I’m a long-time fan of strategy and management games, and as someone who grew up in the mountains, where moonshine was prevalent, Moonshine Inc. appears straight up my alley. But can the business simulation game about cooking up a batch of the finest alcohol entice strategy fans and keep them returning for another playthrough? Let’s find out in our comprehensive Moonshine Inc. review!
How is the Gameplay?
First and foremost, let’s discuss the gameplay. After all, this is a video game, and fun comes first!
Overall, Moonshine Inc. is not a deep strategy game. It appears complex, with its various menus, crafting recipes, and an overly-complicated brewing system that have you mixing ingredients and reagents to prepare moonshine. Still, it’s overall relatively shallow despite appearances. For most, it’ll come across as tedious. For some, it will shine, but we’re talking hardcore strategy management fans.
Regarding replayability, I honestly, and unfortunately, cannot see many reasons you should go back and play it again. After completing the game once through, which can take 10-15 hours, I felt no urge to play again.
A Learning Experience
What I can praise Moonshine Inc. on, before we dive into any other aspect of the game, is its accuracy.
I mentioned how complicated the brewing system can appear, and it’s pretty accurate overall, hence the complexity. You need various materials, including sugar, yeast, and ethanol, to craft moonshine to make a big sale.
If you don’t have the right ingredients, your batch may fail. Or, it could turn out terrible. Either way, you won’t bring in much money.
Overcoming Game Mechanics
In a few spots, the game mechanics of Moonshine Inc. can feel lackluster. For example, the police alert level isn’t dangerous or complex. It doesn’t bring about a sense of urgency, and I never once feared for my operation.
Speaking of the operation, the main base is rather useless. It’s cool to see your hired workers walking about aimlessly, doing their moonshine crafting work, but this type of game could have easily been a singular hub, like the XCOM base, and worked wondrously.
Graphics Next
Graphically, Moonshine Inc. is a strategy game. It has messy, foggy textures in some spots and is gorgeous in others. The base location can often appear blurry, but the map and crafting screen are highlights overall.
Furthermore, I love that every crafting reagent in the fermentation process has its unique icon instead of a text list. You can easily see everything and quickly identify materials before you read the title or description.
Do I Recommend Moonshine Inc?
If you can score Moonshine Inc. on sale, like during the upcoming Steam Summer Sale, then yes, the game offers a bit of fun for a short period.
But at full price, I can’t recommend anyone but hardcore strategy, crafting, and simulation fans pick the game up, sadly. It’s not that it’s a bad game, not at all. Other crafting and simulation games are out there with more substance and longevity.