Mr. Prepper was definitely a game that captures the attention of its audience on premise alone. Once you throw in the survival genre and 2.5D style, you begin to think there might be more to Mr. Prepper. There definitely is, but some of it is not all good. Some of the mechanics are outdated or tend to curve the difficulty to the max settings. The story behind it is Mr. Preppers saving grace.
You take on the role of Mr. Prepper, a disheartened survivalist who was apprehended by the ruling force of “Murricaville” after attempting to flee the dystopia that the nation has produced. These neat lawns and white picket fences are only a cover for the growing concern that other governments may be preparing for nuclear war. Mr. Prepper chooses to build a bunker underground in his house to contain his plans since he believes this is the last opportunity to leave the country, or at the very least, evacuate to a safe distance, before WW3 breaks out.
With its 2.5D graphics and survival simulator gameplay that is similar to Fallout Shelter, Mr. Prepper gives the impression that the plot is only a framework. An inspirational component should only be put on top of the goal of merely surviving. You can stay in “Murricaville” for as long as you like, but as time passes, Mr. Prepper anticipates putting in several mechanics that call for a quick departure.
You’re on parole as a result of your recent incarceration, and a weekly examination of your home is required to ensure that everything is up to the standards of a good, honorable citizen. If concerning objects are seen during the inspection, such as dubious objects like long-lasting tinned food, or even having a workbench out in the open, the inspector might catch onto the player. All of this will be seen as evidence of your erratic behavior, and if you don’t maintain a low profile, they can rapidly put a stop to the game for you.
The other NPCs you’ll encounter in the environment have a certain annoying quality to them, whether it’s the woman who always carries a plant in her hands or Bob, who lives in the mines with a ton of prohibited signs. More than Mr. Prepper himself, it has an overpowering flavor that comes from their outlandishness, and they aren’t the ones being apprehended by the secret police for breaking societal norms.
It’s a really fascinating restriction that makes you work more than you would normally while yet having to maintain appearances. In Mr. Prepper, a day lasts 24 minutes in real-time, from 00:00 to 23:59. In that time, players try to investigate everything in their neighborhood: It’s a little window that players will have to try to navigate. So, whether players spend it mining minerals or scavenging in the woods, there is little room for errors or contemplation. It wouldn’t be such an issue if players weren’t for the fact that players are advised to go to bed as soon as the clock strikes midnight. Slower build times and a drop in your “Preparedness” force you to go to bed regardless of whether Mr. Prepper is currently feeling sleepy or not. The Preparedness meter is a cheap little gadget that represents the player’s current productivity; what happens if it reaches zero? Mr. Prepper will experience intermittent fainting.
Although it’s difficult to truly let it run out, there will come a time when productivity simply stops, whether as a result of resources running out or a lack of direction. The game’s design does require the player to lean into certain low moments in exploration and success where you’re having trouble making the things players need to move on. Mr. Prepper doesn’t have this issue specifically, but it is a typical tendency with many survival games.
Of course, the inspections can become stricter and harsher if they relate to the player’s water supply or your usage of power. Occasionally, the postman would mysteriously vanish, making it unable to directly obtain more supplies. In your own home, considerations like item placement and scarcity can become more difficult as a result of these unpredictable events, but Mr. Prepper rarely provides a workaround. The save function leaves a lot to be desired as well. When players consider that the game only ever saves when you go to bed at night, it can be off-putting in some circumstances. It all adds up to an experience that asks so much of so little when mixed with the 20-minute days, the more complex and harsher inspections, and the customary midway slumps in survival simulators.
Mr. Prepper has a great premise that has a lot of promise. There are a few shortcomings that tend to keep players from truly enjoying the game. Saves only work once you fall asleep, odd pacing from gathering resources, and the sporadic difficulty of the inspections can cause a ton of headaches for the 24-minute days that go by at an increased speed due to material shortages. Mr. Prepper is truly a hardcore survival simulator that makes Fallout Shelter quake in its boots. I would recommend waiting for a sale, but definitely give Mr. Prepper a twirl.
