The Executive Revealed Why Sequels to Low-Budget Horror Fail and Audiences Prefer a Bicentennial Man Imitation

Among the abundant selection of tycoon games available, only a few let you dive into the world of managing a movie studio. Whenever this intriguing concept gets mentioned, my mind immediately flashes to Lionhead Studios’ The Movies. It’s been a while since anything quite like it came along, which is why indie developers, like Aniki Games, are stepping up to fill that void.

Introducing The Executive, an indie management sim where you become a high-flying movie tycoon, juggling all the high-stakes decisions and inevitable blunders of the film industry—much like real life. Despite its straightforward visuals, the game commands a lot of time navigating through menus. Here, you’ll be balancing budgets, assigning roles, and deciding whether to give a surprise box office hit from the last decade a fresh sequel or reboot. This game has a special appeal to those of us who obsess over the film industry, keeping tabs on Hollywood’s movers and shakers, and analyzing box office successes to predict the next studio strategies. Yes, I include myself among those industry aficionados.

Starting out, you’re just another dreamer armed with a few million dollars from some generous rich parents, investors, or perhaps a bank. Choose carefully, as this initial decision influences the game’s difficulty, dictating your initial debts and the terms of repayment. While getting a few low-budget movies off the ground is relatively straightforward, turning a profit is another story entirely.

At its core, The Executive follows the ‘numbers go up’ philosophy, capturing the essence of business dynamics. It’s all about crafting a winning strategy, studying market trends, convincing distributors of your vision, and then—or more like—rinse and repeat. Journeying into major movie productions takes time and effort, but it’s all about mastering the art of navigating fickle market trends and conditions.

As an alternative path, you might stick to your own strategy and drive your movie empire into the ground—imagine funneling funds into creating a franchise out of Night Freaks, a horror film flop that barely resonated with any audience, even internationally. You’re not in the director’s chair watching scenes unfold; you’re running a full-fledged business venture. Yet, the game offers rich role-playing experiences. There’s a certain humor in having to create a sequel to a poorly developed ‘robot drama’ concept you concocted early in the game.

On the downside, despite the game’s unique charm and systematic allure, the grind of battling for financial survival amidst evolving industry trends can quickly grow repetitive. With few surprises to break the cycle, randomness aside, advancements lack variety. Sure, you can research new cinematic techniques and expand your staff to better your operations. Maybe even land lucrative DVD deals for your back catalog. But these don’t fundamentally alter gameplay dynamics.

So, is The Executive worth your time? That largely hinges on your gaming preferences and fascination with the film industry. This management sim offers depth, albeit with an unrefined presentation, and mainly evolves on self-imposed targets. My own interest is piqued enough to chase achievements, but beyond that, I’d likely shift my focus elsewhere.

There’s definite amusement to be found here, like when your fledgling project gets overlooked at the Romys (yes, that’s Romys, not Oscars), while the night’s highlight award goes to a reboot’s prequel of a fantasy saga you bankrolled decades back thanks to an incredible screenwriter. These surreal comedic elements are rare in gaming. I just wish my accomplishments and setbacks had a more profound impact on the game. Otherwise, it feels like a solo contest to outsmart the system before my enthusiasm wanes.

The Executive is currently available for PC on both GOG and Steam.