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1 Working for a big national company, I get stuck into my fair share of spreadsheets. And I’m not even mad about it. Because I, Stuart, Co-Editor In Chief of Thumb Culture, love a good spreadsheet. So when we were approached to cover this completely different game, I immediately jumped at the opportunity. Spreadcheat by Games People Play and Rubarb is a puzzle game like no other. Although it’s not releasing until the 5th May, so you’ll need to add it your Steam Wishlist for now!
Spread The Wealth
This is not a long game and so this review is going to be a short. I’ll tell you that straight away. But that doesn’t mean this isn’t the perfect formula for a fun little game. So sit back and let’s head back in time to the 1990s.
Gameplay
Let’s set the Spreadcheat scene. You’re the new kid on campus. The new office prodigy whom we join back in the 1990s financial era. You are tasked with solving ridiculous tasks and manipulating spreadsheets to cheat your way to the top.
With each task that you get given, they get slowly more ridiculous. Whether that’s making a printer work by tapping the screen, then realising that it isn’t even plugged in, or tidying up certain items from an office party. Each task just compounds the utter ridiculousness of Spreadcheat.
To be fair, the Excel-based puzzles are no different. Fudging numbers by manipulating the cells just to make your report balance. Or even to hide some other dodgy spending that might have taken place. Spreadcheat made me smile all while I was playing it. In fact I may have become too enthralled with it at one point.
My favourite bit of the game is the corporate bro-culture that is heavily mentioned. Cover for your boss, and who knows, eventually you might become a bro yourself!
Graphics & Audio
With a 90s vibe, the game has a classic operating system aesthetic. From way back to the Windows 3.11 setting. With plenty of MIDI tunes to enjoy, as well as only 256 colours in this windowed game, it evokes nostalgia. Honestly, so much enjoyment came from how the game looks and sounds.
You even get your very own Clippy-like character, Corpy!
Longevity
Like I’ve said before, Spreadcheat isn’t a long game. It clocks in at a couple of hours, depending on your skill level. What is it, though, is just pure joy in a game. With so much entertaining dialogue as well as some awful advice if you want to climb the corporate ladder.
While it wasn’t a long game, it will always be one I recommend to fellow Excel nerds!
Final Thoughts
I’m going to be recommending this game to all those I work with. With them enjoying spreadsheets as much as I do, I know they’ll enjoy a little play-through and find the same enjoyment that I had. Spreadcheat isn’t a difficult game, nor is it one that you will play over and over. What it is, though, is a smile in an EXE file.
Spreadcheat gets the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
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