Let's School: Homeroom - A Chaotic Management Sim with a Twist
Let's School: Homeroom is the kind of management sim that gives players pause and makes them consider the nature of their own existence. The game, developed by Pathea Games, takes a strange twist on academic management, offering players the opportunity to hatch a giant panda from an "egg" and deal with rioting students.
Pathea Games, the same studio behind the long-running terraforming and town-building sim Let's Go City, brings their expertise to the design and management of schools and cities in Let's School: Homeroom. With its doll-like, chibi MySims charm, the game introduces players to a world of quirky characters and challenging tasks.
Career Mode and School Improvement
In Career Mode, players are tasked with creating a responsible Headmaster for the school of their choice. The game guides players through the process of improving the school and ensuring that students receive good grades to prevent it from shutting down. Initially, the goal is simple: clean up the school, set up classrooms, hire staff, and start teaching.
However, as the school grows, so do the challenges. The tutorial fails to mention the need for a light source in each room, which the students never point out but the game enforces. Consequently, students sitting in dark classrooms start signing a petition for windows, and if a teacher is not assigned to the room, they eventually start skipping class.
Not paying enough attention to this issue can lead to problems. When trying to train new staff members to keep up with the student count, players might realize that it is not possible. Staff members can only be trained when they are not busy with school tasks. Assigning more staff to the research room and monitoring students' projected grades is essential.
This lack of attention leads to the first major issue: students are not learning fast enough to keep up with the workload. This becomes evident when a student is assigned to clean the classroom, but the task remains unfulfilled for a long time due to the cleaning staff's lack of availability. Players must quickly scramble to train more staff and monitor their workloads.
Hatching Animals and Chaos Unleashed
Let's School: Homeroom introduces another unique mechanic: hatching animals from eggs. Players can hatch cats and pandas, which serve as idle staff capable of performing small tasks around the school. However, as the students become increasingly dissatisfied with the lack of entertainment, they resort to protests. As players focus on decorating the school and hatching cat eggs, chaos unfolds without intervention. The school turns into a battleground, reminiscent of the line from the Battle Royale movie: "It's beautiful, even though it's where everyone died."
While the emotional rollercoaster that is Let's School: Homeroom may be overwhelming for some, many players are eagerly anticipating the game's international launch later this year. If you want to experience the chaos firsthand, you can sign up for the beta on the game's website.
In the meantime, if you enjoy management games, consider checking out classics like SimCity and Cities Skylines, or explore some of the best indie games available.
