Saturday 27 February, 2016

Today I started playing the game Prison Architect. Just looking at the game I thought it was all about managing prisoners and building a prison. It does have those elements but the game also has a story that you are following as you play. The first chapter is about a prisoner who you have to send to the electric chair after you build it. Upon completing the building you learn more about who the prisoner is. He shot and killed his wife and her lover whom she was having an affair with.
As I played through this scenario I learned that after he had murdered the two people that he felt very sorry and visited a church where he talked to a priest. He did not seem like a man who was a criminal but a good man who had made a terrible mistake and was sorry for it. I did not feel that sending him to the electric chair was necessary. However, I did not see a way around this if I wanted the game to progress.
In the second chapter I was at a different prison where I learned a little more about the story. The man who the prisoner had shot was someone who was important to the mob. I learned this after putting out a huge fire and the mobs boss was talking to his henchmen in the infirmary. At this point I was required to build a new canteen and kitchen in order to provide food for all the prisoners. I was having so much fun with the building mechanic of the game that I also built a commons room, laundry and visitors room. I also hired a bunch of janitors because the prison was so dirty.
As I was playing 2 bodies were found in the shower. I did not click on the picture yet because I was enjoying upgrading the prison.

"However, I did not see a way around this if I wanted the game to progress. " - Do you think prison corporations have their hands tied in this sense? (it's the law, we can't do anything about it) What responsibilities might they have if they (prison wardens, guards, etc.) feel an injustice is happening?