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Dumb, Dumb, Dumb, Dumb, Dumb!

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 21 / 44
Date: October 02, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Gamblers have it the worst in the video game department. For every half decent gambling related game that comes out (i.e. Multiplay Video Poker, Real Deal Slots, Slots II), there are twenty released that are complete junk. This is one of them...

You play Steve Wynn, in so many words, by taking a poorly run casino and attempting to make it into something spectacular. The concept is great, but the execution is awful. The casinos themselves are poorly-rendered ripoffs of the Luxor, Excalibur, Treasure Island, and Binion's Horseshoe. They even managed to do really creepy looking renditions of Siegfried and Roy (apparently they own the Excalibur in this game.) The only original casino is one that looks like an old 50's style jukebox.

So, what machines do you have to choose from? Slots, Video Poker, and Video Blackjack. That's it. What table games do you have? Blackjack and Craps. If you move up the ranks, you'll get Roulette, Pai-Gow, and a Wheel of Fortune table. Wow. The graphics on this game are so generic you really can't tell the difference between slot machines and blackjack machines. The craps tables are only barely distinguishable from the other tables. It's really awful how you supposedly have a variety of slot machines, yet they all look the same. Not that it matters as you can't play any of them and having different machines doesn't affect the game anyway. The gameplay is completely generic. It's a matter of, build enough items and the casino will fill up. I really don't see any advantage of using one machine over another or table games versus machines for that matter. Just dump enough items on the floor and you'll advance to the next level. Exciting, huh?

I'll get really nitpicky now. The restaurants and shops you build? Just 2D images you paste on a wall. That's it. You can't go into these "wallpaper" shops or change anything about them (except you're able to offer keno in the restaurants - big deal!) Would it have been so difficult to allow us to adjust the prices on the items we sell? That's just one example. Add the fact the customers all say the same thing over and over and the fact the music is the same song over and over and you get the feeling a lot of corners were cut to rush this game out the door.

Supposedly you can adjust how much the pit bosses give out in comps. If that's true, I've never seen anything happen. All they do is stand around and do nothing. (Ok, maybe that part of the game is realistic.) You can view how much cash customers have, but not how much cash they've spent - defeats the whole purpose of giving comps doesn't it? Speaking of which, if you click on a drunk customer he or she will start babbling like a drunk. Give them a comp and all of a sudden the speech sounds normal. Wow, I didn't know comps sober people up. The heavily-accented asian customers say things like "are any of the waitresses for sale?" If I had a politically correct bone in my body I'd think that sounds like a racist stereotype.

You can set the house edge on the games to somehow control how much money you collect. How is this done? By using a slider bar you set from low to medium to high. Think about this for a second. Anyone remotely familiar with gambling (the editor who chopped this section out of my review isn't one of them) knows you can change the odds on a slot machine but you can't change the odds on most table games. So how do you get more money out of them? Are you putting a magnet on the roulette wheel? Are you using loaded dice on the craps table? I could go on and on, but I think you get my point. The game is just totally unrealistic and nothing like what's really involved in operating a casino.

The best economic sim released recently is Virtual Resort: Spring Break. If the subject matter doesn't appeal to you and you must have a gambling tycoon game, then search for a copy of Casino Tycoon. It's better, but not by much. Better yet, save your money, or come to Vegas and bet it all on red or a hand of blackjack. Even if you lose you'll have more fun than you will playing this game.

Hope the review helped.

Too Easy

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 8 / 21
Date: October 19, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I have never been a great PC gamer but this game was just too Easy. I beat every level (except the last one) on one try. The last one only took me two tries. It plays more like a Tutorial than an "Empire". It is amusing but way too predictable I would recomend this one when it hits the bargain bin at your local computer store.

Not as bad as some have stated

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 25 / 29
Date: October 07, 2002
Author: Amazon User

First off, this game is not a casino game where you play poker, black jack, or slots and pretend your a high roller in Vegas, winning or loosing big. This is a simulator, and if you don't like simulators (Any of the Tycoon games) then you probably won't like this either.

But if you ever wondered what it might be like to run every aspect of an imaginary casino, I think you might like this game. Graphics are fairly cheesy, and the mafia theme probably would have been more realistic for casinos in the 60's and 70's. But you can have the game play whatever MP3 you have available, you have many different games you can buy and there is more than just placing games on the screen and see if you win. You have to balance everything from advertising to security, bathrooms to bars. I have played the game many times and never had the same outcome.

There are some things that could be improved. I wish you started with more money. ($$$) is pretty low for starting a casino. And in real life casinos don't buy slot machines. The manufactures put them in the casinos for free and take a slice of the pie. I also think they should have denominations for the slots less than ($$). I mean I think a lot of people play their whole vacations on nickel slots. It might be nice if they could add the simulation of the food service, hotel staff, share holders, etc then it might be a bit more up to date. And a first person walkthrough of the casino would be cool. Give you the real feel of being a casino owner.

But wish list aside, this is a fun simulation game and is worthy of 3 solid stars.

Gets old....fast...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 4
Date: June 29, 2003
Author: Amazon User

The only probably with this game, is it's too short. There are 8, relatively easy levels to beat. And once you've done that, the game is pretty much down. Do yourself a favor, check for a 'used' copy first...then sell it as used once you're done with it.

Decent, but limitted playability

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 4
Date: August 16, 2003
Author: Amazon User

As Tycoon games go, this one is probably a bit above the average of late. Most seem to be junk re-hashes of the same game with different graphics. This one is pretty decent (not to the level of a SimCity or RailRoad Tycoon), but much better than things like Underwater Tycoon, that appear targetted at rather young <13 players.

There is a progression that you go up in getting bigger casino's to develop and goals set for you. But I think there were only about 6-7 casino's total and once you did them all, it wasn't really any fun to go back and play the old ones.

Bottom line: Looking to kill some time? This will keep you occupied for an afternoon if you like the "Casino" theme. If you are looking for something to keep you going for days or is complex, keep looking.

User-friendly...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: September 09, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Hoyle's Casino Empire is a user-friendly version of the "Tycoon" games. While not as complex, you should be able to advance with little reference to the manual -- something you can't do with the "Tycoon" games. One criticism I do have is that it's fairly simple -- could have been more complex in what YOU control; and would have liked to see more different options in restaurants, etc. that could be added. But, for an afternoon of casino fun; it will suffice. Would like to see Sierra try a few other venues with a little more complex game. Look for a good bargain on the price; and you probably won't be disappointed.

It's ok

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: November 21, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This game is pretty cool at first. There is a lot of graphic detail in regards to the casino and the games. You are given a lot of control over the table game prices, locations, payouts, etc. The only problem is there are only 8 casinos you get to play, with specific goals to accomplish. Or you can play freestyle. The casino interior cannot be changed, and so you run out of space for placing things like buffets, restrooms, etc. Its not a very challenging game at all, I finished it in a day. It is really funny though, when you click on your patrons they usually have something unique and comical to say.

Overall Good Game

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: August 02, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I bought this game in a 2 pack with hoyle slots. I like this game. I don't like the fact that you cannot change the casino itself. This game is very entertaining but sometimes a little difficult, but who wants it to be easy. The casino sounds are good and so are the graphics. So all in all worth the money.

Good but needed some updates and more content

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: August 09, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This game kept me entertained for a while and I even loaded on my laptop because I missed it. Unfortuantely my laptop blew up! Yes it was 1 1/2 year old Alienware laptop.
The graphics werent bad and the premise of this game was good. I happen to like this game better than Vegas Tycoon. While VT had better graphics, to me you had slightly a little more to do in Casino Empire.
You were given tasks to complete involoving none other than, a casino. Various locations and some of the casinos (some mostly empty) looked very nice. The graphics could of been a little more detailed, and the pit bosses needed more realism as well as the slots. Security cameras with a security room could add to the realism where you can actually catch cheaters, robbers, and so fourth looking on the secruity screens from the cameras you placed throughout. It would of been nice also to add a hotel and actually design it, make the rooms, and design and include the resturants (little bit of resturant empire and Maximum Occupancy-Hotel Tycoon) mixed in by making a resort complete with a pool, parking lot, and designing comp cards. A window would take you to a screen tha shows when the person is coming to the hotel, when he/she is leaving and later on how much comp did he/she earn. If he/she brings their family, you need things to do for the children or else they wont have a pleasant stay and in turn will not spend much time in the casino. The resturants and keno were awful. I hate pasting resturants on walls, its so unreal. It wuld of been nice to build a buffet breakfast/lunch/dinner style resturant and actually design it and go in.
I would of also liked to see progressive jackpots, the huge signs, and perhaps opening and closing so the technicians can service the slots, fill them, and clean up as well. Adding a bar would be a plus. Many casinos have bars that you can sit at. The cashiers and waitresses would add to the realism.

Fun Easy to Play Game

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 26 / 27
Date: October 18, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This game isn't the most complex one of the "tycoon" games you will find. It is pretty entertaining. Sometimes I like a game that isn't so complicated that it takes three websites to consult with how to just make it through. The casinos that you work through are [copies] of their Las Vegas Counterparts, as are the "celebrities" that will make it into your casino if you are good enough. Some of the graphics are 2D such as many of the attractions you will build in your casino, and the games really aren't that distinquishable.
It is fairly easy to get the hang of, the audio is pretty good, with background noise, some nice lounge music, and commentary from the guests. The game does throw your casino development with a few curves such as other casinos trying to infiltrate and disrupt your business. Its fun, lighthearted, and a great way to get started in other "Tycoon" sort of games. While it isn't the best Tycoon game out there, I do like this one, it has good game play, and you don't need to buy a guide to work through this one.

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