also have to manage the pay of your staff and ensure prison morale is healthy, and as the game’s description suggests, you’ll have to deal with execution in multiple ways — how your prison is run, and which prisoners get killed. In short, you aren’t just the prison’s architect, you’re also its warden and its enforcer as well.
That pretty much summarizes what you can expect from this new game, but how can you run your maximum security prison as a beginner in the prison “business”? We’re glad you asked, because we have just come up with some Prison Architect: Mobile tips and tricks for you. Follow these tips if you want to easily get the hang of running a prison, considering the myriad of tasks you need to accomplish while doing so.
1. Don’t Start Out Too Fast
Although it might sound like an exciting prospect to be the architect, warden, and enforcer of your own maximum security prison, it can also be a tough task if you consider all the things you need to juggle. So with that in mind, we would recommend starting with a small prison before expanding as you go along. Don’t try to bite off more than you can chew — you may have big dreams and grandiose visions of a state-of-the-art prison to house criminals in, but you’ve also got a budget to take into account. You can always expand once you have more money, or once you’re more familiar with the mechanics and features of the game.
2. You Can Slow Down The Entry Of New Inmates
One thing you can expect when running a prison is a steady flow of inmates. But as more and more prisoners arrive, you may find yourself getting overwhelmed by the demand of keeping all these jailbirds happy. So what do you do in such a situation? Well, we would recommend slowing down the flow of new inmates, which can be controlled within the game if you feel things are going too fast. You even have the option to pause the arrival of inmates if you feel like it. Remember that you need to set up jail cells for the new arrivals, and that could be quite a demanding task when there are a lot of people making their way to your prison.
3. Get A Bigger Budget Through Grants
When it comes to ways you can use to increase your budget, one of the more important of these would be grants. You want to make use of these grants, as they essentially represent injections of funds, just like they do in real life. With enough grants and enough money, you can quickly work on that expansion you want, or those facilities your prisoners need.
4. Put Prisoners To Work
Of course, you would want to rehabilitate your prisoners, while also making sure that your prison earns money. So how can you hit two birds with one stone? Why, it’s simple — just put your prisoners to work and watch them earn money for you. That will keep them busy and keep them away from temptation, while also bringing in those additional funds. Always count the chisels after a prisoner is done with their shift, and once again, don’t let them get idle, because that will only be an invitation for them to do more mayhem.
5. What To Do During Prison Riots
Now you can’t expect all your attempts at keeping your inmates on the straight and narrow to work. Ultimately, you’ll have to deal with riots, and the worst riots can undo all your best-laid plans. But you can also control these riots by calling emergency services. It may be the riot police, or it may be the fire brigade, but as long as you’re getting some help, you’re on the right track.
There you have it! That’s all you need to know in order to run your prison smoothly in Prison Architect: Mobile. If you have anything to add, be sure to leave a message in the comment area!