Highly Recommended!!
Playtime: 180 hrs

TL;DR: / SUMMARY

Starts as chaos, becomes pure management bliss. Build, learn, optimize, and create a perfectly functioning prison from nothing. It’s one of the most satisfying builder sims out there—once it clicks, it’s impossible to put down.

Prison Architect is one of those rare games that completely sucks you in—not just for a few hours, but for hundreds. I’ve put 180 hours into this, and honestly, I loved every minute of it. The only reason I stopped playing was because I thought Prison Architect 2 was coming out sooner.

At first, it throws a lot at you. There’s a bit of a learning curve. You might forget to put drains in the showers. You might find your canteen too small. Maybe your prisoners riot because you forgot to give them rec time or hot water. But here’s the thing: every mistake teaches you something. The game doesn’t punish you in a way that feels unfair—it teaches you through cause and effect. You watch. You adjust. You evolve. And eventually, you master it.

Once you’re past that early learning phase, it’s smooth sailing—or more like smooth building. You go from an empty dirt lot to a massive, well-oiled machine of a prison. Want separate wings for minimum, medium, and max security? Done. Want a Death Row block, or a fully staffed Psych Ward? You can build it. You control every inch of the layout—from the number of guards on duty to how wide the hallways are to what time the prisoners eat, shower, exercise, and sleep.

You’re not just a builder—you’re an architect, a warden, a systems engineer, and sometimes a problem-solver under pressure. But when you finally reach the point where the prisoners are content, the guards rotate shifts perfectly, and there are no escape attempts because you’ve covered every angle... that feeling? That’s gaming zen.

Your prison becomes a living, breathing thing. And when it hits equilibrium—a perfect loop of structure and stability—it’s incredibly satisfying to just watch it function. Then, when you’ve optimized every detail, you cash out. Sell the prison for a big payday, and start fresh with more money and more knowledge. That loop is where the game really shines. That’s where the hours vanish.

Every new prison you build is better than the last. You’ll remember past mistakes and avoid them. You’ll try bold new designs. You’ll mess with new programs, build new facilities, and discover what kind of prison warden you really are. Reform-focused? Ruthless? Efficient? A bit chaotic? It’s your story.

And there’s still more:

Prisoner needs, gang systems, snitches, legendary inmates

Emergency services (riot police, snipers, fire departments)

Advanced bureaucracy, grants, parole systems, and staff management

Workshop exports, license plates, labor programs that boost profits

And the pure joy of watching time tick by as your prison runs itself


Bottom line:
Prison Architect is one of the best management sims I’ve ever played. If you enjoy sandbox-style builder games, or if you like the idea of taking something from total chaos to polished perfection, this game delivers. It’s not about microtransactions or flash—it’s about watching a system you created just work.

I can’t wait for Prison Architect 2—but until then, this is still an all-timer!

there is too many bugs

Due to a bug, the game is not playable with event. The fireman will not respond with your request to the location where the place burn. Lol.