Flat Eye
Developer(s)Monkey Moon
Publisher(s)Raw Fury
EngineUnity[1]
Platform(s)
Release
  • WW: November 14, 2022
Genre(s)Business simulation
Mode(s)Single-player

Flat Eye is a 2022 business simulation game developed by Monkey Moon and published by Raw Fury. Players manage a gas station in a dystopian version of Iceland.

Gameplay

Players manage an Icelandic gas station that is part of the fictional Flat Eye conglomerate. A single employee handles all the tasks in the gas station. As players make more money, they can install technologically advanced devices and services to exploit their customers, such as an AI-powered self-help booth that sells customers' personal data. Devices can interact with each other, such as a smart toilet that covertly sends information about customers' health to the self-help booth. The employee is responsible for upkeep of the devices, which frequently break down. These repairs can injure or kill the employee, after which players can hire a replacement. Players must also manage the energy needs of their devices. Special customers, with whom players can interact, occasionally enter the store and discuss the dystopian state of world affairs. Players must meet quotas to pass Flat Eye's performance reviews.[2]

Development

Monkey Moon was inspired by Theme Hospital and Dungeon Keeper. Setting Flat Eye in a gas station came from a desire to let players meet a wide variety of people from different backgrounds. The developers' also drew from their experiences in working in retail. The management elements were designed to focus more on fun than complexity, as Monkey Moon felt that modern simulation games had become too complex. Although players are given quotas and their efficiency is summarized using graphs, Flat Eye was designed to not have a game over state.[3] Raw Fury released Flat Eye for Windows and macOS on November 14, 2022.[2]

Reception

Flat Eye received mixed reviews on Metacritic.[4] Although PC Gamer felt it did not live up to its potential, they said it was still interesting for its focus on showing the negative traits of capitalism that are usually glossed over by other business simulation games. However, they disliked how unsubtle some of the anti-capitalist sentiment is.[2] Rock Paper Shotgun praised the narrative elements and called Flay Eye a "compelling and thoughtful exploration" of the negative aspects of capitalism.[5] Hardcore Gamer, who praised the dialogue and satire, called it "a sweet and savvy twist on simulation games".[6]

References

  1. ↑ Saver, Michael (2022-12-27). "Made with Unity: 2022 in review". Unity Technologies. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  2. 1 2 3 Greer, Sam (2022-11-14). "Flat Eye review". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  3. ↑ Castle, Katherine (2022-09-30). "The Night Call devs are swapping taxis for tech-fuelled gas stations in their new narrative management game". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  4. ↑ "Flat Eye". Metacritic. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  5. ↑ Castle, Katherine (2022-11-14). "Flat Eye review: a petrol station management sim powered by the same dark fuel as Black Mirror". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  6. ↑ LeClair, Kyle (2022-11-22). "Review: Flat Eye". Retrieved 2023-11-13.
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