Mini Review: Rise of Industry 2 (PS5) – Bodacious Industry Sim May Be Worth Your Investment

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Rise of Industry 2 is the sequel to the 2019 business simulation game, Rise of Industry. While the first game was developed by Dapper Penguin Studios, this new version has been created by SomaSim and features significant changes and improvements.

This game takes place in the 1980s and puts you in charge of your own growing factory. You can choose to focus on producing things like metal, glass, or plastic. Like many games of this type, you’ll start with a small operation and work to expand it over time, both in size and profit. After a helpful tutorial, you can play through a story-driven campaign with specific goals, or enjoy a free-form sandbox mode.

There’s a lot of complexity to this game and even the early scenarios are quite challenging.

You grow your civilization by building ‘complexes’ – specialized facilities for tasks like gathering raw materials, refining them, or creating finished products. You then connect these complexes with supply chains, sending the output of one to another. If you need something you can’t produce yourself, you can buy it, and anything you make can be sold for profit. A deep and adaptable technology system unlocks new possibilities, eventually letting you build advanced transportation like conveyor belts and railways.

As a big fan, I’ve learned that handling contracts – both when you’re buying things and selling them – is super important. You really need to build good relationships with the people you’re dealing with. If you don’t deliver on your promises, you’ll lose money and damage your reputation, though sometimes a little friendly chat outside of work, maybe even a round of golf, can help fix things!

While the game’s graphics are better than before, they’re not its best feature, and the menus and controls feel a bit awkward. However, it nails the 1980s vibe with its fun, over-the-top music and even includes some old-school video footage.

The app looks great and is enjoyable to use, but it can be annoying with frequent popups. The controls aren’t always easy to figure out, and it takes a while to learn how to build things within the app.

Overall Rise of Industry 2 is a stimulating game for fans of intricate business and factory simulations. While it offers a deep and rewarding experience, its demanding complexity, heavy focus on micromanagement, and somewhat clunky interface might not be ideal for players looking for something more relaxed.

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2025-09-19 03:06